When Do You Move Into University Halls? Your Questions Answered

Moving to university this year? Let’s unpack all of your questions about living in halls.

Moving to university is a big deal and it’s normal to have loads of questions about the big move, as this is probably the first time you’ll be moving out of your family home!

So you’ve got our university checklist to hand, but perhaps you’re wondering when you’re actually meant to move into your university halls.

Maybe you’re not sure about the move-in date, it hasn’t been made quite clear or you’re wondering if you can move in early. Fortunately, any university hall-related questions will be answered here, so here’s what you need to know.

When should you move into uni halls 2022?

You’ll often get an email from the halls of residence of your choice with all the details. But before reviewing your acceptance letter from the halls, you’ll need to review the license agreement which will contain the move-in date too.

This date is typically the day you’ll also start paying your rent. If you need to move in early or after that date then you’ll need to ask the accommodation directly if this is possible.

Every university has similar start dates which often coincide with move-in dates for halls of residence. This usually falls around the beginning of September but it’s always worth checking in with your university just to make sure.

When do students usually move into halls?

More often than not, most students will arrive on the weekend, quite early too. So it’s best to time your move-in date around then if you want the best shot at bonding with your housemates asap.

It’s often the week before freshers’ week too, giving you all time to mingle and prep for the week ahead.

Just remember that moving in day is quite hectic, but the bustling atmosphere, while strange at first, can feel quite exciting too. Plus, you’re all in this together, so you’ll feel far less alone in the experience.

Just make sure you arrive on time anyway to get yourself settled and prepped for the academic year ahead!

You can move in any time after the official move-in date. Just keep in mind you’ll be paying rent on the day stated in the agreement. As mentioned, you may be able to negotiate an earlier move-in date, but it depends on the accommodation entirely.

What do I need to bring to uni?

Halls of residence isn’t a hotel, unfortunately, so you’re gonna have a lot of packing to do! Here’s just a snapshot of things to remember to pack with you when you’re moving to university:

• Bedding (linen, sheets, duvet, blankets, pillows and cases)
• Bath towels
• Toilet roll
• Clothing
• Clothing hangers
• Adaptors (if you’re an international student) and extension leads
• Toiletries and medicines
• Kitchen utensils, cutlery and crockery
• A food shop Stationery
• PC/laptop with your cables and chargers
• Washing up and laundry detergent
• Games and sports equipment
• Contact details for emergencies

Get discounts on student essentials with Student Beans!

Don’t forget that some non-essentials are actually pretty essential for uni. You’ll never regret packing your favourite home comforts ✨

Tips for moving into halls

Get your keys/fob from the halls of residence main reception. Not only is this important to get into your dorm, but you’ll need it for trips to and from the vehicle you’ve packed your things into.

Plus, it’s worth checking out where you can park too, so be sure to check with the accommodation to avoid any fines and make the process easier.

And when you do get to the fun part, watch this TikTok:

If you can, it’s always a good idea to arrive on move-in day, or the weekend of move-in week. It means you get to meet everyone a lot sooner and have a chance to settle in. This might mean shoo-ing your parents away after they’ve helped you settle in (sorry mum and dad). But in all seriousness, it’ll help you mingle a lot quicker with your housemates.

Read: How to deal with moving out of your parents to university.

We know you’re moving a lot of things in, but if you can, try to keep it light. It’ll help moving be a total breeze. Plus, if you have time before starting your course, you can get things like a food shop and kitchen essentials when you arrive at the local supermarkets.

It’s worth knowing student accommodation varies in size, and therefore storage space. But there are tons of ways to create storage solutions for your student accommodation, desk organisation to multi-use furniture.

We also recommend labelling your items and being strategic with how you pack them up. It’ll make the unpacking process far quicker and smoother, meaning more time to settle in and mingle!

Dos and don’ts for living with roommates for the first time

Living with other people for the first time can be a big shock. There’s definitely a flatmate etiquette that you should follow, to make living with other people comfortable and to make sure there’s no drama.

Dos

• Keep your bedroom door open, as this helps to encourage conversation with your new flatmates
• Suggest going on a shopping trip together to buy stuff for your communal areas or kitchen
• Start a flat WhatsApp group so you can chat even when you’re not together
• Make the effort to talk to them as scary as this might be!
• Suggest cooking/eating dinner together or going out for a meal to get to know one another

Don’ts

• Make a mess in shared spaces and not clean up after yourself- this can cause friction early on
• Take or borrow your flatmates’ stuff without asking first (yes, this includes using their milk!)
• Be disrespectful to their time and space by playing loud music late at night (if you’re not spending time together) or inviting loads of people over without giving them the heads up first
• Kick-off in the group chat! If things are annoying you, try and raise the issues politely and calmly rather than starting a fight as it’s probably not going to end well in the long run

What if I don’t get along with my flatmates?

You and every other student in the world is asking the same question. This is probably the number one fear of new uni students, and your new flatmates are most likely thinking exactly the same thing. Freshers’ week is crucial for bonding, forming friendships and getting to know your new flatmates and while lots of people do make friends for life in the first few weeks, unfortunately, it doesn’t happen for everyone.

If you don’t get on with your flatmates, it’s not the end of the world. You don’t need to be best friends with your flatmates, but keeping civil and polite with them will make things easier if you do bump into them in the kitchen. At the end of the day, your flat is just where you sleep and you can make friends in uni in loads of different places.

If you’re not getting on with your flatmates, get to know your coursemates, join a society and get involved with campus events and activities to try and find friends with similar interests elsewhere, you’re sure to find new friends who you can choose to live with for your second year!

What does to let mean?

When moving to university, to let is a phrase you’ll probably hear when you’re looking to rent a property. To let means that a property or room is available, and you can apply to rent it out. Once a potential tenant has viewed a property and put down a deposit a property is often listed as “let agreed” but won’t be taken off the market until all the legal paperwork and tenancy agreement have been signed- often this can fall through and the property will be available to let again.

What happens in freshers’ week?

Freshers’ week is the first week of university and is designed to be an intro to university life and culture. It’s a great opportunity to make friends, meet new people and party before your degree starts. Freshers’ week is a big part of uni life and is a great opportunity to try something new and get settled in to your new home before you start working towards your degree.

What is a flatshare?

A flatshare is when a group of people are living together in a communal flat. In a flatshare, there are normally a few bedrooms in the flat, and everyone will have their own bedroom but will share the communal areas of the flat such as the bathrooms and kitchen. Flatshares are normally a good way to save money as you only have to pay rent for your room, rather than for the entire flat. University students tend to live in flatshares and with flatmates when moving to university and this is a really big part of university culture.