Fall Move-Out

Tulane University Housing and Residence Life requires students living on-campus to request approval to stay in university housing during Winter Break. Students not approved for Winter Break Housing or students who do not request Winter Break Housing must leave campus by 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 14, 2024, and may not return until on-campus housing reopens for Spring 2026.
 
To request approval to stay on campus for any part of Winter Break, you must complete the Winter Break Housing Request Form in the Housing Portal which opens on Friday, November 14, 2025 and closes on December 1, 2025. Completing this form does not guarantee approval; you will receive an e-mail from Housing and Residence Life with your status. Students participating in Panhellenic Recruitment or who are approved to return early for Spring 2026 due to another Housing and Residence Life approved campus activity do NOT need to complete a Winter Break Housing request via the Housing Portal.
 
Students approved for Winter Break Housing who may be required to relocate to a different Winter Break housing room, will be given instructions to do so as needed. Students not able to relocate on these timelines will be ineligible for Winter Break Housing.
 
Each student who wishes to reside on-campus during Winter Break must individually apply for Winter Break Housing. Only the student(s) approved for Winter Break Housing may reside on-campus during the Winter Break time period. Students who are approved to stay on campus for any amount of time over Winter Break will be billed a flat rate of $400. This flat rate will not be prorated for students who do not stay on-campus for the entirety of the Winter Break time period. Students will see the charge for Winter Break housing in January.

Students returning for Spring 2026 must complete a Self-Checkout form in the Housing Portal which will be available starting December 5. Failure to complete the self-checkout by their checkout date will result in a $100 Improper Checkout charge. Review all information on the Housing and Residence Life Spring Move-In page, includes reopening dates, move-in steps, and self-check-in instructions. Be sure to take your key(s) home with you, as all residential doors will be locked upon hall closing.

Please complete the items on this checklist before you leave for winter break. Pay extra attention to the information about checking out of the residence halls at the end of this section. All students must formally check out of the residence halls before leaving for winter break.

• Unplug all appliances except fridges.
• Clean the fridge and remove all food.
• Throw away all trash in the dumpster closest to your building or designated trash location. Do not leave trash in hallways or common spaces.
• Close and lock all windows.
• Raise your blinds all the way.
• Turn off all faucets and showers.
• Make sure any shared spaces are clean and free of trash.
• Remove all personal belongings from community and suite bathrooms so they can be cleaned over winter break.*
• Make sure your heating & cooling unit is turned ON and set to 72 degrees.
• Any empty bed spaces in your room should be clean and free of personal belongings so another resident can move in.
• Turn off all lights.
• Close and lock your door when you leave.

*All suite bathrooms are cleaned during Winter Break, and many community style bathrooms also receive a more detailed cleaning during Winter Break. Be sure all personal belongings are cleared so a thorough cleaning can take place. 

Check out of the residence halls

All students must formally check out of the residence halls at the end of the Fall semester. Students should follow instructions in the sections below based on whether their plans for Spring. Check out should be the last thing completed, just before leaving campus, as checking out will result in a loss of building access.

Students who are not returning to the residence halls must complete the following steps before leaving for winter break:

1. Complete the Housing Agreement Release Request Form as soon as you know you will not be returning to the residence halls for the spring semester.
2. For those studying abroad or otherwise returning to campus, contact University and Student Services (USS) for storage options for Spring semester and beyond; storage with USS includes a pick-up directly from your Fall space. Email info@uandss.com for more information.
3. Notify USS if you need to cancel water service. Water service equipment should be brought down to the water truck. Their final day on campus is December 3rd.
4. After removing all personal belongings and trash from your room, complete a checkout envelope at the Housing & Residence Life office and follow all check-out instructions provided via email. If utilizing USS storage, leave labeled items on/near your bed.

Students who are changing rooms must complete the following steps before leaving for winter break:

1. Remove all personal belongings and trash from your Fall semester room assignment. Items CANNOT be left in your space over Winter Break. You must fully move-out in December, then into your new space in January.
2. University and Student Services (USS) offers for storage for Winter Break, including pick-up from your Fall space and delivery to your Spring space. Email info@uandss.com for more information.
3. Complete an Express Checkout envelope at the Housing & Residence Life office in River Hall and follow all check-out instructions provided via email. If utilizing USS storage, leave labeled items on/near your bed.

University and Student Services (USS) provides storage pickups for students who need to store belongings until the Spring semester or beyond. Please contact USS via their website, uandss.com/product/storage, for more information.

The Division of Students Affairs is thrilled to partner again with Tulane Shuttles and Transportation to provide free Airport Shuttles for Winter Break. Please note the below information:

• Shuttle Schedule:
  • December 8-10 at 6am, 9am, 12pm, and 3pm
  • December 11 at 6am, 9am, and 3pm
  • December 12 at 6am, 9am, 12pm, and 3pm
  • December 12-14 at 10am, 12:30pm, 3pm, and 6pm
• Students must register 24 hours before the shuttle departure. Registration in WaveSync is required!
• Travel time from the Diboll Parking Garage to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is 60 to 90 minutes. We encourage students to plan accordingly.
• All riders must show their SplashCard to board.
• No food or drink is allowed on the shuttle.
• Capacity for each shuttle is 25 students per departure time. Be sure to sign up early!