Arriving to Campus FAQs

Refer to the Housing & Residential Life What to Bring guide for a complete list of recommended and prohibited items.

No size limit, but it must be no more than 1.5 amps and 75 watts.

No size limit, but must be no more than 900 watts.

Yes, mini fridges and microwaves can be rented through outside companies. 

Air fryers are not permitted inside residence hall rooms. 

Toaster ovens are not permitted. Rice cookers, blenders, and kettles are permitted as long as there is no exposed heating element.

While surge protectors are allowed, extension cords are not. 

Yes, dehumidifiers are allowed. 

Irons and steamers are permitted. 

Students may bring regular over the counter medications such as Tylenol, Advil, and Excedrin. 

Bicycles are permitted. Personal electric vehicles of any kind, including but not limited to e-bikes, are not permitted inside residential buildings. 

Specific mailbox information will be sent out to students by August 3.

Students may begin shipping items to campus on August 6. Additional information about shipping, including instructions and mailing details, will be shared with students prior to move in.

Mail and packages for these residents must be shipped to our on-campus The UPS Store at Lakeside Village. Each student is also assigned a Virtual Mailbox Number to have a unique and individualized mailing address. The UPS Store will also offer faxing, notary, and printing services. Residents will receive an email notification when mail or a package is ready for pickup from The UPS Store.

Resident's Full Legal Name
1211 Walsh Avenue
Box # XXXXX
Coral Gables, Florida 33146

Packages shipped to campus will need to be picked up at The UPS Store. They will not be delivered directly to your room.

You are welcome to pick up packages during normal business hours, however you would not be able to move in prior to your scheduled date/time.

Students may order items from Amazon and have them shipped to campus once package shipping begins.

The University partners directly with Collegeboxes and StowSimple to deliver items directly into students rooms using those services. Any other service, the student would need to schedule an arrival time for items to be delivered with the company directly.

Students would coordinate those directly with the rental company. They would not be delivered directly to student rooms.  

Students traveling from out of state or internationally may ship their belongings to campus once shipping opens. Students joining from overseas are advised to order items such as mattress toppers and bed risers from Amazon for delivery to campus. 

Your assigned arrival time is the time you should arrive at Centralized Check In at the Lakeside Village Expo Center, not your residence hall. After checking in, you will proceed to your assigned residence hall to complete your move in.

Plan to arrive at Centralized Check In at your assigned arrival time. There is no need to arrive significantly earlier.

Centralized Check In typically takes less than 15 minutes. After checking in, you will return to your vehicle and proceed to Cruise Ship Move In.

Your first stop is Centralized Check In at the Lakeside Village Expo Center. After checking in, staff will direct you to Cruise Ship Move In and your residence hall.

After checking in, you will return to your vehicle and proceed through Cruise Ship Move In. Staff and volunteers will unload your belongings and transport them to your residence hall while you park your vehicle and head to your room.

You will receive your Cane Card during Centralized Check In. Students who uploaded their photo in advance can pick up their card when they check in.

While Centralized Check In takes less than 15 minutes, the total move in process will vary depending on traffic, unloading, and residence hall activity.

Students should make every effort to arrive during their assigned move in window. If you are unable to make your scheduled time, contact Housing & Residential Life for assistance.

Cruise Ship Move In is available to assist students, but students may move their belongings into their residence hall on their own if they prefer.

Roommates may have different move in appointments depending on their assigned arrival times or participation in an early arrival program.

Upon arriving on campus, follow the posted signage and directions from staff. You will park temporarily in the Yellow Lots, then walk to Centralized Check In at the Lakeside Village Expo Center.

If arriving while Central Check-In is open (8am-6pm) you may use the Lakeside Village address.

1280 Stanford Drive
Coral Gables, FL 33146

Families will be directed on where to go upon their arrival.

Follow the posted signage and directions from staff when you arrive on campus. You will be directed to the appropriate roads and parking areas for your assigned residence hall.

Temporary parking is available in the Yellow Lots while you complete Centralized Check In. After checking in, you will return to your vehicle and be guided into the Cruise Ship Move In line. The walk from the Yellow Lots to the Lakeside Village Expo Center is approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

If you arrive by rideshare or public transportation, bring your belongings with you to Centralized Check In at the Lakeside Village Expo Center.

Parking attendants will be on campus to direct families with additional vehicles on where to park upon their arrival.

After your belongings have been unloaded through Cruise Ship Move In, you may park in one of the campus parking garages.

After completing Centralized Check In, you will drive to your assigned residence hall and enter the Cruise Ship Move In line. Staff and volunteers will unload your belongings from your vehicle and transport them to your room while you park your vehicle and make your way to the residence hall.

Students are automatically assigned a Cruise Ship Move In appointment based on their scheduled move in time. No separate registration is required. 

Yes, but only one vehicle can go through Cruise Ship Move In. Multiple vehicles are not permitted to use that service.

U Hauls and large moving vehicles are not permitted to go through Cruise Ship Move In.

Cruise Ship Move In volunteers can transport furniture and other belongings from your vehicle to your room.

There is no specific item limit, but students should only bring items permitted by Housing & Residential Life and pack belongings so they can be safely transported.

Most students arrive at their room around the same time as their belongings. The exact timing will vary depending on traffic, unloading, and the number of students moving in.

Cruise Ship Move In volunteers are not expecting or requiring tips. If you feel compelled to tip, you are welcome to do so, but it is completely optional.

Students who hire their own movers may still use the Cruise Ship Move In process or coordinate directly with their moving company.

