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Penn State UniversityMove-In Guide

University Park, Pennsylvania

🏫 Public UniversityEst. 1855🔗 www.psu.edu

Penn State's sprawling University Park campus centers on Old Main, the university's administrative heart since 1863, with first-year students housed primarily across East Halls and Pollock Halls, including Mifflin, Pennypacker, and Stone Halls.

Enrollment

47,000

Total Students

Freshman Class

11,750

Approx.

Move-In Dates

Aug 20-22, 2026

Fall 2026 (completed)

Acceptance Rate

55%

Most recent cycle

Move-In

Fall 2026 Move-In Details

Schedule your move-in date and time through eLiving once your fall room assignment posts - no pre-approval is required, and availability depends on your assigned building specifically. Review special arrival instructions before arriving if assigned to White Course Apartments or Pollock Halls. Fall Welcome Week activities begin the afternoon after the official Arrival Days conclude.

Check your assignment in the housing portal for your specific date and time.

Move-in day logistics

Arrival window
You have 30 minutes to unload once you enter your designated Unloading Zone - only one vehicle per student is permitted to unload. First-year students should plan to arrive before 2 p.m. on the final Official Arrival Day (Saturday).
Check-in location
Mifflin Hall residents check in at the Pollock Commons Desk; Pennypacker and Stone Hall residents check in at the Findlay Commons Desk (East Halls).
Parking
After unloading, move your vehicle to long-term parking at the Jordan East Parking Lot by the Bryce Jordan Center - passengers can walk or take the shuttle back to their housing area.
What you'll receive
Complete self-check-in through eLiving up to 2 hours before your scheduled time to activate access to your building, room, and dining plan. Visit the Cart Tent to sign out a moving cart.
Vehicle restrictions
Large vehicles, U-Hauls, trailers, and RVs are not permitted in residence hall Unloading Zones for safety reasons - they must remain in the Jordan East Parking Lot instead.

Move-in day tips

  • Arrive during your assigned move-in window - arriving early may mean waiting until your time slot.
  • Bring a rolling cart or hand truck - campus carts can run out quickly during busy move-in periods.
  • Have a parking backup plan - spaces near residence halls can fill up quickly, so know where you can unload if your preferred area is full.
  • Watch the loading-zone time limit - many campuses require you to move your vehicle to longer-term parking after unloading.

Housing & Dorms

First-year halls (26)

Reserved for first-year students

  • Beaver Hall

    Traditional · Coed

    First-year only

  • Bigler Hall

    First-year only

  • Brumbaugh Hall

    First-year only

  • Curtin Hall

    First-year only
Show 22 more

  • Earle Hall

    First-year only

  • Geary Hall

    First-year only

  • Hartranft Hall

    Traditional · Coed

    First-year only

  • Hastings Hall

    First-year only

  • Hiester Hall

    Traditional · Coed

    First-year only

  • Martin Hall

    First-year only

  • McKean Hall

    First-year only

  • Mifflin Hall

    Traditional · Coed

    First-year only

  • Packer Hall

    First-year only

  • Pennypacker Hall

    Traditional · Coed

    First-year only

  • Pinchot Hall

    First-year only

  • Porter Hall

    Traditional · Coed

    First-year only

  • Ritner Hall

    First-year only

  • Robinson Hall

    First-year only

  • Shulze Hall

    Traditional · Coed

    First-year only

  • Shunk Hall

    Traditional · Coed

    First-year only

  • Snyder Hall

    First-year only

  • Sproul Hall

    First-year only

  • Stone Hall

    Traditional · Coed

    First-year only

  • Stuart Hall

    First-year only

  • Tener Hall

    First-year only

  • Wolf Hall

    First-year only

Residence halls (30)

Open to undergraduates (first-year students may be able to live here)

  • Atherton Hall

    Traditional · Coed

  • Beam Hall

    Traditional · Coed

  • Brill Hall

  • Chace Hall

Show 26 more

  • Cooper Hall

  • Cross Hall

  • Curry Hall

  • Ewing Hall

  • Haller Hall

  • Hamilton Hall

    Traditional · Coed

  • Harris Hall

  • Hibbs Hall

  • Holmes Hall

    Suite-style · Coed

  • Hoyt Hall

  • Irvin Hall

    Traditional · Coed

  • Jordan Hall

    Traditional · Coed

  • Leete Hall

    Suite-style · Coed

  • Lyons Hall

  • McElwain Hall

    Traditional · Coed

  • McKee Hall

    Traditional · Coed

  • Miller Hall

  • Nelson Hall

  • Nittany Hall

    Suite-style · Coed

  • Panofsky Hall

  • Runkle Hall

    Suite-style · Coed

  • Simmons Hall

    Traditional · Coed

  • Stephens Hall

  • Thompson Hall

    Traditional · Coed

  • Watts Hall

    Traditional · Coed

  • Young Hall

Apartments (5)

Apartment-style housing, usually for upperclass students

  • Dunham Hall

    Apartment-style · Coed

  • Garban Hall

    Apartment-style · Coed

  • Grubb Hall

    Apartment-style · Coed

  • Nittany Apartment Garden

    Apartment-style · Coed

  • Nittany Apartment Townhouse

    Apartment-style · Coed

Housing Links

Who can live where

First-year only:
Reserved for incoming first-year students.
Residence halls:
Not marked first-year only, so they may also house returning students. Assignment follows the school's housing process.
Apartments:
Apartment-style housing, often for sophomores and up. Confirm eligibility with the housing office.

Eligibility rules vary and can change. Check with the housing office.

Orientation

New Student Orientation (NSO, required, overnight)

All new students are required to attend one orientation session.

June 8 - August 21, 2026

Orientation tips

  • Register as early as your class allows - popular session dates fill up first.
  • Bring a parent/guardian if separate family programming is offered.
  • Check whether placement testing or advising sign-ups happen the same day.

Costs

Room & Board

$14,275

Estimated / Year

Figures shown are estimates for room and board only, and can vary by hall and meal plan. Check with Penn State University's financial aid office for a cost breakdown specific to your situation.

Nearby Essentials

  • CVS Pharmacy0.2 miles
  • Target0.3 miles
  • Walmart2 miles
  • Wegmans2.6 miles

Need Dorm Essentials Delivered?

More Links

Checklists

Get the Ultimate College Move-In Checklist

A free, printable packing checklist covering everything from bedding to important documents - built for any freshman, including yours at Penn State University.

Get the checklist

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Dates last checked September 2026.