Frequently Asked Questions

New Incoming Students

For fall semester, move in day for new students occurs Friday prior to the first day of fall semester class. Each year, some buildings are typically assigned to move in on Thursday in order to help reduce traffic congestion on campus. You will be notified of your official move-in day on your housing assignment email, which comes out in late July.

Returning Students

For fall semester, official move-in day for second year and upperclass students is the Saturday and Sunday prior to the first day of class. Move in can occur on either day that best meets the travel needs of the student.

Pre-Semester Groups

If you're part of a special pre-semester program, you'll have an earlier move-in date. The office sponsoring your program will send you separate details about this.

Additional Resources

For even more helpful tips and planning resources, be sure to visit the Office of Residence Life's Move-In website.

Traditional rooms are located in residence halls such as Morris, Tappan, and Havighurst. These rooms are typically air conditioned and feature corridor bathrooms and community space. Standard rooms are located in our renovated and newer construction halls such as Etheridge, Bishop, and Hahne. These halls feature enhanced community and study spaces, completely new corridor bathrooms, new student room furniture, completely updated building systems, air conditioning and heating, and more.

The following items are included in every student room on campus:

• Twin XL bed in residence halls (full-size beds at Heritage Commons)
• Desk and chair
• Dresser
• Closet or wardrobe
• Mirror
• Refrigerator
• Towel rack
• Trash can
• Window shades
• High-speed wired and wireless internet

Some details may vary by building. For more specifics on furniture dimensions by hall, please visit our Residence Halls page.

Important Reminder!

Due to campus storage space limitations, we cannot remove student room furniture. Students are discouraged from bringing their own furniture to campus. Typically, rooms can only safely accommodate the furnishings provided.

Here's a list of things you might want to bring to your room. We encourage you to chat with your roommate to avoid bringing duplicates of items. Remember, these are just suggestions, and you don't need to bring everything on the list.

• Bed sheets, pillows and comforter
• Laundry bag/pop-up basket
• Towels/washcloths
• High efficiency laundry detergent
• Clothes hangers
• Umbrella
• Shower shoes
• Area rug
• Shower tote and toiletries
• Bicycle
• "S" moulding hooks to hang items on the wall
• Adhesive putty (we recommend not using the blue putty as it can stain the wall)
• Microwave (700 watts or less; shared microwaves also available in corridor kitchens)
• UL, CSA, or ETL approved power strips with built in circuit breaker (likely not needed due to the # of outlets in the room)
• Fan
• First-aid kit
• Lamp
• Vacuum

Packing Notes:

We encourage you to think carefully about what you buy and bring to campus. Each year, students discard or donate a lot of items they might not have truly needed, like plastic drawers, microwaves, and bulk food items.

Every year, we partner with ShareFest, a local non-profit dedicated to keeping usable items like food, clothing, household goods, and school supplies out of landfills. Students frequently donate items they no longer want (or didn't need in the first place). Let's work together to reduce waste!

Due to the high risk of fire and damage in a communal environment, the following items are prohibited:

• Candles/candle warmer
• Coffeemaker (Keurig or Keurig-style single-serve coffee makers are permitted, heating element must be contained within the unit and automatically turn off when brewing is complete)
• Personal refrigerators
• Personal air conditioners
• Electric blankets or sheets
• Electric skillets
• Hot plates
• Air fryer
• Lofted beds
• Bed risers
• Popcorn poppers
• Halogen lamps
• Toaster ovens
• Water beds
• Extension cords (you are permitted to bring one power strip with surge protector)
• E-bikes/electric skateboards (lithium battery safety hazard)
• Personal mattress
• Wall mounts for televisions
• 3D printers
• Please review the Regulations for On-Campus Living for more details.

• S-Hooks (also called moulding hooks) and removable putty are typically acceptable for use when used and removed properly. Rooms include picture rail near the ceiling which is intended for the hooks.
• Prohibited wall hanging materials include: Nails of any kind, Scotch tape, duct tape, double-sided tape, 3M hooks, staples, and tacks. These items damage the walls, and will likely result in repair charges on your account.
• LED lights are not recommended for use in the residence hall rooms as the double sided tape used to attach them to the walls will cause damage resulting in damage fees.
• Residents are responsible for any repairs/damages regardless of supplies used if damage results.

