Important Dates
The information below covers important dates for Spring 2026 move out and Fall 2026 move in.
Spring 2026 Move Out
Students who are not graduating in May 2026 are required to move out 24 hours after their last final exam or by 12PM on Saturday, May 9, whichever comes first.
Graduating students and graduate students are required to move out by 12PM on Monday, May 18.
Please plan accordingly when making travel arrangements.
Students who do not complete the check-out process and vacate by the deadlines noted above will be charged a $150.00 improper check out fee and $50.00 per day for each additional day they are on campus after their move out date. The residence halls are used throughout the summer, so our facilities, custodial, and operations teams all rely on students to check out on time to do their work.
Extended Stay
Some students have extenuating circumstances that require them to extend their stay on campus past May 9. If you are participating in a Tufts program that requires you to stay on campus after May 9, your program leader will communicate with Residential Life and Learning (RLL) regarding your extended stay. Please do not complete an Extended Stay Request Form in the Housing Portal; please confirm with your program leader that you were included on the list they sent to RLL.
Students who are part of the following groups should NOT submit an extended stay request:
- Graduating students
- Resident Assistants
- Student athletes competing in a spring varsity sport
- Tufts in Talliores
- TWO Pre-Orientation Coordinators
- Dining student staff
- Alumni Engagement student staff
- Conference and Event Services student staff
- Summer Housing residents
- Laidlaw Leadership training
If you do not see your Tufts program listed above, please contact your program leader and ask them to contact RLL.
If you need to request an extended stay but are not participating in a Tufts program, please submit an Extended Stay Request Form through your Housing Portal by 5PM on Wednesday, April 15. Requests will be reviewed by RLL staff on a rolling basis and approved or denied. Approved requests received between 5PM Wednesday, April 15 and 5PM on Thursday, April 30 will incur a $50.00 late fee. Extended stay requests received after 5PM on April 30 may not be considered.
The Extended Stay Request form is available as of Wednesday, March 2.
Off-campus transition housing is available for students who have a local lease starting on June 1. Students should request transition housing using the Off-Campus Transition Housing request form in their Housing Portal. Please submit a transition housing request through your Housing Portal by 5PM on Wednesday, April 15. Requests will be approved on a first come, first served basis as limited spaces are available. Approved requests received after 5PM on April 15 will incur a $50.00 late fee in addition to the total cost of housing. Transition housing requests received after 5PM on Thursday, April 30 may not be considered and if they are considered and approved, additional late fees may apply.
Transition housing is available from May 19 to June 1. The cost for transition housing is $700 and cannot be pro-rated for students who move out before June 1. Students who apply for transition housing will be assigned to a double room in a traditional-style residence hall with a roommate; moving to your transition housing assignment from your spring assignment on May 19 is required.
If you’re staying on campus for the summer or in transition housing until June 1, please consider that you will have to move from your spring housing assignment to your summer housing assignment on Tuesday, May 19. Please plan travel, work, and other commitments accordingly. Our facilities, custodial, and operations teams commit a significant effort to planning and executing the transition from spring to summer housing and need your full cooperation when it is time to move from your spring to summer housing.
Damage Billing
Students who are charged for damages, additional cleaning, not returning their key(s), removing abandoned items, etc. will receive notification via their Tufts email which will include information about how much they are charged and why they were charged.
Students who are charged for damages have the opportunity to appeal via a Qualtrics form linked in their email notification. Please pay special attention to appeal deadlines as there is not flexibility with appeal deadlines.
Fall 2026 Move In
New Students Moving to Medford/Somerville Campus
New students participating in a pre-orientation program can move in on Friday, August 28, 2026. Check in is scheduled from 9AM-2PM.
New students will check in at the Joyce Cummings Center (177 College Ave., Medford, MA) to pick up their Tufts ID and key, if applicable, and then go to their residence hall to move in.
Pre-orientation participants are assigned a check in time based on their pre-orientation program. Students should make every effort to arrive during their assigned check in time. If a student arrives before their assigned check in time, they may be asked to wait to check in until all students who have arrived on time are checked in. More information about check in times will be available after students are assigned to a pre-orientation program.
