First Year Move-in for the Class of 2030 will be on Friday, August 14 and Saturday, August 15.

First-year students living in Residential Life will move-in on the dates below between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. unless you are a part of international first-year student move-in.

Please note that we will break for lunch at 11:30 a.m. Movers will not be available at this time and the Check-In Station in Tisch Commons will be closed at this time. We will resume Move-In at 1:30 p.m.

Fall varsity athletes, student leaders, and students in specific scholar programs may have a different arrival date. Please confirm your arrival date with your coach or program leader.

Domestic first-year students who arrive late will need to follow these instructions.

Timeslot selection

All incoming first-year students will identify their preferred move-in date and timeslot when they submit their Housing Application. The Housing Application for Incoming First Year Students opened on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 within the WashU Housing Portal.

Residential Life will do everything possible to grant students their requested time slot, however cannot guarantee students will receive their preferred time slot.

Getting to campus

If you are being dropped off via rideshare (Lyft/Uber) use “Danforth University Center” as your destination. After checking-in, you will proceed to your unloading zone as listed on the parking placard you receive at check-in.

Check-in location

Students will check-in at the Danforth University Center (DUC). The address for the DUC is 6475 Forsyth Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63105.

Move-in steps

  1. Arrive to your check-in location on your assigned move-in date and time. Please do not arrive ahead of schedule. Staff will direct you to park. Students will exit their vehicle at the check-in location, go inside, and receive their room keys. All other individuals will stay inside the vehicle.
  2. Once students return to their vehicle with their room keys and Parking Placard, ensure that the placard is on the dashboard. Drive to the unloading zone for your building by following the designated path.
  3. Once you arrive at your unloading zone, unload your vehicle. Drivers should never exit their vehicle and should relocate their vehicle to long-term parking as soon as all belongings are unloaded. Students should stay with their belongings, have their one-time Moving Ticket ready, and wait for our team of professional movers to assist you with moving items into room. Our professional movers will only move your items to your room one time. They will not make multiple trips.
  4. You did it! Unpack, get comfortable, eat, meet the students on your floor, and be present for your required residential community floor meeting at 8 p.m.

Your residential community

View information about your assigned building and community.

First Year Residence Halls

Additional information

Staff from Student Transitions & Engagement will be available to answer questions on Friday, August 14 and Saturday, August 15 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. CT. Student Transitions & Engagement is located in the lower level of Umrath House on the South 40 (across from the Bear’s Den entrance).

If you have any questions or need directions, please stop by for assistance. Refer to the Orientation schedule for more details.

Parents and families


To learn more about move-in, visit Parent & Family Engagement. There you will find more information about:

  • Traveling to campus
  • Planning your visit
  • Parent & Family Orientation
  • Additional resources

Uploading vaccination records

Before coming to campus, submit vaccination records through the Student Health Portal. Learn what documentation is required and how to upload it.

For more information about preparing for move-in, please review the Health and Well-being Guide.

Renter’s insurance through Gradguard

WashU has partnered with GradGuard to offer renter’s insurance to students. You can obtain renter’s insurance through GradGuard via this website.

The Office of Residential Life strongly recommends that all students obtain renter’s insurance prior to their scheduled move-in date and time either through GradGuard or another provider of their choice to be covered in the event of theft, destruction, or loss of money, valuables, or other personal property belonging to, or in the custody of a student.

Bike registration

For students who bring bikes on campus, WashU provides free bike registration. It’s mandatory to register your bike with WashU and clearly display the registration shield on your bike.

Displaying a registration shield helps protect your bike from theft and facilitates the recovery of lost or stolen bikes. It also allows WashU to contact the owners of bikes that were impounded due to improper parking, (blocking pedestrian access, for example).

If you aren’t sure about bringing a bike, consider renting a bike from a student-owned business, WashU Bear Bikes. Bears Bikes exist today to help the WashU community move sustainably. No need to bring one with you, it’s already here!