Move-In

We are very excited to welcome you to the Hilltop! We are currently working to provide a seamless move-in experience. As we have additional details about the process they will be posted below.

Fall Arrivals

New students

Welcome to the Hilltop! Fall Move-In Days are an exciting series of days that occur before Stampede, giving you time to settle into your new home.

New student move-in days are announced in late-May of each year. You will receive an email notification when these dates are announced and move-in timeslots become active in the SMU Housing Portal. Students must register for a move-in timeslot prior to July 31. Please do not book travel until you have a timeslot to ensure your travel plans align with your timeslot. 

Returning students

Welcome back! We are happy to have you join us for another year on the Hilltop. 

Residence halls will open for returning students after new student move-in days ends but before classes begin. Returning students should inform RLSH of their arrival date on the SMU Housing Portal starting in late May. Please select a timeslot before making travel plans. 

Packing for the Hilltop

Packing for university can seem overwhelming, but we’re here to help. Check out our packing guides for suggested items, what SMU supplies, and policies on specific items like coffee makers. For detailed rules, refer to the student conduct and community policies webpage

We want you to be comfortable in SMU housing while packing appropriately and safely. Avoid bringing a U-Haul due to limited parking and storage space. Students can send up to 10 packages to SMU before move-in and will receive PO Box information via email. More details are on the SMU Mail and Copy Central website. You can bring up to four guests to help unpack and set up your room on move-in days.

To get a feel for your future residence, please view the 360 videos, photos, and floorplans of your Residential Commons or Upper Division Housing.

Residential Commons Move-In

Details on what we provide and what Mustangs should bring to your room in the Residential Commons.

Upper Division Housing Move-In

Living in upper-division housing is a bit different from the Residential Commons. Explore this guide for what to bring with you.

Residential Commons Move-In instructions

This first step will actually be done before you arrive on-campus. Following Parking & ID Services parameters, submit and have a photo approved by July 1 on the My Card Portal. You must complete this step or we will be unable to provide you a student ID card at Move-In. All of our residence halls are card-access only to enter the building, and some of our student rooms also rely on card-access, so it's an important item to have on campus.  

Again, this step occurs prior to coming to campus. On the SMU Housing Portal, select a Move-In timeslot that is the most convenient for you. No timeslot is better than the other, since we stagger appointments throughout the day, ensuring a steady flow of Move-In participants. If you need to change your move-in time, simply do so on the housing portal. An email will be sent to your SMU account letting you know when timeslots go live, starting in late-May. Please secure a timeslot by July 31.

Only after you have confirmed your Move-In timeslot should you book travel. There are multiple Move-In Days, and you want to ensure that your travel plans coincide with your move-in time. 

Your Move-In Day has arrived, and it is time to come to campus! On your Move-In Day, at your scheduled time, you will need to be on-campus, ready to unload and unpack your belongings. Please do not arrive early, nor late, as this will disrupt our schedule and make the move-in experience more laborious. To make the process of unloading easier, we have identified the closest parking areas to each building, listed below. Please park in the appropriate lot for your residence hall. As parking is limited, we rely on students moving in at their scheduled time, so that there will be parking spaces available for everyone. 

Parking Guide

Armstrong, Crum, Kathy Crow, Loyd, and Ware Commons (Southeast Area): Mustang Parking Center, 6001 Bush Avenue

 

Boaz, Cockrell-McIntosh, McElvaney, and Morrison-McGinnis Commons (Central Area): Binkley Parking Center, 3105 Binkley Ave

 

Virginia-Snider Commons (North Area): 3305 Dyer Street; park in the area just North of Virginia-Snider Commons to unload your vehicle. Once complete, please relocate your car to either Binkley Parking Center (3105 Binkley Ave) or Moody Parking Center (3063 SMU Boulevard).

 

 

Mary Hay, Peyton, and Shuttles Commons (North Area): 6211 Bishop Blvd; park on the Boulevard adjacent to the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center to unload your vehicle.  Once complete, please relocate your car to either Binkley Parking Center (3105 Binkley Ave) or Moody Parking Center (3063 SMU Boulevard).

Now that you have found a place to park, it is time to check-in with RLSH staff to let us know that you are here! Check-in at the Move-In tent for your area, locations below. Don't worry, you can't miss it; it's filled with staff and student leaders ready to assist you with checking-in, answering questions, and getting you settled into your new home. At the tent, you will receive a set of keys for your room and your student ID card. This is why it is so important that you have submitted a photo and received approval from Parking & ID Services by July 1: so we can have your card ready for you upon check-in. Student IDs are important because all residence halls are card-access only to enter the building.

