Moving in & out

Students who already have access to their room during Winter Session who are remaining in the same room for Spring semester do not need to see a staff member to check in – they will retain continuous access to their room upon the transition to spring.

All other students living on campus for spring can report directly to their residence halls for check-in on Sunday, February 1 from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Students are not assigned specific check-in windows for that day, but they must plan to arrive during the posted time frame when staff will be available. Students should arrive at the check-in location designated for their assigned building (listed below) where staff will be onsite to distribute room keys. There will be signs posted on buildings with information to help direct students and contact a staff member if needed.

Students who already have access to their room during Winter Session who are staying for spring do not need to apply for spring early arrival.

Any spring resident who is not already on campus for Winter Session can request to check into their room early on either Thursday, January 29 from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. or Friday, January 30 from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. for an additional fee.

The standard early check-in fee is $50/night (total of $150 for Thursday arrival and $100 for Friday arrival). Students attending in-person New Student Orientation (NSO) and/or International Student Orientation (ISO) on Friday, January 30 are eligible for a reduced rate of $25/night. Eligibility and participation will be verified. Charges will be billed to the student account after move-in weekend.

To apply for early arrival, go to the Breaks & Early/Late Stay section of the My Housing Portal and complete the Early Arrival Spring 2026 application by Monday, January 26 at 5pm.

Important Notes:

• We cannot offer alternate check-in dates or times due to staff schedules and training and to minimize the disruption to Winter Session students studying for and taking final exams. If you’re unable to arrive during the posted early arrival times, you should plan to check in during standard move-in on Sunday, February 1 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 
• In rare instances, some students who are brand new to the residence halls in the spring won’t be able to check in early to their space if it’s being occupied by another student during the Winter Session. We will notify a student if this is their case.

• Spring meal plans start with brunch on Sunday, February 1. Before spring meal plans begin, students arriving to campus early who don’t have a Winter Session meal plan will be able to pay for meals at the door at the Caesar Rodney dining hall and access other open retail locations. Students that may be experiencing food insecurity can access information on different supplies and resources here.

During both the early arrival and standard check-in times, in-hall staff will distribute room keys/fobs in the posted locations listed below for each area. 

Gates around the walking paths in certain areas of campus will be open during certain dates and times to allow cars to get closer to the buildings for drop & go unloading. More information about this will be available as we get closer to spring move in.

Check-in locations by building: 

• Caesar Rodney: Caesar Rodney Commons Main Lounge
• George Read North & South: George Read North Main Lounge
• Gilbert: Gilbert Main Lounge
• Harrington: Harrington Commons Lounge
• Independence East & West: Independence West Main Lounge
• James Smith & Thomas McKean: James Smith Main Lounge
• Lane/Thompson: Thompson Main Lounge (first floor)
• North Central (Brown/Sypherd/Harter/Sharp): Sypherd 114 (RA Office)
• Ray Street A, B, C: Ray Street A Main Lounge
• Redding: Louis Redding Main Lounge
• Russell: Russell 133B (RA Office in D/E Lounge)
• Smyth: Smyth Main Lounge (first floor)
• South Academy: South Academy 133 (RA Office)
• South Central (Sussex/Squire/Kent/Cannon/New Castle): Squire Main Lounge/Office
• Courtyard Apartments: UCA Clubhouse

1. Be sure to bring your student ID card (ONEcard) with you to check in. Students living in traditional and suite-style residence halls will need their ONEcard to access their building. Students new to campus this spring should submit their photo to the ONEcard Office as soon as possible if they haven't already. 
2. Arrive at your assigned residence hall check-in location and follow signage to locate your check-in area. 
3. In-hall staff will be at the building to welcome you, answer questions and give you your room key/fob. 
4. If you have a vehicle to unload, proceed to the drop-and-go lane of your assigned building and unload your vehicle. Someone must stay with the vehicle at all times - students may have helpers to assist them on the day they are moving in if needed. 
5. Once you’re finished unloading, move your vehicle and park it in a designated long term parking spot. We recommend that someone stays with your belongings while moving the car.
6. Bring items to your room assignment and unpack. A limited number of wheeled carts will be available to help move belongings in buildings with elevators.
7. Campus will be busier than usual, so we appreciate your patience during the check-in process!

Parking Services supervises and directs parking when it is for the purpose of loading and unloading student possessions during the change of semesters.

Vehicles are permitted to briefly unload in driveways adjacent to residence halls at the beginning and end of each semester when students move in and out of the residence halls. Vehicles are not permitted to park in fire lanes and should unload and move to long-term parking as quickly as possible.  

Each vehicle must be attended by a person who can move it immediately in the event of an emergency; any unattended vehicle will be towed at the owner's expense. Handicap parking spaces are enforced at all times. 

Parking Services supervises and directs parking when it is for the purpose of loading student possessions during the change of semesters. Learn more about parking policies here. 

Students new to the residence halls this Spring semester may be curious about what comes with their room, what they should bring with them, and what they should leave at home.

What’s provided?

• 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). All rooms are equipped with ethernet access to the internet and secure wifi.

• 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. 

• 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.

• Traditional and suite-style residence halls have laundry facilities and access to a shared kitchen in the building.

Explore our halls to learn more about each of our buildings and take a virtual tour of a room. Note that we are unable to provide exact measurements and details for every aspect of each room and its furnishings.

What should I bring?

If you’ve been assigned to a room that you’ll share with a roommate(s), be sure to connect with them to discuss what larger items they may already have or plan to bring that could be shared (i.e. fan, smart tv, microfridge, vacuum, etc.) Only one microfridge unit is permitted per bedroom with microwaves no larger than 700 watts and refrigerators no larger than 4.5 cubic ft. Microfridges can be purchased independently or rented at mymicrofridge.com (pending availability).

Most students should plan to bring the following items when living on campus:

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

• Pillows

• Towels/washcloths

• Clothing & shoes for rain, shine & possibly snow

• Clothes hangers

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

• Hair styling tools and/or comb

• Toilet Paper (suites/apartments)

• Laundry supplies (basket, detergent, etc.)

• Personal and OTC medications

• Cleaning supplies (suites/apartments must clean their own bathrooms & kitchens)

• Laptop/computer and charger (printer optional)

• Surge protector extension cord

• Headphones with mic

Other considerations:

• A few decorative items
• Desk lamp
• Foods & snacks
• Bike/bike lock (for added safety, register your bicycle with Parking Services)
• Umbrella
• 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

What should I leave at home?

Preventing fire and electrical hazards is a very important shared responsibility of each community member necessary to maintain a safe environment. Learn more about items that you should not bring to campus on the Our Policies page under the Prohibited Items and Residence Hall Regulations sections. 

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.