Skip to main content

Housing & Food Services

Move-in for Winter Housing

Two students moving into residence hall

Move-in Winter Quarter

Sunday, January 5, 2025

Congratulations, you're about to embark on an unforgettable journey—living on campus at the University of Washington (UW). Get ready for an incredible experience as you step into your Husky Home—we can't wait to share in the excitement with you!

Residence Hall Tips

Don’t let those must-have shopping lists distract you, only bring the basics that you’ll need. It’s easier to scale up than get rid of items you never used. We suggest that you revisit the webpage for your building. There you can take a virtual tour, view a floor plan, and find out about the included furnishings.

What to bring

  • Sheets, blankets, comforter
  • Pillows and pillowcases
  • Towels
  • Surge protector and extension cord
  • Toilet paper (except Hansee and McMahon)
  • Cleaning supplies
  • McMahon Hall residents: Wi-Fi router and Ethernet cable
  • Apartment residents: kitchen supplies, (pots, pans, utensils)

Coordinate larger items with your roommates

Coordinate larger items with your roommates so you don’t bring duplicates. The less you bring, the more space you’ll have in your room and the less items you will need to figure out how to dispose of when you move out! Remember, everything you bring with you, you’ll need to take out at the end of the year.

  • Refrigerator (4.4 cubic feet or less)
  • Microwave (700 watt maximum)
  • Television (Residents in McCarty Hall, Madrona Hall, Willow Hall, or Oak Hall will need a smart TV or internet-ready streaming device)

What not to bring

To help keep you and your fellow Huskies safe, the following items are prohibited:

  • Halogen lamps
  • Space heaters
  • Air conditioners
  • All open-flame appliances (e.g., fondue pots)
  • Open-coil appliances (e.g., toasters, toaster ovens)
  • Full-size appliances
  • Dishwashers
  • Bidets or water spray hoses 

Shipping items prior to Move-in

Packages can be sent to your residential community up to seven days prior to your scheduled move-in. To find your address, go to your assigned residence hall's web page. Please be aware that UW residence halls receive thousands of packages around Move-in. Bringing items with you when you move in will help you avoid the lines and waiting associated with package pickup.

Order online to support resident programs

Gear up for an effortless Move-in with HFS exclusive online vendor partnerships—score awesome items for your room before you even set foot on campus! And here's the cherry on top: when you shop through these vendors, you're not only benefiting yourself but also fueling the excitement of our Residential Life student leadership teams, who use the proceeds to create epic resident events and programs. So, shop smart, and let's elevate your college experience together.

Connecting to the internet

Unleash the full potential of your tech-savvy self with our exclusive computing resources at the UW. Check out the ultimate guide on connecting to the UW network.

Guests and vehicles

Let's make Move-in day a breeze! We encourage residents moving in to limit themselves to one vehicle while moving in belongings. Please remember to secure your belongings when packing up your vehicle for the big move! For more information on securing your load, read these tips.

To guarantee a smooth and efficient experience, bring along a maximum of two awesome guests when you arrive at your new Husky Home. Let’s rock this Move-in together.

Arriving to campus

  • Drive to your vehicle (or direct your taxi, rideshare or shuttle) to the loading zone closest to your check-in area using the directions below.
    • If you are coming to campus directly from Sea-Tac Airport, there are several transportation options. Please visit Sea-Tac Airport’s main transportation page to decide the best way for you to travel. 
  • Once you check-in, if you wish to stay on campus you must move your vehicle to the available on-campus self-serve parking lots.
  • Please follow all city and University posted signage for parking and loading restrictions. Failing to follow postage signage could result in receiving a parking ticket or other penalties as applicable.  

Please go to your check-in location below:

 Building: Alder Hall, Elm Hall, Lander Hall, Maple Hall, Poplar Hall, Terry Hall, Mercer Court, Stevens Court

Come to the Lander Desk in Lander Hall for further check-in instructions about where to pick up your keys. 

