UCLA Move-In Day 2026: Complete Dates, Schedule, and Packing Guide

UCLA Move-In Day 2026 for on-campus housing (The Hill) runs Wednesday, September 16, 2026 through Saturday, September 19, 2026.

University Apartments move-in runs Thursday, September 10, 2026 through Sunday, September 13, 2026. Individual move-in time slots are released through the UCLA Housing Portal in late August 2026.

When Is UCLA Move-In Day 2026?

UCLA Move-In Day 2026 is not a single date — it is a four-day window that varies by housing type. On-campus residence halls and University Apartments operate on separate move-in schedules because they run on separate contract calendars, according to UCLA Housing.

On-Campus (The Hill) Move-In Dates

On-campus move-in for the 2026–2027 academic year takes place Wednesday, September 16, 2026 through Saturday, September 19, 2026.

This four-day window covers all residence halls on The Hill, including De Neve, Hedrick, Rieber, Sproul, and Sunset Village. Each student receives one specific date and one specific time slot within this window rather than open access across all four days.

University Apartments Move-In Dates

University Apartments move-in dates carry a documented discrepancy across UCLA’s own housing pages. The “Moving into Undergraduate University Apartments” page lists the window as Thursday, September 10, 2026 through Sunday, September 13, 2026.

UCLA’s separate “Undergraduate Move-In” FAQ page, last updated June 29, 2026, lists the window as Friday, September 11, 2026 through Sunday, September 13, 2026.

Both sources agree on two fixed points: move-in concludes on Sunday, September 13, 2026, and the University Apartments contract begins that same day, Sunday, September 13, 2026.

Students assigned to University Apartments should treat Thursday, September 10, 2026 as the earliest possible arrival date and confirm their exact window through the housing portal rather than relying on either page in isolation.

How to Find Your Exact UCLA Move-In Day 2026 Time Slot

Exact UCLA Move-In Day 2026 time slots are not assigned until late August 2026. UCLA Housing sends room number, roommate, and move-in time information through the housing portal at that point, sorted by residence hall or apartment building.

Students who need to book travel before their exact time is released should plan arrival within the published date range for their housing type — Wednesday, September 16 through Saturday, September 19, 2026 for on-campus housing, or the University Apartments window described above.

Time changes are available after assignment: students can request a different date or time slot through the housing portal once their initial assignment appears.

UCLA Move-In Day 2026 by Student Type

UCLA Move-In Day 2026 differs by student classification because housing offers, contract terms, and building assignments differ by classification.

Freshmen, transfer students, returning students, and early-arrival petitioners each follow a distinct path to their move-in date.

UCLA Freshman Move-In Day 2026

Freshman move-in falls within the standard on-campus window of Wednesday, September 16, 2026 through Saturday, September 19, 2026, per UCLA’s Freshmen Offer FAQs.

Freshmen accept their housing offer, sign a contract (co-signed by a parent or guardian if the student is under 18), and select a meal plan before receiving a specific move-in date and time in late August 2026.

Transfer Student Move-In

Transfer students are typically assigned to University Apartments rather than on-campus residence halls, placing their move-in within the September 10–13, 2026 window (or September 11–13, 2026, depending on the source page cited above).

Transfer students follow the same portal-based acceptance process as freshmen but receive apartment-specific packing and utility information rather than dorm-specific information.

Returning Student Move-In (Room Sign-Up)

Returning students who complete Room Sign-Up (RSU) receive assignments and move-in information on the same late-August timeline as freshmen and transfer students.

Returning-student move-in dates fall within the same building-specific windows already listed for on-campus housing and University Apartments; UCLA does not publish a separate move-in date range exclusively for returning students.

Early Arrival and Early Move-In Requests

Early arrival is not a standard option for UCLA Move-In Day 2026 and requires a separate approval process outside the general move-in window.

Students who typically request early arrival include international students needing extra time for visa-related travel, student-athletes with preseason training obligations, and orientation staff arriving ahead of New Student Orientation.

UCLA Housing evaluates these requests individually and does not guarantee approval; students in this category should contact UCLA Housing directly rather than assume early access based on their student type alone.

