Moving in & out

First year students will receive a specific move-in appointment to arrive on campus, pick up their room key and move into their room on new student move-in day on Saturday, August 23 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Appointments will be staggered throughout the day to help ease traffic and congestion in the area and in the buildings. We expect to send out assigned move-in appointments via email by mid-July. While students can't request a specific time to move-in, they will have the opportunity during the summer to change their appointment time by selecting from other available times in the housing portal. Instructions will be included when they receive their move-in appointment email.

Upper-division students (rising sophomores, juniors and seniors) and incoming transfer students will move into their rooms on Sunday, August 24 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. There are no assigned check-in time windows that day for returning students, but students must plan to arrive to pick up their room key/fob during the timeframe posted here.

Staff from all over the university will be working hard during move-in days to welcome our Blue Hens to campus and make the process go as smoothly as possible! Later this summer, we will provide you with driving directions and detailed instructions for what to expect upon your arrival to campus. Check back here in early August for information about check-in, parking, unloading, etc.

Want to learn more details about move-in procedures? Join Residence Life & Housing staff during a virtual Move-In webinar on July 24 from 6-7pm. Click here to register for the event. If you're unable to watch live, check back here after the event for a recording of the webinar.

Check-in instructions may vary by student type and day of arrival. Specific instructions for all students will be posted here in early August, so check back then!

Students are welcome to purchase and install their own minifridges (4.5 cubic feet or less) and microwaves (700 watts max). No more than one fridge and microwave per room is permitted, so be sure to talk to your roommate before purchasing or renting.

Many families enjoy the convenience of a rented microfridge. Campus Specialties Inc. provides MicroFridge rentals for all residence halls. These units typically feature a refrigerator/freezer unit with an attached microwave. All orders placed by August 1 will be delivered to your room prior to your arrival on campus. For students who don’t know their specific assignment by August 1, you can still order - just be sure to update your order with your room assignment once you receive it so you can be sure it arrives to the correct location before you come to campus.

See more about the microfridge in this informational video. Call Campus Specialties at 1-800-525-7307 or navigate to the website to place your order.

We’ve put together a list of items students should consider bringing to campus. Students living in a room with a roommate(s) should consider connecting with them to discuss a plan for larger items that could potentially be shared.

Personal items:

• Twin XL bedding (for suite & traditional-style residence halls and executive apartments) or Full-size bedding (University Courtyard apartments)

• Pillows

• Towels (bath, hand, washcloth, etc.)

• Clothing & shoes for rain, shine and possible snow!

• Clothes hangers

• Toiletries (shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)

• Hair styling tools and/or comb

• Bathmat (suites/apartments)

• Toilet Paper (suites/apartments)

• Laundry supplies (basket, detergent, etc.)

• Personal and OTC medications

Cleaning Supplies:

• Bathroom cleaning supplies if living in a suite or apartment (Students in these spaces are responsible for cleaning their own bathrooms)

• Kitchen cleaning supplies (basics for traditional/suite rooms, and more if in an apartment)

• Vacuums are available to sign out at RA offices, but you may also bring your own

• Disinfectant surface wipes

• Paper towels/reusable cleaning towels

Appliances:

• Microwave no larger than 700 watts (1 per room)

• Refrigerator no larger than 4.5 cubic ft (1 per room)

• Or rent a combo unit from mymicrofridge.com

Electronics:

• Laptop/Computer, charger

• Surge Protector extension cord

• Desk Lamp

• Headphones with Mic

• Smart TV (no cable)

• Fan (for non-air conditioned spaces)

Consider:

• A few decorative items

• Foods & snacks

• Bike/bike lock (for added safety, register your bicycle with Parking Services)

• Umbrella and rain boots

• Shower caddy/shoes

• Kitchen items depending on room type

• Microwave safe dishes/mugs and utensils

• Small tool kit

• First aid kit

• Reusable water bottle or bottled water

Prohibited Appliances:

Preventing fire and electrical hazards is a very important shared responsibility of each community member necessary to maintain a safe environment.

Residents must not use or possess the appliances/items listed below. Additional details about prohibited items and residence hall policies can be found in the Our Policies section of our website.

