Move-In
We’re excited to welcome you to Drake University! You’ll meet a lot of people on Move-In Day who are eager to help you feel at home. Drake's students, faculty, and staff will be all around to help you unload your car, carry your items to your room, check you into your hall, and help with any questions or assistance you need. Our goal is to make the move-in process as simple as possible so you can take in the excitement of coming to college.
Move-In Process
Here is a step-by-step guide to Move-In Day. Students must have their assigned move-in time slot, present a government-issued photo ID, and paid housing deposit. And most importantly, take a deep breath and know there’s a full community to help you through each step.
- Step 1: Label all moving boxes and items with your student's full name and the name of their residence hall before you arrive on campus. Any items mailed ahead of move-in must arrive no earlier than two days prior to your student's Move-In Day. Anything received before this date will be returned to the sender.
- Step 2: Travel to campus.
- Step 3: Once you arrive, you will be given an unloading pass.
- Step 4: We recommend one parent/guardian stay with the vehicle to begin unloading. You are given 20 minutes to unload the vehicle from the drop-off lane. After this, you are welcome to stay on campus; we just ask that unloaded vehicles move to other parking areas on campus to allow others to unload their vehicles efficiently. We will have students, faculty, and staff on hand to help you and your family unload your vehicle and bring your items to the correct room.
- Step 5: While others are beginning to unload the vehicle, the student should go to their residence hall (look for feather banners to tell you where to go or ask a volunteer) to get their room key. Students will be asked to present their photo ID to get their key.
- Step 6: Move your vehicle to a longer-term parking area. Students who purchased a parking pass should park their vehicle in that location.
- Step 7: Unpack and decorate your space. Please note that all University-supplied furniture must remain in the room where you arrived.
Key Dates
What Can I Bring?
Moving to campus is exciting—and knowing what to pack makes it even easier. Discover what’s already provided in your residence hall and room, along with a guide to the essentials most students bring. You’ll also find helpful tips on what to skip so your move-in goes smoothly. We recommend students contact their roommates ahead of Move-In Day to coordinate and avoid bringing duplicate items.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What types of rooms are available?
A: Most first-year students live in double-occupancy rooms (two students per room), with a small number of triple-occupancy rooms and single-occupancy rooms also available. Upper-class students are typically placed in double-occupancy or quad-occupancy rooms, with some triple-occupancy options.
Q: Is there a housing requirement for first-year students?
A: Full-time students must live in a Drake residence hall during any period of University enrollment within two years following high school graduation. Exceptions include individuals who are married or live within a 45-mile radius of Drake University with their parent(s)/court-appointed legal guardian and have completed the Commuter Application and received written approval from the Office of Residence Life to live off campus as a commuter student. Completion of the Commuter Application alone does not automatically guarantee approval. Access your housing/commuter application by logging into the housing portal (Starrez).
Q: Where will I live as a first-year or transfer student?
A: First-time students and transfer students with fewer than 30 credits (and enrolled in a First-Year Seminar) are placed in our first-year residence halls: Stalnaker Hall, Crawford Hall, Carpenter Hall, and Herriott Hall. Other transfer students are placed in upper-class housing: Herriott Hall and Goodwin-Kirk Hall.
Q: How are housing assignments made?
A: New first-year and transfer students are assigned to available spaces based on when your housing and dining contract and your $250 housing deposit are submitted. Submitting early gives you the best chance at available options. In most cases, first-year students will be assigned a roommate based on their First Year Seminar (FYS) course to help foster community early on. We will use your questionnaire results from your Housing and Dining questionnaire to best match you with a roommate who noted similar personality, cleanliness, and daily habits as you.
Q: Are the Drake residence halls single-gender or co-ed?
A: All of Drake University's residence halls are co-ed. In certain cases, individual floors may be single-gender. All room assignments will place students with a roommate of the same gender. For our trans and non-binary students, please reach out to our Office of Residence Life so that we may place you in a room that you feel comfortable in, regardless of the identifying gender of prospective roommates. All floors in our residence halls use communal bathrooms separated by gender, and each hall has gender-neutral bathrooms.
Q: When will I receive my housing assignment?
A: Housing assignments are posted in mid-July after contracts and deposits are submitted by the priority deadline. Students can log into the housing portal (Starrez) to view their assignment once it is released.
Q: How are roommates assigned?
A: Roommates are matched based on the preferences you share in your housing application, including habits like sleep schedules, study preferences, and cleanliness.
Q: Will I have a roommate?
A: In most cases, yes—most students will live with one roommate in a double room, or two roommates in a triple room. Drake has a small number of single-occupancy rooms that we reserve for students needing accommodations.
Q: Will I be paired with another first-year student?
A: Most first-year students are paired with another first-year student, though this is not guaranteed.
Q: How do I request a roommate?
A: Roommate requests must be made by June 15. To request a specific roommate, look for the "Roommate Selection" section in your Housing and Dining application to begin the process. All roommate requests must be agreed to and confirmed by each student by June 15 for you to be assigned together. Roommate requests submitted after this date are not guaranteed.
Q: I am trans or non-binary. How will my roommate be determined?
A: For our trans and non-binary students, please reach out to our Office of Residence Life so that we may place you in a room that you feel most comfortable in, regardless of the identifying gender of prospective roommates.
Q: What if I want to make a room change?
A: The Area Coordinator or Assistant Residence Hall Coordinator must approve all room changes, and the room change forms must be completed before a student may move into a new room. Should an unauthorized room change occur, the student will be charged an improper room change fee of $100.00 to their student account, which may impact course registration for the following semester.
Q: Can I have a pet in the residence halls?
A: All pets, except fish in tanks no larger than 10 gallons, are prohibited from the residence halls, with the exception of approved service or support animals. Animals "just visiting" are also not permitted in the residence halls.
Please note: if you intend to bring a pet fish, it cannot be left in your room during Winter and Spring Break.
Q: Can I bring a musical instrument?
A: Some items, including musical instruments, may be allowed depending on residence hall guidelines. Check policies to understand any restrictions.
Q: Can I burn candles or incense in my room?
A: Burning of candles, incense and similar materials is a fire hazard and is prohibited in residence hall rooms and on exterior window sills. The aroma of incense and scented candles may affect another student's health.
Q: Is smoking allowed?
A: Drake University's campus is a smoke-free environment as per an Iowa Law enacted July of 2008. Hookah pipes are not allowed in the residence halls, even only to be stored. If a resident is found smoking in their residence hall room, they will be charged a cleaning fee of $250 at the time of the incident.
Q: Can guests stay overnight?
A: Guest policies vary and depend on residence hall expectations and roommate agreements. It’s important to communicate with your roommate and follow residence life guidelines.
Q: What rules do I need to follow in the residence halls?
A: All students are expected to follow residence hall policies designed to create a safe, respectful, and supportive living environment for everyone.
Q: Are there any storage options available on campus?
A: There is no storage available on campus. Any residents needing storage will need to seek a location off campus. Information for facilities can be obtained at the hall front desk.