Full UCLA 2026–2027 Housing Contract Calendar

UCLA’s 2026–2027 housing contract calendar covers three quarters — Fall, Winter, and Spring — with separate dates for On-Campus Housing and University Apartments in every quarter, according to UCLA’s Undergraduate Contract Dates page.

This calendar extends well beyond UCLA Move-In Day 2026 itself and governs when students must vacate, when they can return, and when new quarterly contracts begin.

Note the distinction between “move-in” and “contract start” for on-campus housing: physical move-in happens across the four-day window of September 16–19, 2026, but the fall contract itself does not officially begin until Sunday, September 20, 2026. University Apartments do not carry this separation — physical move-in and contract start converge on Sunday, September 13, 2026.

On-Campus Housing Contract Dates

On-campus housing contracts for Fall 2026 begin Sunday, September 20, 2026 and end Friday, June 11, 2027. Winter and Spring quarter contracts begin Sunday, January 3, 2027 and Sunday, March 28, 2027, respectively, both ending Friday, June 11, 2027.

University Apartments Contract Dates

University Apartments contracts for Fall 2026 begin Sunday, September 13, 2026 and end Friday, June 18, 2027 — one week later than the on-campus move-out date.

Winter and Spring quarter contracts follow the same start dates as on-campus housing (January 3, 2027 and March 28, 2027) but retain the later June 18, 2027 end date.

Winter Break Access Rules

Winter break access differs by housing type. On-campus residents must vacate by Friday, December 11, 2026, the Friday of fall quarter finals week, and cannot return until Saturday, January 2, 2027, the day before winter quarter instruction begins.

Belongings can remain in the room during this period, but students lose room access. Late departures, early arrivals, and stay-throughs for the full break are available for purchase at an additional cost. University Apartments residents are not required to leave; they retain building access throughout winter break.

UCLA Move-In Day 2026 Parking and Unloading Zones

Parking and unloading for UCLA Move-In Day 2026 is assigned by zone, not first-come-first-served. Every student receives a specific unloading zone tied to their residence hall or apartment building, viewable through the move-in information section of the housing portal.

Unloading Zone by Residence Hall or Apartment Building

Unloading zones correspond to building groups rather than individual halls. Students assigned to DD and Lot 11 enter campus at the intersection of Gayley Avenue and Strathmore Place.

Students assigned to Sunset Village (SV) and Lot 7 enter campus at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Westwood Plaza. The Sunset Boulevard/Bellagio Place entrance is closed to move-in traffic for both zones. A campus map showing residence halls, parking facilities, and walking paths is available at map.ucla.edu.

Free Long-Term Parking Rules

UCLA provides 3 hours of free long-term parking for move-in vehicles after unloading is complete. Vehicles that need to remain parked longer than 3 hours must relocate to a pay-by-space within the same lot; free parking is not extended past the 3-hour mark under standard move-in policy.

Campus Entry Points for Move-In Day

The table below summarizes entry points by unloading zone.

Arriving by Rideshare or Public Transit

Rideshare arrivals follow the same zone-based entry rules as vehicle drop-offs. Students arriving by rideshare need to confirm their assigned unloading zone in advance and direct the driver to the correct campus entrance — Gayley Avenue/Strathmore Place or Sunset Boulevard/Westwood Plaza — since the Bellagio Place entrance does not accept move-in traffic.

What to Bring and What Not to Bring for UCLA Move-In Day 2026

Packing requirements differ by housing type because on-campus rooms and University Apartments are furnished to different standards. On-campus rooms provide basic furniture only; University Apartments include a full kitchen and in-unit laundry infrastructure.

On-Campus Housing Packing List

On-campus residents need bedding sized for an extra-long twin mattress, bathroom and shower supplies, a desk lamp, and personal electronics, since UCLA residence halls provide only the room’s built-in furniture.

Students should also plan for a moving cart or duffel bags, since unloading-zone lines run longest on Saturday, September 19, 2026, the final day of the on-campus window.

University Apartments Packing List

University Apartments include a furnished kitchen with stove, refrigerator, and microwave, along with gas, water, electricity, and high-speed internet included in the contract cost.

