Arriving on Campus

Opening Day information for the Class of 2029 is not yet available but will be posted at: https://www.dartmouth.edu/orientation/ once available.

One of the most important parts of planning to arrive at Dartmouth is timing. The College has official opening and closing dates each term, and students are expected to use these dates when making travel arrangements.

It is critically important that students not arrive before their scheduled date and time, as rooms will not be ready for occupancy or drop off of belongings; therefore, please schedule arrivals to coincide with the College's opening date(s) and time(s). 

Students wishing to arrive in Hanover before their scheduled opening date(s) to take in the wonderful New Hampshire environment will need to arrange for off-campus accommodations.

Check-in information (dates, times and location) is always included with the student's room assignment notice, emailed to students several weeks before the beginning of the term.

Before rushing out to purchase items to bring to campus, remember that most students will be sharing a room with up to three other students.

Contact Your Roommates

Before the move-in date, new students will receive a room assignment notice which will include the name(s) and contact information of those with whom they will be living. Students should use this information to contact each other to begin creating a relationship, as well as to coordinate what items to bring. This will lessen the number of multiple items such as televisions and additional furniture that may potentially clutter the room.

Included in Your Room

All student rooms contain an extra-long twin bed (36" by 80" by 6" mattress) that is adjustable up to 32" high, wooden desk, desk chair, dresser and bookcase for each student, and a closet or wardrobe. Other features in each room include local and domestic long distance (US and Canada, including Alaska and Hawaii) telephone service, hard-wired Ethernet connections and WiFi, and cable television with access to approximately 60 channels which can be viewed on your computer.

Included in Common Spaces

General community amenities include a common kitchen as well as study and lounge spaces. Each community has an ice machine and a microwave, both of which are usually found in the kitchen. The spaces also have at least one lounge that contains a television and DVD/VCR player. Some also have a piano for students to play. Additional services and items in individual residential buildings include vending machines containing snacks and beverages, coin/card swipe laundry services, campus phones, and recycling areas. The common spaces and amenities are for all community residents to use. They can be used for private studying or get-togethers, as well as for community programs sponsored by the student staff or other College organizations.

Pack Light

Remember that student room space is most likely shared and somewhat limited. Experience suggests it is best when students bring only those items that are most essential. Once students have moved in, it is likely that there will be important items missing that were not brought from home or purchased in advance. Such items can be shipped to students at a later date or picked up locally. One of the unique things about housing at Dartmouth is that each room has its own particular configuration. As a result, waiting to purchase or receive some items after arrival is a wise decision. At that time students can be more confident that everything will fit, by measuring and creating a space for any additional items desired by all roommates.

Packing List

These items may be brought to campus for comfort and personal use. This list is not exhaustive.

• Bedding – Mattresses are 36" x 80" x 6" and require extra long twin sheets.
• Personal linens (towels, etc) and something to carry personal items back and forth to bathrooms.
• Laundry bag/basket.
• Surge protector/Power-strip – no two-wire extension cords.
• Alarm clock.
• Iron with auto-shutoff feature, coffee pot (UL listed for commercial use only).
• Pictures, posters. (May be hung with map tacks, thumbtacks, or 3M Command fasteners, which are available at our computer store. Double-sided tape and adhesive gum are not allowed.)
• Lamps – low wattage, LED, or compact fluorescent bulbs preferred. (Torchier style halogen floor lamps or any halogen lamps of 100 watts or more are prohibited.)
• Telephone (not 2.4 GHz). Local and domestic long distance service (including Alaska, Canada and Hawaii) is provided. Information regarding telephone service can be found at: http://tech.dartmouth.edu/its/services-support/help-yourself/knowledge-base/telephone-service-overview.
• Refrigerator – no larger than 3 cubic feet, Energy Star preferred.
• Bicycle and bicycle lock - For more bicycle information go to Dartmouth Bikes FAQ.
• Small storage units/milk crates for storage. Including sealable units for food storage.

We recommend that students not bring any additional room furniture from home. All student rooms come equipped with furniture that must remain in the rooms. For inventory purposes, the Office of Residential Life does not allow furniture to be removed.

The following items are prohibited from the residence halls due to fire codes, state law and College policy. If these items are found in student rooms, possible sanctions include housing and/or life safety fines and disciplinary action. This list is not exhaustive.

• 2.4GHz cordless telephones as they interfere with the College's wireless network. 900MHz and 5.8 GHz telephones are permitted in rooms where a VoIP phone is not already provided.
• Pets of all kinds, except fish in a properly maintained tank of 10 gallons or less.
• Microwave ovens, toasters, toaster ovens, rice cookers, hot pots or any other appliance with a heating element.
• Cinder blocks.
• Electric, propane gas, or charcoal grill and fuel.
• Candles and incense. For fire safety reasons, the Office of Residential Life does not allow any type of open flame.
• Air conditioners.
• Electric heaters.
• Weapons. If brought to campus, firearms must be stored at the Department of Safety and Security.
• Torchier-style halogen floor lamps or halogen lamps of 100 watts or more.
• Any type of loft.
• Flammable liquids or gases.

Please also review the Housing Policies. Students who have questions about any of the items listed above, or an item that does not appear on either list, should contact Residential Operations at 603-646-1203.