Three students carrying boxes of belongings, excited to be moving in

Early Arrival Students

Students are expected to make arrangements for move-in based on their assigned move-in dates. Move-in dates are visible on the five-year calendar. Only students who are approved through the Department of Residence may return prior to official opening dates. All requests for early arrivals are subject to the availability of the space where the student is assigned to live. Applying for early arrival doesn’t guarantee approval.

For the 2024-25 academic year:

Students can arrive as early as Monday, August 12th.
Charges are as follows: $25 per day or $140 per week (billing options start on Sunday – 8/11 or 8/18). Early arrival charges will be applied to your account after you’ve been approved
Students can cancel up to one week prior to their arrival date by emailing reslife@grinnell.edu, but there is a $50 cancellation fee. Refunds will not be granted due to travel delays, etc.

To apply for early arrival:

Log into the housing portal and navigate to ‘Housing Request Forms’.
Using the drop-down menu, select ‘Early Arrival Application’.
Complete the application and submit it by August 1st. Failure to do so by the deadline will result in a $100 administrative fee added to your account.
You will receive a confirmation email after you submit your application. The Department of Residence Life will then review your request, and you will receive an email if your request is ‘APPROVED’ or ‘DENIED’. If the Department of Residence Life needs additional information, they will reach out to you via email. You are not approved to arrive early unless you’ve received the confirmation email from Residence Life.

The criteria for approval of an early arrival is whether a student’s work or presence is essential for orientation or opening. Students will not be allowed to move in or receive a room key unless they are approved. Students that are pre-approved to arrive early by program sponsors include: student-athletes, New Student Orientation, and Early arrival programs (Grinnell Science Project, International Pre-Orientation Program, and Peer Connections Pre-Orientation Program).

The Housing and Residence Life office will coordinate arrival details with campus departments, supervisors, and coaches; students will receive specific check-in information from the respective department, supervisor, or coach. The department, team, or supervisor is required to provide an interim meal plan from the date the student arrives until the student’s fall meal plan begins.

Summer Housing

Students who are living in campus-owned housing for the summer will be transitioned to their fall room assignment during the weekend of Aug. 2-5. Students that are not living in on-campus housing will move in on their move-in dates designated on the 5-year calendar.

Requesting An Exception

Students sitting together on the ground outside of a dorm room

We understand there can be extenuating circumstances that require early arrival. A student shall provide a detailed written request to the Housing and Residence Life office no later than 5 business days before the requested move-in date. Students that are approved will be charged $25 per day, or $140 per week (2024-25 academic year rates) as well as an additional $100 late fee.

Requests to arrive prior to the fall move-in date will not be approved for the following reasons:

Roommate already on campus

Students who are hoping to move in because their roommate(s) have already been approved will not be granted permission for early arrival. Unauthorized early arrivals will be billed a $100 per day early arrival fee, may be asked to leave, and face disciplinary action.

Just want to be back

If there is no legitimate reason for a student to be back on campus early, the request will not be approved. Unauthorized early arrivals will be billed a $100 per day early arrival fee, may be asked to leave, and face disciplinary action.

Move-In Crew

Students who are approved to return early (prior to new student move-in on Aug. 23) and who are not sponsored to return early will be part of Housing and Residence Life’s move-in crew. The move-in crew is a group of about 60 returning students who have agreed to assist first-year students with moving in on Aug. 23. Move-in crew students will be stationed at various residence halls on campus awaiting students’ arrival. The move-in crew students arrive two days before first-year students move in and need to be prepared to meet the following criteria:

Arrive on Aug. 21
Attend a mandatory move-in crew meeting (lunch provided)
Work at least four hours
Sign in and out before and after shift

Members of the move-in crew will receive a t-shirt that they are expected to wear during their shift. If you are interested in this great opportunity to meet our incoming first-year students and their families, please apply to be part of the move-in crew.

Dropping Items Off

Grinnell will consider requests to move possessions into a room without the student staying in the room if there are extenuating circumstances. Students must make requests for “drop-and-gos” by calling or emailing the Housing and Residence Life office two weeks prior to arrival. Students will be assessed a $100 drop-and-go fee and will be given access to their rooms during regular work hours only (8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday). The drop-and-go period begins the Monday that precedes the official College first-year student move-in date.

Accountability

Students who are approved to be on campus are expected to uphold Grinnell College policies and regulations. Any student found to be residing on campus who has not received approval will be asked to leave campus and could face disciplinary actions. Any student found to have provided access to a student who is not approved for early arrival may also face disciplinary action.