If your student is moving into UW housing this September, here is the one thing to hold onto: everything runs on the move-in appointment email that Housing & Food Services (HFS) sent to your student’s UW inbox in mid-August. It holds the appointment time, the residence hall, the check-in location, and the vehicle placard for your dashboard. A federal privacy law called FERPA means UW sends housing details straight to students, so the first move is simple: ask your Husky to forward the whole email. On Sept. 22, the carts come out. Whether you are a parent, stepparent, grandparent, sibling, auntie or uncle, mentor, or chosen family, this guide is for you.
The day itselfBefore you packFamily LoungeDifferent calendarsAfter the goodbye
What the day actually looks like
Plan on 2 to 3 hours from pulling up to a moved-in room, and build the rest of the day around that.
- One vehicle, up to two helpers, with the placard from the housing email on your dashboard. Check-in locations differ by residence hall, so the forwarded email tells you exactly where to pull up.
- Your student checks in with their Husky Card or photo ID and walks away with room keys, a mailbox key, and a red emergency backpack stocked with water and supplies. Student volunteers with carts help from there.
- Once the car is empty, it moves. Unload first, then park in a self-serve lot so the next family can pull in. After that, the afternoon is yours.
- Flying in or arriving by rideshare? There are marked drop-off points too. The full rundown, including check-in locations for every hall, lives in the HFS move-in guide.
Worth doing before you pack the car
- Ship ahead. Packages can arrive at the residence hall up to 7 days before the move-in appointment, and bedding and bulk items travel better by box than by carry-on.
- Coordinate the fridge. One mini-fridge (4.4 cubic feet max) and one microwave (700 watts max) per room is plenty, so have your student text their roommate before anyone buys one.
- Some things stay home. Space heaters, toasters, and halogen lamps are on the no list; the full what-to-skip rundown is in the same HFS guide.
- Call your insurance company. Ten minutes now to ask about covering student belongings saves headaches later.
While they move in, the Family Lounge is yours
Registration is open, and reserving by Sept. 1 helps us plan
The UW Family Lounge is free and open all four days of Move-In Week in two spots: Oak Hall Denny Room on north campus and the Maple Hall Great Room on west campus, Tue–Wed 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Thu–Fri 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Snacks, coffee, staff who work with UW families all year, and other families in exactly the same week you are. Register once, visit both.
On a different calendar?
Fraternity and sorority move-in comes first: Panhellenic Association move-in is Sept. 9, Interfraternity Council move-in is Sept. 10, and Bid Day is Sept. 16, so those families plan travel around the earlier dates. The same day-of playbook applies. College Edge families, your student is already settled in Lander Hall. You have done this part, and we will see you at Family Weekend.
After the goodbye hug
Dawg Daze welcome events run Sept. 23 to Oct. 2, and classes begin Sept. 30. Sunday, Sept. 27 belongs to your student: New Husky Welcome Day gathers the new class at Husky Stadium, and it is often the first big thing they do at UW entirely on their own. Then you will be back before you know it: UW Family Weekend is Nov. 6–7, and tickets, including the pregame tailgate, open Sept. 21.
Questions between now and the big day? Write us at uwparent@uw.edu. A real person on our team reads every message.
Talk with your Husky. Two easy texts to send today: “Can you forward me the move-in email from UW Housing? Booking things on my end.” And: “Have you and your roommate figured out who’s bringing the fridge? Asking for packing reasons.”