Carnegie Mellon University

Move-Out

We hope you had a great year! All residential buildings close Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at noon. The information you need to move out of your on-campus housing can be found on this page, but please feel free to email Housing Services with any questions.

Moving Out at a Glance

  • Confirm a check-out date and time with your RA.
  • Prepare your room for check-out.
  • If you're a Greek resident, move-out information specific to you is below.

The Whatever Drive

Taking place during Move-Out, the Whatever Drive is CMU's annual effort to divert unwanted, but still good, items from landfills, and instead donate them to campus initiatives and local community partners.

Learn more about the Whatever Drive, including drop off locations and times.

Extension Requests

If there are extenuating circumstances that impact your departure date, you must complete an extension request. Extensions are not guaranteed. The extension form will be available April 1 through May 6 at 9am, and late requests will not be accepted.  

GRADUATING SENIORS WILL NOT RECEIVE AN AUTOMATIC EXTENSION!

All Seniors with a final graduation term of Spring 2024, who need to stay through May 13th at noon in order to participate in commencement, must submit an Extension Request Form in the Housing Portal.  

Students transitioning into on-campus summer housing assignments will stay in their current rooms until notified by Housing Services about when they can move into their summer assignment.

To Apply for an Extension:

The Extension request form will be available April 1 through May 6 at 9am. Log in to the Housing Portal.

Prepare Your Room for Check-Out

Before leaving, all furniture must be arranged back into move-in condition and rooms must be completely clean and free of all personal belongings and trash. All drawers should be empty and wiped clean with a damp towel. Items left in rooms will be discarded.

Residents of campus housing are responsible for all damages incurred to their room and/or public spaces. This includes damage to furniture in the rooms or public spaces. 

Self Check-Out Form

All residents must complete the Self Check-Out Form in the Housing Portal to confirm you’ve completed ALL of the check-out requirements.

*Available Starting April 26, 2024*

Complete My Self-Check Out Form

 

Greek Resident Move-Out Information

Right of Inspection

The Greek organization agrees to permit Carnegie Mellon University or its designees to regularly enter the facility, including private rooms, during normal working hours for the purposes of inspection and maintenance as well as to enter the facility at any hour for the purpose of making emergency repairs.

Extermination

In accordance with the Greek lease, all Greek buildings will be treated for pests during the summer period. This service focuses on the kitchen and basement areas.

Additional service and individual private spaces will be treated as necessary and can be scheduled through an online Maintenance Request.

In order to prepare an area for treatment please move everything at least three feet away from walls, throw out all garbage, put away all food, remove all supplies from kitchen stock room, turn off gas, cover all fryers and clean all surfaces. Any unprepared areas will not be treated.

The Greek Facility Coordinator will communicate with the designated Summer House Manager for scheduling summer pest control.

Kitchens

For kitchens to remain open in the facilities that have commercial kitchens, each house must gain approval through the Office of Residential Education and Housing Services. Those houses operating a kitchen will be required to follow a set of expectations that includes the items below. No kitchen will remain open without the proper approvals. 

For those facilities that have commercial kitchens, each house must maintain a certified cook that will perform all of the cooking in the facility. Individuals other than the cook are not permitted to cook in the commercial kitchen.

  • Failure to comply will result in the loss of a permit and subsequent closing of the kitchen by the Allegheny County Health Department and/or Housing Services.
  • Proof of Cook Certification (if not the current cook with certification on file) is due to Housing Services before any cooking occurs.
  • Kitchens must be clean and sanitary at all times.
  • The elected representative of the house must maintain the kitchen, pantry and dining areas in such a manner as to be in compliance with current standards set forth by Article III of the Allegheny County Health Department — Food Protection Division.
  • A kitchen permit must be purchased by the Greek organization from the county and renewed every September.
  • If a certified cook cannot be obtained, then the kitchen will be closed for the summer (gas will be shut off to kitchen and the kitchen will be locked). Entry into a closed kitchen will be considered a community standards violation by the Office of Residential Education.

Move-Out Additional Information

Storage is not available for bikes during the summer months. Do not leave bikes in buildings. Bikes left on racks around campus may be collected as abandoned.

If you no longer need your bicycle, please consider donating it during the Whatever Drive!

Remember to register your bike to make recovery easier in case of loss or theft or to contact you in the case of parking issues.

The Whatever Drive is CMU's annual effort to divert unwanted, but still good, items from landfills, and instead donate them to campus initiatives and local community partners.

The Office of Student Leadership, Involvement, and Civic Engagement (SLICE), Green Practices and Carnegie Mellon Police, along with Housing Services and the Office of Residential Education, coordinate the annual Whatever Drive.

Students moving out of their housing for the year are encouraged to donate still-good items that are no longer wanted. Items are sorted and distributed to campus organizations and local partners for reuse.

If you are interested in learning more or helping with the Whatever Drive, contact SLICE or visit the Whatever Drive website.

Students are responsible for removing garbage from their living spaces. Garbage should not be swept into hallways, but rather placed in hall containers. Students will be charged via common area damage assessments for any trash placed in common areas during closing.

Students are responsible for removing large trash items (non-university furniture, carpets, wood, cinder blocks, etc.) to an appropriate dumpster site. DO NOT place these items in a trash compactor. During move out, additional dumpsters will be available.

Moving carts will be available at the Residence on Fifth service desk. Residents will need to show their CMU ID to check out a cart. You will be responsible for the cart while it is assigned to you. Since supply is limited, carts must be returned within two hours.

 

You must empty, defrost and prop open the rental unit and leave it secured in your living space. Units should be left in the same condition as when received. Do not simply turn off and unplug the unit leaving it to thaw and drip on the floor. Students will be billed for any damage caused to flooring due to water leaking.

Please limit the time you are parked around all buildings to only the time needed to pack your vehicle. Campus Police, Parking Services and City of Pittsburgh Parking Authority will continue to enforce all traffic regulations and ticketing as normal. In order to avoid violating any parking or traffic regulations, we highly suggest that you fully pack up your room, then load your vehicle.

Full service storage

Looking for an easy way to store your stuff over the summer? Meet Dorm Room Movers. They will send you boxes and tape to pack. Their professional and insured movers will pick up your items, store them for the summer and deliver back when you return. They can also help you ship boxes to and from campus. Visit the Dorm Room Movers website to register for services.
 
Full service summer storage includes:

  • Boxes and tape to pack shipped directly to you
  • Pick-up and delivery by professional movers
  • $100 insurance per box or unboxed item
  • Climate-protected storage and 24/7 security

Local Self-Storage

There are many self-storage companies in the area and they offer a variety of services. Here are just a few of the closest options. Please note that none of the companies listed below are endorsed or vetted by the university, but are listed as a service to students and families looking for local resources.

  • Compass Self-Storage - Offers climate-controlled storage in small and medium lockers and has moving trucks available for rent.
  • Guardian Storage - Self-storage units and lockers available in Bloomfield and Shadyside
  • STORExpress - Self-storage units and lockers with some climate controlled options and free moving truck rental.

Returning students: If you are leaving campus for the summer, studying abroad, taking a leave of absence, or leaving campus for an extended period of time for any reason but plan on returning, please visit Carnegie Mellon Postal Services for its mail forwarding policies and services.

Residents Moving Off-Campus: Your mailbox will be released once you are no longer a campus housing residents.

Graduating students: Your mailbox will be released once you have graduated. You must submit a mail forwarding form online or your mail will be returned to sender.

Carnegie Mellon Postal Services, located on the lower level of the Jared L. Cohon University Center, provides a full range of USPS postal services as well as selling boxes and packing supplies.