If everything does not fit in one trip, you may make additional trips to bring the rest of your belongings to your residence hall. However, only one trip through Cruise Ship Move In is permitted.

Roommates are encouraged to coordinate and arrange their preferred setup prior to or upon arrival; however specific beds and closets are not assigned.

Layouts for all room configurations across all residential areas can be found on the HRL website.

Rooms do come fully furnished; for details on what is included in each room type, please see our website.

Floors within each residential area are coed.  

Bathroom layouts are going to vary by building; we encourage students to view our website for specifics on their assigned building.

Ice is available in the dining halls. In Centennial Village, ice machines are located on the ground floor.

Filtered water fountains and bottle filling stations are available throughout campus, including in Centennial Village and Eaton Residential College.

The room does not come with a safe, though students are welcome to bring their own.

As long as they do not damage the walls.

Command strips are permitted.

Shelves should not be installed into the walls. Free standing shelving units are recommended instead.

Nails are not permitted.

Students should avoid damaging the walls. Command strips are permitted, but items should not be installed into the walls. Free standing shelving is recommended instead of wall mounted shelves.

Yes, each room will come with a trash can and a recycling bin.

Rooms do not include a television. Students who would like a TV should bring their own.

Residence halls have Wi-Fi throughout the building. Students can connect using CanesGuest or by logging in with their UM credentials.

Bed height varies by residence hall. In Centennial Village, beds are already raised approximately 20 inches off the floor. In Biscayne Residence Hall, beds are already at the maximum permitted height of 24 inches.

It depends on your residence hall. In Centennial Village, students may use 4 inch bed risers, bringing the total bed height to the maximum allowed 24 inches. In Biscayne Residence Hall, additional bed risers are not permitted because the beds are already at the maximum height. In Eaton Residential College, beds may also be raised up to a maximum height of 24 inches.

Under bed storage varies by residence hall. Centennial Village beds provide approximately 20 inches of clearance before adding risers. Biscayne Residence Hall beds are already raised to approximately 24 inches.

Students who wish to raise their beds must purchase their own bed risers.

Laundry is included for residential students, so there is no additional charge to use the washers and dryers in your residence hall.

Washers and dryers are operated through the CSCPay mobile app. Students can use the app to start machines and monitor the status of their laundry.

Tide Cleaners provides laundry and dry cleaning services for students living on campus. Additional information about participating residence halls and service details will be available through Housing & Residential Life.

Students had an opportunity to indicate interest on the housing application, but for those who did not initially opt in and would now like to sign up, it can be done directly through the Tide website.

Students may use the laundry detergent of their choice that is appropriate for high efficiency washing machines.

Laundry rooms are available in each residence hall.

Students are responsible for cleaning their own residence hall rooms.

Communal bathrooms are cleaned regularly by Housing & Residential Life staff. Students living in suite style or apartment style accommodations are responsible for cleaning their own bathrooms.

Students participating in Orientation activities before their scheduled move in should follow the instructions provided by Orientation & Commuter Student Involvement. If you have questions about your schedule, contact the Orientation team for guidance.

Students participating in approved early arrival programs, including FreshFest, Foote Fellows, Frost Band of the Hour, Dance, Horizon, and other university sponsored programs, receive move in instructions directly from their program.

International students may be eligible for an earlier move in date. Students should follow the instructions provided by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (isss@miami.edu) and Housing & Residential Life.

Attendance at Orientation is expected for all new students. Students should refer to the Orientation schedule for required sessions and any program specific activities.

Parents and family members are welcome to assist students with move in. If you participate in Cruise Ship Move In, staff and volunteers will unload your belongings, but family members are welcome to help unpack and get your room set up.

There is no set limit on the number of family members who may assist with move in. Families are encouraged to be mindful of space in the residence halls and common areas.

Parents and guests may purchase meals in the dining halls during move in.

Parents and families are welcome to participate in designated Family Orientation programming. Student specific Orientation and Welcome Week events are intended for students unless otherwise noted.

Parents and family members may accompany students into the residence halls during move in to help them get settled.

After move in, residence halls return to normal guest access procedures. Parents and guests must follow the university's guest policies and be escorted by their student if visiting.

Parents may leave campus and return later in the day. They should park in one of the campus parking garages upon their return.

Parking attendants will be on campus to direct families with additional vehicles one where to park upon their arrival.

Families are encouraged to say goodbye once their student is comfortably settled so they can begin connecting with classmates and participating in required activities.

If you are unable to bring everything on move in day, you may bring additional items to your residence hall after your move in appointment.

Flatten empty cardboard boxes and place them in the designated recycling or disposal areas within your residence hall. Staff will have additional guidance available during move in.

Students may rearrange the furniture provided in their room, but university furniture must remain in the room. Additional furniture should not be brought into the room unless it complies with Housing & Residential Life policies.

Dining halls open according to the published move in schedule. Students may begin using their meal plan once dining services open and they have their Cane Card.

After move in, parents and guests may visit in accordance with the university's residence hall guest policy.

Overnight guests are permitted in accordance with Housing & Residential Life's guest policy and roommate agreement.

Submit a maintenance request through the Housing & Residential Life maintenance request system. For urgent maintenance concerns, contact your residence hall front desk or Housing & Residential Life directly.

Students may continue to receive Amazon and other package deliveries throughout the academic year using their assigned campus mailing address.

Residence halls remain open during Thanksgiving Break and Spring Break. Most residence halls close during Winter Break, though limited housing may be available for students who meet eligibility requirements. Additional information will be shared by Housing & Residential Life before each break.