University of WashingtonMove-In Guide
Seattle, Washington
🏫 Public UniversityEst. 1861🔗 www.washington.edu
The University of Washington's Seattle campus is anchored by Denny Hall, its oldest building since 1895, home to the Varsity Bell rung once a year at Homecoming, with new first-year residents housed across halls including Oliver Hall and Spratlen Hall, both recently renamed from their former Willow and Madrona Hall names.
Enrollment
40,754
Total Students
Freshman Class
10,189
Approx.
Move-In Dates
Sep 22-25, 2026
Fall 2026
Acceptance Rate
39%
Most recent cycle
Move-In
Fall 2026 Move-In Details
Your exact move-in day and appointment time come from Housing & Food Services in mid-August 2026, based on when you applied for housing and your registered Advising & Orientation (A&O) date - appointment changes are possible via the StarRez Housing Portal but depend on availability. Bring your Husky Card for access to your residence hall, dining facilities, and amenity spaces. Once unloaded, vehicles must move to available on-campus self-serve parking lots if you wish to stay on campus. Check-in itself takes about 2-3 hours to drop off your items.
Check your assignment in the housing portal for your specific date and time - your exact move-in date is shown above in the Overview.
Move-in day logistics
- Arrival window
- Wait in your vehicle until directed to proceed to your community to move in - a student volunteer helps with loading and unloading.
- Check-in location
- Oliver, Spratlen, and McCarty Hall residents (along with Hansee, McMahon, and Oak Halls) check in at the E01 parking lot.
- Parking
- After you unload, if you wish to stay on campus, move your vehicle to the available on-campus self-serve parking lots.
- What you'll receive
- Your room and mailbox keys, plus a red emergency backpack containing water, food rations, and other supplies - keep it for as long as you live on campus.
- Vehicle restrictions
- You're encouraged to limit yourself to one vehicle while moving in, with a maximum of two guests to keep things smooth.
Move-in day tips
- Arrive during your assigned move-in window - arriving early may mean waiting until your time slot.
- Bring a rolling cart or hand truck - campus carts can run out quickly during busy move-in periods.
- Have a parking backup plan - spaces near residence halls can fill up quickly, so know where you can unload if your preferred area is full.
- Watch the loading-zone time limit - many campuses require you to move your vehicle to longer-term parking after unloading.
Housing & Dorms
- Photo coming soon
Oliver Hall
Traditional · Coed
- Photo coming soon
Spratlen Hall
Traditional · Coed
- Photo coming soon
McCarty Hall
Traditional · Coed
Housing Links
Each available link goes directly to University of Washington's own specific page, not just its general homepage.
Orientation
Advising & Orientation (A&O, required)
All new students are required to attend one orientation session.
May 20 - August 20, 2026
Orientation tips
- Register as early as your class allows - popular session dates fill up first.
- Bring a parent/guardian if separate family programming is offered.
- Check whether placement testing or advising sign-ups happen the same day.
Costs
Room & Board
$14,500
Estimated / Year
Nearby Essentials
- CVS Pharmacy2.8 miles
- Walgreens3.1 miles
- Target3.6 miles
More Links
Checklists
Get the Ultimate College Move-In Checklist
A free, printable packing checklist covering everything from bedding to important documents - built for any freshman, including yours at University of Washington.
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