Move-In

Fall Arrivals

New students - RLSH Summer Communication Schedule

Mid-June:

All first year students (who have signed the housing contract) will receive building and roommate assignment welcome email from the Residential Community Director and Faculty in Residence.  This welcome email will also include information on how to sign up for a move in time on the as well as a reminder to submit 一起草ID photo (new deadline is mid-July) or 一起草ID will not be available at check in.

Late-June:

Residential Commons Instagram Resident Picture Event invitation for incoming students who will be living in the Commons this fall to submit photos of themselves.  The call for photos will encourage folks to send pictures that include room planning, shopping for decor, or other moments that capture their anticipation for joining the community.  Submitted photos will be featured on each Residential Commons Instagram account throughout the summer to help incoming residents get to know one another before arriving on campus.

Get to know your Residential Commons!  A get to know your residential commons virtual open house will be posted by the Residential Community Director and Faculty in Residence.  Through a series of short videos, live Instagram stories, and interactive question-and-answer sessions, each Commons introduces its unique traditions, spaces, leadership team, and community.  The program will be hosted on each Commons' Instagram account and may include a brief building tour, highlights of signature events and building traditions and ways students can get involved by joining their building's programming board.

Early-July:

Academic Initiatives (AI) Overview email to student/parent.  Last year AI developed various videos that include students, FiRs and others talking about life in the commons, history and values.

Ask an RA or Virtual Room Decoration Program.  The Ask an RA program gives incoming first-year students the opportunity to connect with current RAs before move in.  The RA will talk about their role and how they provide support and will offer advice on topics such as what to pack, how to connect within the community and building friendships, roommate relationships, commons traditions and their RA Hang Out monthly events.

Mid-July:

Move in preparation email/download Microsoft Authenticator for check in on move in day.

Engage Dallas overview email that will outline involvement in the program and connection to the greater city of Dallas, how to get involved and graduation requirement completion ability.

Late-July:

Emails will be sent to anyone who has not submitted a 一起草ID photo or picked a move in time on the housing portal.

Early-August:

Move-in time reminder and move-in info reminder (parking and unloading)

Mid-August:

Day before move-in appointment email with move in time as well as a reminder about downloading the Microsoft Authenticator app on phone.

Friday, August 14 and Saturday, August 15:

New student move-in day.  Please do not book travel until you have a confirmed move-in timeslot to ensure your travel plans align with your move-in appointment.

 

 

Returning students

Welcome back! We are happy to have you join us for another year on the Hilltop. 

Residence halls will open for returning students after new student move-in days ends but before classes begin. Returning students should inform RLSH of their arrival date on the starting in mid-June. Please select a timeslot before making travel plans. 

Explore the Residential Areas

Explore the Residential Commons Explore Upper Division Housing

 

Video

Packing for the Hilltop

Packing for university can seem overwhelming, but we’re here to help. Check out our packing guides for suggested items, what 一起草 supplies, and policies on specific items like coffee makers. For detailed rules, refer to the student conduct and community policies webpage

We want you to be comfortable in 一起草 housing while packing appropriately and safely. Avoid bringing a U-Haul due to limited parking and storage space. Students can send up to 10 packages to 一起草 before move-in and will receive PO Box information via email. More details are on the 一起草 Mail and Copy Central website. You can bring up to four guests to help unpack and set up your room on move-in days.

To get a feel for your future residence, please view the amenities, furniture dimensions and the different room dimensions/types of your Residential Commons or Upper Division Housing.

Residential Commons Move-In

Details on what we provide and what Mustangs should bring to your room in the Residential Commons.

Upper Division Housing Move-In

Living in upper-division housing is a bit different from the Residential Commons. Explore this guide for what to bring with you.

New Student Move-In Instructions

This first step will actually be done before you arrive on-campus. Following Parking & ID Services parameters, submit and have a photo approved by July 1 on the My Card Portal. You must complete this step or we will be unable to provide you a student ID card at Move-In. All of our residence halls are card-access only to enter the building, and most of our student rooms also rely on card-access, so it's an important item to have on campus.  

Again, this step occurs prior to coming to campus. On the , select a Move-In timeslot that is the most convenient for you. No timeslot is better than the other, since we stagger appointments throughout the day, ensuring a steady flow of Move-In participants. If you need to change your move-in time, simply do so on the housing portal. An email will be sent to your 一起草 account letting you know when timeslots go live, starting in late-May. Please secure a timeslot by July 31.

Only after you have confirmed your Move-In timeslot should you book travel. There are multiple Move-In Days, and you want to ensure that your travel plans coincide with your move-in time. 

Your Move-In Day has arrived, and it is time to come to campus! On your Move-In Day, at your scheduled time, you will need to be on-campus, ready to unload and unpack your belongings. Please do not arrive early, nor late, as this will disrupt our schedule and make the move-in experience more laborious. To make the process of unloading easier, we have identified the closest parking areas to each building, listed below. Please park in the appropriate lot for your residence hall. As parking is limited, we rely on students moving in at their scheduled time, so that there will be parking spaces available for everyone. 