New students who are not participating in a pre-orientation program can move in on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 between 9AM and 1PM checking in at the Joyce Cummings Center.
During past move ins, the check in line has been longest when check in opens, so we recommend coming later in the day if you would like to avoid a line at check in.
New students assigned to a residence hall on the Medford/Somerville campus who arrive after check in ends, should go to Tuft University Police on the ground floor of Dowling Hall (419 Boston Ave., Medford, MA) to pick up their Tufts ID and key, if applicable.
New Students Moving to SMFA Campus on Beacon St
New students participating in a pre-orientation program can move in on Friday, August 28, 2026.
New students assigned to a Beacon St. residence hall will check in 1047 Beacon St, Brookline, MA to pick up their Tufts ID and keys and then go to their residence hall to move in.
All pre-orientation participants living on Beacon St. will move in between 9AM-11AM.
New students who are not participating in a pre-orientation program and assigned to a Beacon St residence hall can move in on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 between 9AM and 11AM checking in at 1047 Beacon St.
New students assigned to a residence hall on Beacon St. who arrive after check in ends, should go to the security desk in 230 Fenway to pick up their Tufts ID and keys.
Early Arrival for New Student Athletes
New students who are part of a fall varsity sports team can move in on their team’s approved arrival date. Athletics and Residential Life will communicate directly with student athletes via their Tufts email regarding their assigned move in date and check in location. It is not possible for student athletes to request an earlier arrival, and they must move in on their approved arrival date.
Returning Student Move In
Returning students can move in on Sunday, September 6, 2026, between 9AM and 3PM checking in at the Joyce Cummings Center.
Students will check in having their card access confirmed and pick up their key, if applicable, at the JCC and then go directly to their residence hall to move in.
All returning students are able to request an early arrival and move in on Friday, September 4, 2026 and Saturday, September 5, 2026 for any reason. There is an additional cost for early arrival: $75.00/night that will be applied to student accounts through SIS. To request an early arrival, please log into your Housing Portal and submit the early arrival request form by 5:00PM on Friday, August 7, 2026. Late requests received between Friday, August 7, 2026 and 5:00PM on Friday, August 14, 2025 will incur a $50.00 late fee. Early arrival requests will not be accepted after August 14.
Some returning students are able to arrive early due to their involvement in a student group or organization such as Athletics, pre-orientation, orientation, etc. Approved student groups can move in on their group's approved arrival date and cannot request to arrive any earlier. Students who are part of a group arriving early should coordinate with their group leader to ensure they are listed on their groups’ early arrival roster; they should not submit an early arrival request form in the Housing Portal. Residential Life will communicate with students regarding their approved early arrival date for their group affiliation via students’ Tufts email. Students can also view their approval early arrival date in their Housing Portal.
Graduate Student Move
All graduate students can move in on Friday, August 28, 2026 between 9AM-3PM checking in at the Joyce Cummings Center (177 College Ave., Medford, MA).
All graduate students will pick up their key and then go to their residence hall to move in. New graduate students will also pick up their Tufts ID. Returning graduate students should bring their previously-issued Tufts ID to campus with them.
Residential Life is not able to accommodate any early arrival requests for graduate students.
Additional Important Information
Much planning and organization goes into move in; Student Affairs, On Campus Life, Orientation and New Student Programs, Residential Life and Learning, Residential Facilities and C&W Cleaning plan many details in advance to make move in a great experience for all Tufts students. We need students’ consideration and cooperation to help everything run smoothly. Therefore, it is not possible to accommodate requests to arrive before your assigned move in date.
Students who arrive before their assigned move in date may not be able to be accommodated, especially if their space is not ready. If their space is ready, they will be charged a $250.00 improper check in fee and a $75.00/night fee for each night they are approved to stay on campus prior to their assigned arrival date. Please make every effort to arrive on time.
