Move-Out

The purpose of this page is to give you — whether a student, parent, or administrator — a better understanding of what you need to do as we close the residential communities at the end of Fall and Spring semesters!

Schedule your move out

Be familiar with the move out dates each semester, and look for important deadlines.  

  • Residents are expected to move out within 24 hours of their last final each semester OR by the published closing date, whichever date is sooner. 
  • Sign up for a move out appointment on the (for Spring semester)

Attend your floor closing meeting

Closing meetings with residence life staff are held each semester in November and in April.

  • Closing check list and instructions are distributed at the meeting

On your Move out day

  • For Fall semester, as you leave for Winter Break make sure you have all personal items needed during break, and prepare your room for Break by taking out trash, etc. Keep your room key. 
  • For Spring semester move out, all belongings must be out of your room and all trash removed from the building. Remember to return your key.  (Lost or missing keys will result in a lock change and you will be charged.) Keep your SMU ID.
  • Use the Express Check out on the SMU Housing Portal. This turns off your card access, so be sure you are completely moved out before using this function.

Residential communities will close for Winter Break on Thursday, December 19, 2024 at 10 AM and re-open on Thursday, January 16 at 9 AM.

  • Residents in Residential Commons, Service House, Smith-Perkins and 3050 SMU Blvd are expected to leave 24 hours after their last final or by Thursday, December 19 at 10 AM, whichever comes first.
  • Residents of Martin, Moore and Thomas House may live in their apartment over Break, provided the resident register their stay with RLSH using the SMU Housing Portal. Deadline to request is Friday, December 6, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
  • Closing meetings will be held in November.
  • Instructions on preparing the room for break (i.e., taking out trash and unplugging appliances) will be distributed to residents in mid-November, and will be available here.
  • When leaving campus, residents will check out on the SMU Housing portal.

Request for Winter Break Housing

Residents with extenuating circumstances which necessitate being on-campus after closing may submit a request for Winter Break housing on the SMU Housing Portal. Deadline to request is Friday, December 6 at 11:59 PM. Winter Break housing is only available for residents with a continuing assignment for Spring. Requests will be reviewed, and residents will be notified within 2 business days of the request. If the request is approved, the resident may reside in their room during Winter Break (December 19, 2024 through January 16, 2025).

Leaving SMU

  • Residents who are graduating in December are approved for extension to move out on Sunday, December 22, 2024 by 10 AM. Confirmation of extension will be sent to the resident by RLSH in late November.

For residents who are not returning to SMU after Fall 2024 semester:

  • Notify RLSH that you are not returning for Spring semester.
  • Follow cleaning instructions to prepare the space for a new resident.
  • After moving out all belongings and cleaning the space, check out of the room on the SMU Housing Portal.
  • Residents who were issued a metal room key must return the key to a member of the residence life team (RA or RCD) when leaving to avoid a $225 charge for lock change. (Keys cannot be mailed back.)

Returning in January 2025

  • Residents enrolled in Jan Term may request Jan Term housing (January 5-15, 2025) on the SMU Housing Portal. Deadline to request Jan Term is Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at 5 PM. Residents must be enrolled in Jan Term to be approved. Jan Term housing is available for continuing residents only.
  • Resident return for Spring semester is January 16, 2025 at 9 AM. (Early arrival is not available for Spring semester.)

 






Residential communities will close for Spring semester on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM. Residents must check out of the residential community within 24 hours after their last final or by the published closing date, whichever comes first. 

Closing meetings will be held in April and information about closing will be distributed. Information will also available here.  

Dates

Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM  Residential communities close for non-graduating students

Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 1:00 PM  Residential communities close for graduating students, and approved commencement participants

Late Stay Requests

Residents may request an extension for the following reasons:

  • Academic reasons such as delayed final exam
  • Attending a sibling’s graduation at SMU
  • International flight

Extension requests will be available on the SMU Housing portal in late Spring. Deadline to request is May 1.  Proof of academic reason, sibling's graduation or international flight is required. No other reason for extension will be approved. If extension is granted, student must check out by Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 1 PM (Senior Closing). There is a nightly charge for extensions.

Residents living on-campus and attending summer school who need housing for the interim period between Spring and summer may use the May Term housing request on the SMU Housing Portal. Deadline to request is May 1. (Portal request will be available late March annually.) 

Residents who are members of an SMU Athletic team participating in conference, regional or national championships will receive information regarding their extension. 



Avoid a charge by:

  1. Signing up for a move out date on the  
  2. Removing all belongings and trash from the room.
  3. Vacuuming the floor, wiping down furniture.
  4. Returning your room key.
  5. Keeping your SMU ID.

Common reasons why students are charged at closing

  • Failure to check out properly:  $100
  • Delayed checkout (after 1 PM closing day):  $100
  • Failure to return room key:  $225
  • Trash not placed in dumpster:  $25 per bag
  • Personal property left in room:  $25 per item/$50 minimum large items
  • Cleaning charges due to excessive dirt:  Varies, minimum of $50