Students are expected to be respectful of their on-campus room while living in the space, and to also leave the room in good condition upon move-out. After a student has moved out of their room, the Resident Director (RD) will complete a final room inspection. If furniture or other room damage is found during the inspection, then the students will be charged for the necessary repairs.

Elevator availability varies by hall. Many of our halls have elevators that are always open for general use. However, other halls have service (freight) elevators that are only available for use by students who have a medical need and are unable to use the stairs.

Community/corridor bathrooms in our residence halls are cleaned regularly by Miami University custodial staff. Residents in Heritage Commons, Miami Inn, and also students in select residence halls who have private bathrooms (as part of their room) are responsible for cleaning their own bathrooms. Private bathrooms and Heritage Commons bathrooms are inspected at the end of fall semester, and charges may be incurred if they are in such a condition that they require excessive cleaning by our staff. 

Housing assignment information for new incoming students will be emailed to your Miami account in late July or early August.

For incoming first-year students, roommates are typically assigned based upon a mutual Living Learning Community preference. Students also have the ability to request a specific roommate if desired, but they must be requested no later than May 5. We are not able to accept additional roommate requests after May 5 as our team is working hard to process room assignments and match current requests.

Each year, about half of the incoming first year students request a specific roommate, and the other half allow the roommate matching to be based on mutual Living Learning Community preferences. Oftentimes, students feel like they have to request a specific roommate or they will "miss out." However, we like to remind students and families that this is not the case. One of the great benefits of our Living Learning Communities is that students know they will be matched up with someone who is coming in with a common interest!

We do our best to accommodate all roommate requests! However, the number of requests for triple and quad rooms sometimes exceeds the number of those rooms available.

If we can't place your group in a triple or quad, we'll assign you to rooms located near each other. For triple room requests that we're unable to fulfill, one student will be assigned a random roommate.

You can find your current LLC preferences and roommate requests on your housing application. Log in to the housing portal and click "Register for Housing" to access your housing application.  From there, you can review the application summary section of your housing application.

Please visit our Room Selection website for more information!

The size of our rooms varies from one residence hall to another, as a result of architectural differences. You can learn specific dimensions for your room online after you have received your housing assignment letter.

Miami is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy living and working environment for faculty, staff, students, and visitors. This includes providing and maintaining acceptable indoor air quality throughout campus.

Except for goldfish or other tropical fish, no pets are permitted in the residence halls. Tank size should not exceed five gallons, and aquarium heaters are prohibited.

US mail will be delivered to locked mail boxes which are located in or near the lobby of each residence hall. Each room in the building will have its own box. Packages, large-sized items, and registered mail are delivered to the Mail and Package Center. You will be notified by email if you have a package to be picked up.

Mail should be addressed in the following format:
Student Name (Include Middle Initial)
Residence Hall Street Address (find street addresses here)
Residence Hall Name and Room Number
Oxford, OH 45056

The university does not assume responsibility for the loss of money or valuables, damages to property or injuries on the premises. If the student is not covered by a parent/guardian homeowner's insurance policy, it is strongly recommended that insurance arrangements are made to protect against such losses.

We are happy to answer your parking questions! You can reach our Parking Customer Service area directly by calling 513-529-5000. Before calling, be sure to check out the Parking Website. It's full of helpful information about parking on campus, including maps, procedures, and the official parking policy. 

We work in collaboration with the Miller Center for Student Disability Services to provide reasonable accommodations in the residence hall setting. If you feel that a disability-related housing accommodation is needed, please contact The Miller Center at 513-529-1541 or email SDS@MiamiOH.edu. You may also visit their website at www.MiamiOH.edu/SDS for more information.

The Marcum Hotel is owned and operated by Miami University. Located conveniently on campus, The Marcum offers guest rooms and suites, and all the comforts of home. Visit us online to make reservations today! Join Marcum's Parents' Club and receive 10% off each night that you stay.

Students at Miami University are assigned roommates of the same legal sex (male students with male students and female students with female students). However, the university recognizes that assignments based on this gender binary may not be the best option for all students and thus offers gender-inclusive housing. Gender-inclusive housing provides room assignment options that better affirms a student’s gender identity. For more information, visit our Gender-Inclusive Housing website.