Students who are approved to arrive early will receive an email confirming their early arrival from Residential Life and they will see their early arrival date reflected in their Housing Portal. If you do not receive an email confirmation from Residential Life or see your early arrival date in the Housing Portal, you are not approved to arrive early.
If you have questions or need more information about move in, please contact: studentservices@tufts.edu
What to Bring
Preparing for move-in is an exciting part of starting your Tufts experience. As you begin thinking about what to bring, it is important to remember that your residential space is part of a shared community. What you may bring into your room is guided by Tufts University’s expectations for personal safety, structural integrity, and community living.
All students living on campus agree to follow institutional policies including the Code of Conduct, Housing Policies and Guidelines, and the Housing Licensing Agreement. These influence what behavior and items are permitted, restricted, or prohibited in residential spaces and are designed to support a safe, respectful, and comfortable environment for students to achieve academic and social success.
Tufts University provides each student with the following in their assigned residence hall living space:
- One extra-long twin bed (36” x 80”)
- Bed frames are height-variable with adjustments between 11-32 inches. When raised to the maximum height, up to 30 inches of ground clearance is available for storage
- Some rooms have lofting sets with wardrobe, desk, or dresser beneath the bed
- One desk and one desk chair
- Built-in closet or freestanding wardrobe
- Some rooms may have shared closet spaces
- At least 4 drawers (combinations may vary, ie 2 2-drawer dressers, 1 4-drawer dresser, built in drawers)
- Window shades and screens
What Not to Bring
Additional furniture is not permitted in residential spaces due to fire risk, space limitations, maintenance concerns, and end-of-year waste mitigation. This includes items made of wood, paper, or fabric, as they may introduce hazards such as flammability, allergens, or pests.
Students may bring small storage items made of plastic or metal, such as drawers, bins, or carts, provided they are no taller than 36 inches. Residential Life will provide photos of permitted storage items shortly. Please check back here for updates.
Please note the list below is not exhaustive and additional items may be added.
- Ottomans or storage cubes
- Headboards
- Bookshelves
- Desks, credenzas, sideboards, nightstands, or tables
- Office chairs or desk chairs
- Bean bag chairs or collapsable/foldable chairs
- Couches, futons, or upholstered seating
- Bed extenders
Items that produce open flames or heat, or that place strain on building electrical systems, are not permitted in residential spaces due to fire and safety risks. Approved appliances may only be used in designated kitchen areas and must have an automatic shut-off function. Generally, the following items are not permitted in individual student rooms:
- Candles, incense, or other such items capable of producing an open flame, even if unlit
- Charcoal and/or lighter fluid
- Cooking appliances including hot pots, rice cookers, self-heating grills, or any other appliances with open heating elements
- Standalone or freestanding microwaves
- Microwaves are only permitted if part of a combined microwave-refrigerator unit leased or purchased through MicroChill.
- Halogen or multi-armed floor and/or desk lamps, lava lamps, wax melters, or any other item that produces excessive heat
- Satellite communication systems
- LED adhesive light strips
- Space heaters
More Housing Information
Shipping & Storage
Tufts University is working with Dorm Room Movers to provide storage and shipping options to residential students. Please visit Tufts’ Dorm Room Movers page for more information about packing, pick up, delivery, and cost.
If you store items with Dorm Room Movers, please consider that DRM might not be able to deliver your items to campus the same day that you move in for fall 2026, especially if you’re approved to arrive early. Please pack accordingly if you will need bedding or other linens immediately upon your arrival in August/September.
Leaves of Absence
If you leave the University, for any reason, you need to complete the room check-out process.
- If you take a leave of absence, you will need to remove all personal items from your assigned room within 48 hours of the effective date of leave. If you don’t remove personal items by the deadline, we will hire professional movers to pack and ship items to your permanent address at your expense.
- We do not assume responsibility for any personal items left in your university housing assignment, or for the safety and security of personal belongings being packed or shipped.
If a student would like on campus housing after returning from a leave of absence, they must submit a Housing Application in their Housing Portal or contact studentservices@tufts.edu.