Move In & Out Information

Spring 2026 Move-In Information

The residence halls open on Monday, January 19, 2026, at 10 a.m. Students who have a need to arrive earlier should register for early arrival housing and should follow the instructions below. 

Spring Semester Early Arrival Housing

Residence halls open for the spring semester on Monday, January 19, at 10 a.m. Move-in will occur that day from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. More information regarding move-in on January 19 will be sent in January.

  1. If you plan on moving in on January 19, no further action is required.
  2. If you plan on arriving after January 19, please contact your residence hall director (RHD) directly to notify them of your arrival date.
  3. Residents who need to arrive on campus before January 19 must sign up for early arrival housing. Early arrival housing is free for residents who are on campus for SHU-related reasons (listed below) and arrive on their pre-approved arrival day (approved date also included below).

Early Arrival residents arriving earlier than their group’s scheduled arrival day, or any other student arriving prior to the 19 (scheduling conflict) will be charged $50/night for early arrival (arrival date cannot be more than two days prior to your pre-approved move-in day). This fee is not billed and students will be required to pay cash/check in the residential life office during the first week of classes.

SHU-Approved Early Arrival Reasons & Approved Dates

D1 Athletics
  • Men's & Women's Basketball & Cheerleading: entire winter break
  • Men's Ice Hockey: Friday, December 26
  • Mens & Women's' Wrestling & Women's Ice Hockey: Sunday, December 28
  • Men's Volleyball: Saturday, January 3
  • Track & Field: Sunday, January 4
  • Swimming & Diving: Tuesday, January 6
  • Bowling: Tuesday, January 6
  • Men's & Women's Fencing: Sunday, January 11
  • Rowing: Monday, January 12
  • Softball: Wednesday, January 14
  • Men's & Women's Tennis: Saturday, January 17
Student Organizations and Others
  • Band/Orchestra Trip: Friday, January 2
  • RSAs: Monday, January 12
  • Orientation Leaders & Student Union Managers: Wednesday, January 14
  • Pep Band: Thursday, January 15
  • Student Ambassadors, Leadership Summit, s.w.e.e.t. Peer Educators: Friday, January 17
  • International Students: Friday, January 17 (or later)
  • Distance (six hours or more by car) : Saturday, January 18

If you have an additional scheduling conflict: this option is for any student who is not included in one of the groups listed above but needs to arrive before January 19. The earliest date you will be approved to arrive is January 17 and there will be a $50 per-night charge to arrive early. This is not a billed item. You will be expected to pay an early arrival fee in the residence life office (cash/check) during the first week of classes of the spring semester. Students who fall into this category must email reslife@sacredheart.edu explaining why they must arrive earlier than their residence hall arrival date.

If you are on the men’s basketball, women’s basketball or cheer teams: men's and women's basketball and cheerleading do not need to sign up for early arrival housing. You are already on the approved list and will receive a separate email with updated information regarding access to housing for your approved arrival date listed above.

Those needing to arrive before January 5: any student needing to arrive prior to (including January 5) must sign up for early arrival by 5 p.m. on December 22, 2025. All others must sign up no later than four business days prior to their desired arrival to be guaranteed approval and access to their residence hall on their required return to campus date. For example, a men’s ice hockey player needs to sign up no later than December 21 to select December 25 as their arrival date. You will receive an automated confirmation email once you complete your early arrival sign up. If we have questions related to your request, someone from residence life will be in touch.

Sign up for early arrival housing

Note: The University (including the residence life office) is closed December 24 through January 4 and will reopen on January 5, 2026. Not all services on campus (SHUttle, dining, etc.) are fully functional during the break period. Public safety is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Important Dates for Spring 2026 Semester

  • Monday, January 19: Move-in begins at 10 a.m.
  • Tuesday, January 20: Classes begin
  • Monday, January 29: Last day to add/drop
  • Saturday, February 28 - Sunday, March 8: spring break
    • Residence halls close at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 28, and reopen at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 8
  • Monday, March 30: Last day to withdraw from a class
  • Friday, April 3 - Monday, April 6: Easter break (residence halls remain open)
  • Monday, April 27: Last day of classes
  • Tuesday, April 28 - Monday, May 4: Final exams
  • Tuesday, May 5: Residence halls close at 10 a.m. for summer break

Storage Scholars, Ship to School, Made Easy

Storage Scholars is the preferred moving, storage & shipping partner of Sacred Heart University.

How Ship to School Works

Ship to School Service - We Ship You Empty Boxes, You Pack and Ship Back, We Receive and Deliver

  1. We ship you empty boxes: We send a bundle of empty boxes along with tape and prepaid return shipping labels to your home.
  2. You pack & ship back: You pack your items in the boxes, seal them up, and ship them back over to us over the summer months.
  3. We receive & deliver: Our team receives those packages, stores them, and delivers them ready and waiting in your room when you arrive on campus.