• Appliances containing exposed heating elements

• Space heaters

• Immersion coils for cups and mugs

• Hot plates

• Electric frying pans

• Toasters & Toaster Ovens (only exceptions are University Courtyard Apartments)

• Air fryers or rice cookers (only exceptions are University Courtyard Apartments)

• Griddles

• Dishwashers (except those installed by the university)

• Indoor/outdoor grills of any kind including electric, gas or coal

• Microwaves that exceed 700 watts and more than one microwave per room are not permitted

• Large refrigerators (capacity greater than 4.5 cubic feet) and more than one refrigerator per room are not permitted

• Halogen lamps

• Lava lamps

• Extension cords without surge protectors

• Portable or free standing air conditioning or dehumidifier units

• 3D Printers (3D printers may only be used in academic spaces)

• E-mobility devices including hoverboards, e-scooters, e-bikes and e-skateboards

Additional prohibited items: 

• Candles, electric candle warmers, incense and electric candle warmers.

• Bed lofts are not permitted be they purchased or self-made. Students are permitted to utilize products frequently referred to as bed risers or furniture lifts which fit under the feet of the bed. These are only permitted under an individual bed, not under bunked beds. Most of these products are under 8 inches tall which provide the extra space desired for storage. When using bed risers, the top of the mattress height from the ground cannot exceed 5 feet.

• The University of Delaware is a Tobacco-Free campus. The use of all tobacco products, tobacco related products, and smoking, including E-cigarettes and vaporizers, is prohibited on University property including residence hall rooms, apartments, University grounds and public areas. Read the full Tobacco-Free Policy.

Each student is provided with a bed and mattress (XL twin for most of campus, full-sized in UCA), a desk, a desk-chair, and a wardrobe or closet/set of drawers. Each unit has a waste basket, recycling bin, and windows with built-in adjustable coverings (either blinds in apartments or roll-up shades in traditional and suite style buildings). Explore our halls to learn more about each of our buildings and take a virtual tour of a room. Note that due to the wide variety of room types on our campus, we are unable to provide exact measurements and details for every aspect of each room and its furnishings. 

Students assigned to the room type “Triple Room (FY)” or “Triple Suite (FY)” should expect that two of the three beds are bunked with 3 full sets of furniture in the room. This is important for planning as underbed storage is less available.

In suite-style and apartment style rooms, residents are responsible for cleaning and supplying their bathrooms, though the shower is equipped with a plastic liner. In traditional-style rooms, the hall bathrooms are stocked with toilet paper and cleaned regularly by custodial services.

All rooms have ethernet access to the internet and secure wifi. University of Delaware does not provide or offer cable television.

Traditional and suite style residence halls all have shared laundry facilities and access to a shared kitchen in the building. University Courtyard Apartments have in-unit laundry and kitchens shared by the residents of that apartment.

There are several room types on the campus that house three students and are considered triples.

Triple Room or Triple Suite: These are rooms which always house three students in the room or on each side of the suite. There are over 500 of these beds on campus. Yes, sometimes the space is tight, but the room is designed to have all of the furniture on the floor. The square footage is larger than the other triple room types listed below.

Triple Room (FY) or Triple Suite (FY): The “FY” notation means that these are triples in the newest first year residence halls. When these buildings were designed, they were built with larger student room square footage to be able to increase occupancy in a room depending on need. These buildings were also built with additional spaces in mind for the increased occupancy in the building including floor lounges and large common spaces (kitchens, laundry, etc.). These rooms are only located in buildings with air conditioning. It should be expected that two of the three beds will be bunked in these rooms. After arriving to campus, students interested in unbunking beds can submit a FixIt request to facilities, however, all university issued furniture must fit in the room and cannot be removed.

Any student will be able to request an early check-in to their residence hall for a fee on Thursday, August 21. Check-in to pick up your room key/fob will occur between 5pm-7pm, and you can continue to move into your room after that time. 

The fee for early check-in (based on an 8/21 arrival) is $50/night for each night prior to a student’s standard arrival date. Students affiliated with a university sponsored group may be eligible for a discounted rate and should contact their coordinator for information about fee payment. Blue Hen Helpers will have their fee waived entirely pending confirmation of participation after move in.

First year students should keep in mind that Blue Hen Helper assistance will not be available during early check-in. Dining halls will not open until Saturday, August 23 for brunch and dinner and will have limited hours. More information will be available later in the summer.

To request an early check-in, please complete the Early Arrival Fall 2025 application once it’s available within the Breaks & Early/Late Stays section of the My Housing portal. We expect the application to open by mid-July.

Blue Hen Helpers are volunteers who help new first-year students and families move their belongings into their residence hall rooms during New Student Move-In Day on Saturday, August 23. All students are eligible to be Blue Hen Helpers!

Students who serve as Blue Hen Helpers and check in to the residence halls early will get their standard early check-in fee (starting August 21) waived entirely! Students can get more information and sign up now through mid-August in the Forms section of the My Housing portal.