One of the most important aspects of your first year at WashU will be your living experience.
Our residence halls will provide many opportunities for you to live comfortably, study and build friendships that will last throughout your college career and lifetime. You will be encouraged and supported in your intellectual development by forming relationships with students, faculty and staff.
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Residential living as a new student
First-year students live in one of the 10 residential communities in a section of campus known as the South 40, located at the southwest end of the Danforth Campus. Each residence hall has a Residential Community Director (RCD), a full-time staff member who lives in residence and facilitates community engagement within the halls, assists in day-to-day operations, and manages the team of resident advisors (RAs). RAs are trained upper-division students who live in residence and serve as leaders and peer mentors. In addition, WashU faculty members also work closely with first-year student communities, providing significant faculty-student interaction outside the classroom. Each residential community has its own dedicated custodial and maintenance personnel. Residence halls throughout campus feature lounges and dedicated spaces for study, personal computing and collaboration.
All rooms include the following for each resident
- Bed and mattress (extra-long twin, 36” x 80”)
- Desk and chair
- Dresser and closet space
- Central air conditioning
- Small trash and recycling bin
- Blinds
- Carpeting
Map of the South 40
shipping items to campus
USPS, UPS, FedEx, and other parcel services deliver to your WashU campus address.
uTrucking
UTrucking has been serving WashU students since 1977, providing a convenient and hassle-free move-in experience for hundreds of incoming students each year.
Move-in & Fall Welcome
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Move-in is Friday, August 16 and Saturday, August 17. You will select your move-in date and time after you receive your housing assignment in July. Bear Beginnings: Fall Welcome is the official welcome to the university for you and Parent & Family Orientation is the welcome for your family.
You and your family will receive the Residential Life Move-In Guide, which will provide detailed instructions and information about the logistics of move-in day. During Fall Welcome, you will engage with faculty, staff, and students connected to your residential community; learn about the experiences you will have in your academic division; participate in social programs to help you start making friends; explore St. Louis; and prepare for the first week of classes. Parent & Family Orientation will include an opportunity for your family to hear from Chancellor Andrew D. Martin and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Anna Gonzalez, as well as the dean of your academic division. Sessions will be live streamed and recorded for families who are unable to join us on campus. A detailed schedule is available at families.wustl.edu [tk: where will this be posted specifically]?
International students
If you are a new international student on a visa, you are expected to participate in an international orientation program designed to help you transition to the United States and WashU. The program covers issues unique to international students and provides additional time for you to acclimate to the campus and St. Louis communities.
The Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) provides advice, support, and referrals on immigration, legal topics, academics, work authorization, and the visa application process. OISS offers individual advising sessions and informational workshops throughout the academic year for our international student and scholar population.
The Office for International Student Engagement (OISE) provides advice, support, and referrals on academics, U.S. culture, and housing. Programs such as orientation, the first-year program, graduation, and many others are run by the OISE.
Technology on campus
Student Technology Services (STS)
STS supports WashU residential students in addressing their technology needs. Services include hardware and software troubleshooting, support for theon-campus network (both Wi-Fi and Ethernet), printing/3D printing, and residential computer labs, among others. Student Technology Coordinators(STCs) serve within the residential communities as the first point of contact for tech-related questions. sts.wustl.edu
Laptop Requirements
WashU has general minimum requirements for laptops that should meet the needs of most incoming students. Some WashU schools recommend a higher level of computing power than the minimum because of specific software programs required by that school. techden.wustl.edu/selecting-a-laptop
Printing on Campus
Students can print from their personal laptops to locations across campus, including in each residential community and many academic buildings. Free 3D print services are also available at STS.
Transportation Options
While first-year students are not eligible to have cars on campus, there are many options to help you get around campus and St. Louis.
banking
While it may be easier to maintain a relationship with the bank you use at home, many students find that it works in their favor to have an account with a local bank. We encourage you to shop for the bank that most closely meets your needs
Before You Arrive Checklist
Check out the steps to complete the summer before you arrive to be prepared to live at WashU.