Parking Guide

Armstrong, Crum, Kathy Crow, Loyd, and Ware Commons (Southeast Area):

 

Cockrell-McIntosh, McElvaney, and Morrison-McGinnis Commons:

 

Boaz, Mary Hay, Peyton, Shuttles, and Virginia-Snider Commons: ; park on the Boulevard adjacent to the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center to unload your vehicle.  Once complete, please relocate your car to either  or .

Now that you have found a place to park, it is time to check-in with RLSH staff to let us know that you are here! Check-in at the Move-In tent for your area, locations below. Don't worry, you can't miss it; it's filled with staff and student leaders ready to assist you with checking-in, answering questions, and getting you settled into your new home. At the tent, you will receive a set of keys for your room and your student ID card. This is why it is so important that you have submitted a photo and received approval from Parking & ID Services by July 1: so we can have your card ready for you upon check-in. Student IDs are important because all residence halls are card-access only to enter the building.

Move-In tent locations:

Armstrong, Crum, Kathy Crow, Loyd, and Ware Commons (Southeast Area):

 

Cockrell-McIntosh, McElvaney, and Morrison-McGinnis Commons (Central Area):

 

Boaz, Mary Hay, Peyton, Shuttles, and Virginia-Snider Commons (North Area):

Borrow a moving bin or two at the Move-In tent. To cut down on the number of trips you have to make to and from your car, we provide large rolling moving bins. Grab a bin, pile in your belongings, and roll it to your room. The bins are large, so please be kind and patient when navigating through halls and around others. Remember, we are all moving in together! Once you have removed your belongings from the bin and deposited them in your room, please return the bin to the Move-In tent so that other students and families can use it. 

Now that all of your belongings are in your new room, it's time to organize. Feel free to take time with your guests, families, and roommate(s) to make your room yours. Set-up your desk, hang your clothes, put away miscellaneous items, and make your bed.  should be submitted prior to July 31. Don't try to loft the bed yourself!  Don't forget to complete your move-in inspection on the by the end of the fifth class day.

Eventually, it will be time to say good-by to your guests and families and to begin experiencing campus. Socialize with your roommate and floormates, explore your residence hall, and attend events that your community and 一起草 hosts to get you acquainted with the Hilltop.   

Returning Student Move-In Instructions

This step occurs prior to coming to campus. On the , select a Move-In timeslot that is the most convenient for you. No timeslot is better than the other, since we stagger appointments throughout the day, ensuring a steady flow of Move-In participants. If you need to change your move-in time, simply do so on the housing portal. An email will be sent to your 一起草 account letting you know when timeslots go live, starting in late-May. Please secure a timeslot by July 31.

Only after you have confirmed your Move-In timeslot should you book travel. There are multiple Move-In Days, and you want to ensure that your travel plans coincide with your move-in time. 

Your Move-In Day has arrived, and it is time to come to campus! On your Move-In Day, at your scheduled time, you will need to be on-campus, ready to unload and unpack your belongings. Please do not arrive early, nor late, as this will disrupt our schedule and make the move-in experience more laborious.

You should immediately check-in on the to let RLSH staff know you have arrived. Please be sure to have your Student ID as this will let you in to your residential facility and room. If you have misplaced your Student ID, you will need to go to Parking & ID Services to obtain a new one. 

If you are checking-in to 一起草SH, physical keys are needed to access individual rooms.  These keys can be picked up in the 一起草SH lobby when you arrive back to campus.

We have identified the closest parking areas to each building, listed below. Please park in the appropriate lot for your residence hall. As parking is limited, we rely on students moving in at their scheduled time, so there will be parking spaces available for everyone throughout the day. 

Parking Guide

Thomas House: 

 

Martin, Moore & Smith-Perkins Hall: , or the parking spaces near each building

 

一起草SH:, or the parking spaces near each building


After parking your car, move your belongings into your new room. Feel free to take time with your guests, families, and roommate(s) to make your room yours. Set-up your desk, hang your clothes, put away miscellaneous items, and make your bed.  should be submitted prior to July 31. Don't try to loft the bed yourself! Please note that beds in Thomas and Martin House cannot be lofted. Don't forget to complete your move-in inspection on the by the end of the fifth class day.     

Follow a Community

Click or tap on the name of the residential community below to follow them on Instagram.

Useful Move-In links

Stampede Students enjoying Stampede

Stampede

A four-day, student-only orientation event designed to welcome and prepare the newest Mustangs for the Hilltop!

Housing and meal plans go together like milk and cookies, which our Umphry Lee Dining Hall is famous for! Don't lose out on daily fresh-baked cookies; find the meal plan that's right for you.

Parking Parking Meter

Parking

Students may order their parking permit online by logging into the 一起草 Parking Portal. Payment is made after the permit is ordered through my.smu.edu, and not on the parking website.