UCSD Move In and Move Out Guide for Parents

Fall move in

Housing ran general move in from Wednesday, Sept 16 to Sunday, Sept 20, 2026, with an extended Week Zero window Sept 21 to 25 and the housing contract starting Sept 19. Students picked a move in date and time in MyRoomAssignment, which opened college by college in mid to late August, from Sixth on Aug 18 to Thurgood Marshall on Aug 27. Housing posts each year's schedule on its Move In/Move Out page.

What check in looks like

Each college runs its own check in. At Sixth College in 2026, families parked at the Scholars Parking Structure, checked in at the Residence Life Patio, and needed the student's QwikPass showing the room assignment and a four digit door PIN from the housing portal. Slots ran from 8:30 am to 4:15 pm, carts were available until 4 pm, and anyone arriving after 5 pm could not check in that day. Marshall College's move in directions send families to designated spaces in the Hopkins Parking Structure once they have unloaded, and note there is no parking grace period before the quarter begins.

What the room has

University furniture is provided and has to stay where it is. Beds are extra long twins, 36 by 80 inches, so buy bedding to fit. At Sixth, doubles and triples are about 10 by 10 feet, and the common lounges and apartments have microwaves and refrigerators.

What to pack, and what to leave home

Housing suggests linens and a mattress pad sized for an extra long twin, toiletries and medications, a computer and headphones, a desk lamp, a surge protector, and a fan for warm days. Roommates are encouraged to coordinate on shared items like a mini fridge or TV. Housing asks students to leave furniture (it is provided), hot plates, portable heaters, personal air conditioners, extension cords, flushable wipes, candles and incense at home.

Spring move out

Most residents are on a 9 month contract that ends at 3 pm on Saturday, June 12, 2027. Pepper Canyon West runs on a 12 month contract that ends at 3 pm on Aug 31, 2027. Students leaving after fall with an approved contract termination must check out by Dec 12, 2026.

Housing had not posted full 2027 move out instructions when we checked. In 2026, it opened an online Express Checkout form in the housing portal at the end of May, accepted late stay requests through June 1 with no guarantee of approval, posted temporary loading signs near the halls during move out week, and locked the halls at 3 pm on the final day. Sixth College asked residents to leave within 24 hours of their last final.

Checkout and charges

Students must return keys and finish checkout; the housing contract says skipping it brings daily charges until it is done. In 2026, Sixth College charged $75 per resident when shared spaces were left dirty. Damage notices go out by email by early July and appear on the July billing statement.

Things left behind

At Sixth in 2026, belongings left in rooms were inventoried, bagged and stored by HDH custodial staff, and students had 90 days to claim them. The housing contract also lets the university dispose of abandoned property and bill the student for the cost.

Donating, storing, shipping

Housing places Disabled American Veterans donation bins in the college neighborhoods, and the Triton Food Pantry takes unopened, nonperishable food at move out (June 5 to 15 in 2026). The Trove in Price Center ships UPS, FedEx and USPS and sells shipping supplies. Transportation Services offers free indoor summer storage for bikes and scooters. Other routes are shipping boxes home with a national carrier or renting a self storage unit in San Diego for the summer.