Residents need to bring dishes, utensils, pots and pans, a toaster or other small appliances, cleaning equipment such as a broom, mop, and vacuum, laundry supplies, towels, and toiletries.

Laundry machines run on PayRange, an online payment system that does not require quarters. Telephone service is not included; residents arrange their own service through Verizon by calling (800) 483-4000.

Mattress and Bedding Sizes

UCLA beds — both on-campus and in University Apartments — use the extra-long twin (Twin XL) size, requiring linens measuring 36 inches by 80 inches. Standard twin sheets sized for a home mattress will not fit a UCLA dorm or apartment bed.

Prohibited Items for UCLA Move-In Day 2026

UCLA restricts several categories of items across both on-campus housing and University Apartments for safety and building-code reasons.

UCLA Move-In Day 2026 Prohibited Items List

The following items are not permitted in UCLA housing:

• Flammables, combustibles, or explosives
• Candles or incense
• Halogen lamps
• Hoverboards
• Gasoline or fuel
• Firearms or weapons
• Pets, except service or support animals registered and approved through the Center for Accessible Education (CAE)
• Grills
• Air conditioner units
• Space heaters
• Washers or clothes dryers

This list applies to University Apartments explicitly and reflects the same categories UCLA restricts campus-wide; students bringing any item on this list should expect it to be confiscated or refused at check-in rather than allowed with exceptions.

Meal Plans During Move-In Week

Meal plan access during UCLA Move-In Day 2026 begins before the official contract does. UCLA provides transitional meal access specifically to cover the gap between physical move-in and the formal start of on-campus contracts.

Free Meal Swipes During Move-In

Students moving into on-campus housing receive 3 gratis meal swipes per day, usable from the start of move-in on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 through the start of the contracted meal plan on Sunday, September 20, 2026. This covers the full four-day move-in window plus the transition day before the meal plan formally activates.

When Your Contracted Meal Plan Officially Begins

The contracted meal plan officially begins with dinner on Sunday, September 20, 2026, matching the on-campus housing contract start date. Meals before dinner on September 20, 2026, fall under the gratis swipe allowance rather than the contracted plan.

Accepting Your Housing Offer: Freshman Checklist

Accepting a UCLA housing offer requires ten sequential steps completed through the housing portal, according to UCLA’s Freshmen Offer FAQs. Students who skip the final step risk an incomplete offer acceptance despite having submitted payment.

Steps to Accept Your Offer

1. Log in to the UCLA Housing Portal.
2. Click “Housing Application” in the top menu.
3. Re-enter the Undergraduate Academic Year term.
4. Review housing offer details, including building and room type.
5. Select a meal plan.
6. Sign the housing contract (parent or guardian co-signature required if the student is under 18).
7. Download a copy of the signed contract.
8. Make the initial payment, if prompted.
9. Wait for the browser to redirect back to the housing portal after payment.
10. Click “Complete Offer Acceptance” to finalize the process.

The application status page confirms successful completion; reaching this page is the only reliable indicator that the offer has been fully accepted.

Initial Payment Rules

A $500 initial payment is required for students who do not qualify for deferred payment — specifically, students whose financial aid does not qualify them for deferral, whose FAFSA is still processing, or who have no FAFSA on file. This payment is not an additional fee; it applies directly toward fall quarter housing costs.

International Payment Issues

International students using MasterCard frequently experience declined payments because some international MasterCards are not compatible with UCLA’s payment system.

UCLA recommends using a Visa, Discover, or American Express card instead. Wire transfers are not accepted for the initial payment under any circumstance, since the payment processes outside of BruinBill.

Students whose credit card option disappears after multiple declines — a fraud-prevention response from the payment system — need to contact support directly through studentsupport.transactcampus.com to restore the option.

Roommate Requests and Assignment Timeline

Roommate groups offered the same building, room type, and Living Learning Community (LLC) continue to be reviewed for group placement in late August 2026.

