END OF FALL AND WINTER HOUSING INFORMATION

All residents must fill out the Fall End of Semester Plans form in the Housing Portal by Friday, December 4, 2026.

University housing remains open throughout the entire winter break at no additional cost for residents enrolled for the Spring semester. The winter housing cost is already included in the fall/spring housing bills.

 

Students who are continuing their housing agreement for Spring 2027 should NOT return their room keys or complete a checkout.

If traveling or away from campus for more than a night or two, please be sure to do the following to ensure that you come back to a comfortable environment:

• Close and lock your windows. Windows left open contribute to frozen/burst pipes. 
• Leave your curtains open.
• Remove food and other items that may attract pests or will spoil.
• If applicable, set your thermostat to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Remove all trash from your room/apartment.
• Consider taking valuables with you.
• Ensure common areas are presentable and welcoming should a new assignment be made to your suite or apartment.
• Ensure that your items are only in your half of the room if you have a vacancy in your bedroom and that the room is ready for a new resident. New residents may move in prior to your return from any winter break travel.

If your plans change after the initial submission deadline of December 4, 2026, residents are expected to update their plans on the Housing Portal.

All residents must fill out the Fall End of Semester Plans form in the Housing Portal by Friday, December 4, 2026.

 

If a resident chooses to vacate their room assignment and return their room key, they will end their housing agreement but remain financially liable for the remainder of the agreement.

 

There are limited reasons why someone who terminates their agreement by moving out may be released from financial responsibility at the time of check-out or between housing semesters. For more information about this policy, please review the following:

• Housing Cancellations & Financial Liability website under the section titled Requesting Release From Housing After an Agreement Period Has Commenced
• Terms of Occupancy for related policies

 

Regardless of their reason for moving out, all residents may stay until these dates at no additional charge since they are part of the Fall 2026 housing bill, and there is no credit for early move-out:

• Monday, January 4, 2027, at 12 PM for students in Undergraduate Housing.
• Thursday, December 31, 2026, at 12 PM for students in Graduate Housing.

Staying beyond 12:00 PM noon on these dates will result in additional charges, as dates beyond these are part of the Spring semester.

Residents are permitted to have guests assist them with moving out of the residence halls. Students must abide by the current guest policy at the time of moving out. 

To properly move out, a student must completely remove personal property and clean the space. They must report to either the area office or Residence Hall to return the key to a professional staff member or a Resident Assistant. A Residential Education professional staff member will assess for any damages, which would then be placed onto the student’s University account. Student staff members (Resident Assistants, Office Assistants, etc.) may complete an initial inspection to ensure that a student has fully completed all checkout requirements but they do not inspect for damage or determine damage billing; if a resident has questions as to whether they are going to be billed for a specific damage, they should contact their RHD or area office at least 72 hours prior to checkout for guidance.

To check out, please ensure you do the following: 

• Complete the EOS plans form in the Housing Portal to indicate checkout time.
• Remove all personal property from your bedroom. 
• Ensure that you have removed all property from your common areas and suite/apartment bathroom. 
• Reset furniture to its original layout.
• Sweep/vacuum your room, wipe down surfaces, and remove all trash. 
• Leave your closet and dresser/pedestal doors open so that staff can confirm all property is removed and complete your checkout quickly. 
• Close and lock your windows.
• Leave your curtains open.
• If applicable, set your thermostat to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Close and lock your bedroom & suite/apartment door. 
• Remove any lanyards/keychains that your key may be on and return the key.

After doing the above steps, residents who are checking out will do so at the following locations: 

After Fall classes end: between Tuesday, December 8, 2026, and Friday, December 18, 2026:

• 9 AM - 9 PM: You will check out with an RA on call. To check out, please visit the RA on call in the RA office. If they are not there, please call them at the posted number for your community. 
• 9 PM - 9 AM: You will need to use the express check-out option. To utilize the express check-out option, you will need to visit the RA on call in the office the day you are checking out to pick up the key return envelope. The RA on call will direct you where to return the envelope at the time of your checkout. 

Before Tuesday, December 8, 2026, and after Friday, December 18, 2026: 

• 9 AM - 5 PM, Monday-Friday: You will check out with the area office in your community. To check out, please visit the Area Office, and an office assistant will escort you to your room. Offices are closed on state holidays. 
• 5 PM - 9 PM: Call the RA on Call to complete your checkout.
• 9 PM - 9 AM: You will need to use the express check-out option. To utilize the express check-out option, you will need to visit the Area Office during posted hours to pick up an express check-out envelope. The Area Office will provide directions on where to return the completed envelope at the time of your checkout. 

If you have any questions about how to complete your check-out, please speak with your building’s RA or RHD.