Move-In tent locations:

Armstrong, Crum, Kathy Crow, Loyd, and Ware Commons (Southeast Area): Outside of Loyd Commons, 5901 Bush Ave

 

Boaz, Cockrell-McIntosh, McElvaney, and Morrison-McGinnis Commons (Central Area): Outside of Mac's Place, 6000 Bishop Blvd

 

Mary Hay Peyton Shuttles, and Virginia-Snider Commons (North Area): Outside of Virginia-Snider Commons, 3301 Dyer Street

Borrow a moving bin or two at the Move-In tent. To cut down on the number of trips you have to make to and from your car, we provide large rolling moving bins. Grab a bin, pile in your belongings, and roll it to your room. The bins are large, so please be kind and patient when navigating through halls and around others. Remember, we are all moving in together! Once you have removed your belongings from the bin and deposited them in your room, please return the bin to the Move-In tent so that other students and families can use it. 

Now that all of your belongings are in your new room, it's time to organize. Feel free to take time with your guests, families, and roommate(s) to make your room yours. Set-up your desk, hang your clothes, put away miscellaneous items, and make your bed. Bed loft requests should be submitted prior to July 31. Don't try to loft the bed yourself!

Eventually, it will be time to say good-by to your guests and families and to begin experiencing campus. Socialize with your roommate and floormates, explore your residence hall, and attend events that your community and SMU hosts to get you acquainted with the Hilltop.   

Upper-division Housing Move-In instructions

This first step will actually be done before you arrive on-campus. Following Parking & ID Services parameters, submit and have a photo approved by July 1 on the My Card Portal. You must complete this step or we will be unable to provide you a student ID card at Move-In. All of our residence halls are card-access only to enter the building, and some of our student rooms also rely on card-access, so it's an important item to have on campus.  

Again, this step occurs prior to coming to campus. On the SMU Housing Portal, select a Move-In timeslot that is the most convenient for you. No timeslot is better than the other, since we stagger appointments throughout the day, ensuring a steady flow of Move-In participants. If you need to change your move-in time, simply do so on the housing portal. An email will be sent to your SMU account letting you know when timeslots go live, starting in late-May. Please secure a timeslot by July 31.

Only after you have confirmed your Move-In timeslot should you book travel. There are multiple Move-In Days, and you want to ensure that your travel plans coincide with your move-in time. 

Your Move-In Day has arrived, and it is time to come to campus! On your Move-In Day, at your scheduled time, you will need to be on-campus, ready to unload and unpack your belongings. Please do not arrive early, nor late, as this will disrupt our schedule and make the move-in experience more laborious.

You should immediately check-in at the appropriate UDH Move-In tent location to let RLSH staff know you have arrived. Don't worry, that you haven't parked yet; that will be the next step, so you can snag a spot close to your residence hall. Once at the tent, you will receive a set of keys to your room and your student ID card. If you are checking-in to Thomas House, you will not need physical keys, and can check-in via your phone. This is why it is important that you have submitted a photo and received approval from Parking & ID Services by July 1: so we can have your card ready upon check-in. Student IDs are important because all residence halls are card-access only to enter the building.  

UDH Move-In tent locations

Thomas House: Lobby of Thomas House, 3130 Daniel Ave (please go directly to Thomas House and check-in via your phone through the SMU Housing Portal once inside the lobby)

 

Moore, Martin, Service House, and 3050: V parking lot, Dyer Court (behind the Sigma Alpha Epsilon House)

Now that you are checked-in and have your keys, it is time to drive to your residence hall and park. To make the process of unloading easier, we have identified the closest parking areas to each building, listed below. Please park in the appropriate lot for your residence hall. As parking is limited, we rely on students moving in at their scheduled time, so there will be parking spaces available for everyone throughout the day. 

Parking Guide

Thomas House: Airline Parking Center, 6506 Airline Road

 

Martin and Moore House: Hillcrest Parking Center, 5906 Hillcrest Ave, or the parking spaces near each building

 

3050 SMU Blvd & Service House (SMUSH): Moody Parking Center, 3063 SMU Boulevard, or the parking spaces near each building


After parking your car, move your belongings into your new room. Feel free to take time with your guests, families, and roommate(s) to make your room yours. Set-up your desk, hang your clothes, put away miscellaneous items, and make your bed. Bed loft requests should be submitted prior to July 31. Don't try to loft the bed yourself! Please note that beds in Thomas and Martin House cannot be lofted. 

Eventually, it will be time to say good-by to your guests and families and to begin experiencing campus. Socialize with your roommate and floormates, explore your residence hall, and attend events that your community and SMU hosts to get you acquainted with the Hilltop.   

Useful Move-In links

Stampede Students enjoying Stampede

Stampede

A four-day, student-only orientation event designed to welcome and prepare the newest Mustangs for the Hilltop!

Dining Birds eye view of students eating in dinning hall

Dining

Housing and meal plans go together like milk and cookies, which our Umphry Lee Dining Hall is famous for! Don't lose out on daily fresh-baked cookies; find the meal plan that's right for you.

Parking Parking Meter

Parking

Students may order their parking permit online by logging into the SMU Parking Portal. Payment is made after the permit is ordered through my.smu.edu, and not on the parking website.