Students offered to the same building and room type can mutually request one another on the housing application. Students offered to different buildings or room types need to submit a Change of Assignment Request (CAR) before a roommate request can be reviewed. UCLA does not guarantee freshman-only roommate matches; assignments may include upperclassmen or returning students.

Change of Assignment Request (CAR)

A Change of Assignment Request lets students request a different room type or building after accepting their initial offer. CARs require the student to accept their current offer first and are granted based on space availability only — approval is not guaranteed regardless of the reason submitted.

Gender-Inclusive Housing and Opt-Out

Students offered gender-inclusive housing are assigned with other students who also requested gender-inclusive housing; gender is not used as an assignment factor, meaning roommates may hold different gender identities.

Students can opt out after accepting their offer by selecting “Manage Your Housing” in the portal, choosing the relevant term booking, and selecting “Change Gender Inclusive Housing Request.”

UCLA approves all such opt-out requests, though a change may result in a different building, room type, or a contract cost increase, and Housing Services attempts to preserve the original building and room type where possible.

Move-In Week Events

UCLA Move-In Day 2026 includes organized on-site support beyond logistics. Move-in week combines volunteer assistance with the start of New Student Orientation programming.

True Bruin Ambassadors and the Move-In Fair

True Bruin Ambassadors staff each unloading zone to help students carry belongings to their rooms and direct them to satellite check-in stations for BruinCard encoding. Satellite check-in stations issue the BruinCard needed for room access before students reach their assigned hall or apartment.

True Bruin Welcome and Orientation Overlap

Move-in week for freshmen and transfer students overlaps with True Bruin Welcome, UCLA’s orientation programming that runs alongside the housing move-in window. Move-in day itself is a housing logistics event; it is not the same event as orientation, though both occur during the same calendar window in September 2026.

Shipping Boxes Ahead of UCLA Move-In Day 2026

Students can ship belongings ahead of UCLA Move-In Day 2026 through a third-party partner rather than transporting everything by vehicle or checked luggage.

How Storage Scholars’ Ship to School Program Works

Storage Scholars, a third-party vendor, operates UCLA’s “Ship to School” program through four steps: students ship their own boxes or request an empty-box kit (with FedEx pickup available from home); students shopping online can list the Storage Scholars facility as their shipping address; each package is scanned with a photo confirmation, triggering a text and email notification on arrival; and the Storage Scholars team delivers all received items directly to the student’s assigned building on move-in day.

Moving In Sustainably

UCLA recommends specific waste-reduction practices during move-in that most competing move-in guides do not address. Packing only what is needed, sourcing items secondhand through campus resources like the “UCLA Free & For Sale” Facebook page, and waiting to purchase remaining items after seeing the assigned room all reduce move-in waste, according to UCLA Housing’s sustainability guidance.

Recommended sustainable items include a reusable water bottle, a reusable dinnerware set with dish soap, reusable shopping bags, and dryer balls in place of dryer sheets.

UCLA also asks students to separate tape from cardboard before recycling and to bundle thin or filmy plastics into a single bag before disposal, and to save flattened moving boxes for use during move-out at the end of the academic year.

UCLA Move-Out Day and End-of-Year Dates

UCLA move-out dates for the 2026–2027 academic year differ by housing type, mirroring the split seen at move-in. On-campus housing contracts end Friday, June 11, 2027.

University Apartments contracts end Friday, June 18, 2027, one week later. Students should plan travel and shipping logistics for move-out around their specific housing type’s end date rather than assuming a single universal move-out date across campus.

Frequently Asked Questions About UCLA Move-In Day 2026

Related UCLA Fall 2026 Dates

UCLA Move-In Day 2026 connects directly to several adjacent academic dates: the UCLA Academic Calendar 2026–2027, UCLA Orientation Dates 2026 (True Bruin Welcome), the UCLA Fall 2026 Class Schedule, and the UCLA Meal Plan Guide.

Fall quarter begins Monday, September 21, 2026, and first-day-of-instruction falls on Thursday, September 24, 2026 — both dates immediately following the close of the on-campus move-in window.

Want me to build out any of the linked cluster pages next — the dorm packing list, the housing application timeline, or the meal plan guide?