Learn everything you need to know about packing, loading, unloading, unpacking, and finally setting up your room. 

Before the start and end of each semester, Housing and Residence Life will communicate information regarding the general move-in and move-out periods to all residents. The dates for move-in and move-out can be found on our Important Dates tab, which is updated about one year in advance and is based on the academic calendar. Residents and parents should take note of these dates when planning flights, arrivals, and departures from campus.

Early arrivals are typically offered before the start of the fall and spring semesters and typically open around July 1 and November 1. Extended stay options are only available at the end of the fall semester and residents can select this option with the Winter Break Housing Options in the Housing Portal, available around November 1. Residents are responsible for filling out the necessary forms in the Housing Portal. Requests for early arrival or extended stay may not be granted after the applications close around August 1 (Fall Early Arrival) and December 1 (Fall Extended Stay and Spring Early Arrival).

Residents who are approved to move out mid-semester often have a much shorter timeframe than residents who move out at the end of the semester.

Residents are only able to move out mid-semester if they have been approved for an agreement release request through the Housing Portal, have taken the necessary steps to withdraw from the university, or have had their agreement canceled by housing due to conduct or other reasons.

Should you need to be approved to move out mid-semester, please note that you will only have 24 hours to complete your check-out and will need to complete all items noted in the check-out list below. Residents who have a need to move out of mid-semester and have a rationale not included in the list above should reach out to housing@gmu.edu for additional guidance. Information about housing cancellations can be found here.

Residents who are moving out at the end of either the fall or spring semesters should check their e-mail continuously for deadlines and other information that is crucial to the checkout process. General check-out timelines are as follows, but may change based on the university calendar.

Graduating residents will need to check out by  6:00 pm on the day of their graduation ceremony during the fall. During the spring semester, residents need to check out by 9:00 am on the day after their degree celebration, or the university's main commencement ceremony, whichever is the latest of the two days.

For the fall and spring move-out periods, all residents need to check out within 24 hours of their last final, or by the date posted in the Important Dates section of the Housing and Residence Life website. Generally speaking, residents need to check out no later than Noon on the last day of exams. Residents who have makeup exams may be eligible for an extended stay.

Early arrival and extended stay periods are offered when the university calendar allows and are not guaranteed before or after the start of each semester. Early arrivals are generally offered at the start of the fall and spring semesters while extended stays are generally provided at the end of the fall semester for students who are returning for the following spring. Should Housing and Residence Life be able to offer extended stay or early arrival for each semester, that information will be included in the Important Datessection of the Housing and Residence Life website.

When checking out of the residence halls, residents must complete the following. Failure to complete any of the following steps may result in an additional charge.

A sample list of charges may be found here. Housing and Residence Life updates the list of damage charges each May and as such, there may be some variation to the amounts listed here depending upon the severity of damage caused by residents.

•  Remove all items from their space and any items from community spaces.
•  Return any hard brass keys to either the Eisenhower or Piedmont Desk. 
•  Reset furniture to its original configuration, as found when moving into the space. 
•  Clean any surfaces and remove access debris/trash.
•  Complete the online Check-Out form in the Housing Portal

Please note that completing the check-out form and completing all other items on the check-out checklist without having been released from their Housing Agreement does not mean a student will be released from their Housing Agreement if moving out mid-semester or mid-year.