DIRECTIONS TO LANDER DESK (FROM I-5)

  1. Take exit 169.
  2. Take the NE 45th Street exit and proceed east on NE 45th Street towards the University of Washington.
  3. Move to the right lane as soon as possible and turn right onto Roosevelt Way NE.
  4. Move to the left lane. After a few blocks (just prior to crossing the University Bridge), turn left at the stoplight for NE Campus Parkway. Please note that turning left on red at this stoplight is legal.
  5. On the right in front of Lander Hall, park in the taxi drop off area, marked by signs.

 Building: Hansee Hall, Madrona Hall, McCarty Hall, McMahon Hall, Oak Hall, Willow Hall

Come to the Willow Desk in Willow Hall for check-in. You’ll pick up your keys from the Willow desk and then proceed to your room from there.

DIRECTIONS TO WILLOW DESK (FROM I-5)

  1. Take exit 169.
  2. Take the NE 45th Street exit and proceed east on NE 45th Street toward the University of Washington
  3. After a couple of blocks, move to the right lane.
  4. Take a right turn onto Memorial Way NE.
  5. After the UW Gatehouse, take a left on Stevens Way NE.
  6. Take a left on to SluŹ”wiÉ« (previously Whitman Lane). You will see McMahon Hall on the corner)
  7. Park in the loading zone area, marked by signs on Little Canoe Channel NE, in front of Haggett Hall. Proceed up the pedestrian walkway to Willow Desk.

Residence Hall Check-in 

  • You will be asked to present your Husky Card at check-in. You may check in by showing another form of photo ID.
  • You will be given your room and mailbox keys
  • Once you have received your keys, you may begin moving into your room. 

Husky Card: Your UW student ID card allows you access to your residence hall, dining facilities and amenity spaces. The Husky Card is your key card for access to your building.
If you don’t receive your card before you move in, you will need to obtain one from the Husky Card Account & ID Center (Husky Card Office), located on the ground floor of Odegaard Undergraduate Library.

Keys: Your room and mailbox keys are assigned to you uniquely; avoid switching keys with a roommate. Report lost or stolen keys to your residence hall front desk immediately.

Red Emergency Backpack: New residents are provided with a red emergency backpack when they first check into their residential community. This comprehensive kit includes water, food rations and other emergency supplies. The contents will remain viable for several years. Please keep your red emergency backpack for as long as you live with us.

Communications from HFS

Stay in the loop and never miss out on important updates. Be sure to keep an eye on your mailbox, room door, and UW email account for essential information! It is your responsibility to read the important information HFS provides to you. 

  • HFS will send most correspondence to applicants and residents via their UW email accounts. Be aware that if your email is forwarded to a different account, it may be filtered, refused or treated as spam.
  • HFS is not responsible for emails not received. To ensure delivery of emails from HFS to your email inbox, add hfsinfo@uw.edu, deskservices@uw.edu, hfsfac@uw.edu, and wrproc@uw.edu to your email address book or list of approved contacts.
  • You may also receive emails from Residential Life staff members, such as your Resident Adviser or Community Manager.

Privacy and Safety

Resident safety is one of the UW’s highest priorities. Our safety policy was developed in conjunction with UW regulations and Washington State statutes regarding student privacy. HFS will not, under any circumstances, release room numbers or telephone numbers to any unauthorized person including friends, parents, and relatives. Although this policy may seem inconvenient at times, it provides residents protection and a secure living environment within the UW. We encourage students to make sure their families and friends have their address, as well as their room and telephone numbers.

Your personal information

The Family Education Right and Privacy Act (FERPA) prevents us from releasing your information to anyone other than yourself without your authorization. This includes how much you owe on your housing account.

You may authorize HFS to release information about your housing account (e.g., to your parents/guardians) by supplying their names on your Student Personal Services page.

Consider renters insurance

You can protect your belongings and ease your worries by ensuring you have insurance coverage for your property. Check with your family's insurance policy or explore the option of adding renters’ insurance for extra protection. If needed, consider independent insurance plans tailored to suit your needs.