Fall 2021 Move In
Welcome Home!
Specific move in instructions, including parking, directions, and scheduling a move in time, and Dining information will be emailed to all students in August.
Move In Dates
August 15-16
Students Needing a COVID Vaccine
August 20
First-Generation to College Pre-Orientation Program
September 1
Brown RISD Dual Degree First Year Students
9:00am – 2:00pm EST
September 2
International First Year Students
9:00am – 2:00pm EST
September 4*
First Year Students
Sophomores (who were remote their first year)
9:00am – 2:00pm EST
*Providence will be hosting a Waterfire the evening of September 4. Any students arriving after 2:00pm EST on this day will have to navigate street closures around RISD.
September 5
Sophomore Students
9:00am – 5:00pm EST
September 6 and 7
Upperclass Students
9:00am – 5:00pm EST
Action Items
July 12
Complete Arrival Form
August 1
Mid-August
Select Move In Appointment (coming soon)
Label All Belongings
Before arriving on campus, please label all of your belongings, luggage, boxes, etc. with your name, cell phone number, and room location for the fall. This will help ensure if any items are misplaced that they can be found and returned to you.
First Years + Shipping Packages
First year students wishing to mail belongings to RISD prior to their arrival should follow the instructions below. If you have any questions about mailing items or your mailbox, please reach out directly to the RISD Mailroom.
Hotels + Shopping
We know moving to a new city and country can be overwhelming for all involved. To make your move in less stressful, here are a list of nearby hotels and shopping areas to help you prepare for move in day.
HOTELS
GROCERY STORES
- Whole Foods (North Main St, Providence, RI)
- Stop & Shop (W. River St, Providence, RI)
SHOPPING
- Providence Place Mall (we recommend Boscov’s)
- Walmart (Silver Spring Rd, Providence)
- Target (Seekonk, MA)
- HomeGoods (Seekonk, MA)
- Bed, Bath, and Beyond (Seekonk, MA)
What to Expect
Students will be emailed in July to sign up for an arrival time. Students will be asked to arrive during that window. Signage will be up around campus to help you find your destination.
First Year Students
First year students and families moving in on Septmber 1 and September 4 during check-in times will be greeted by Orientation Leaders, RISD Muscles, and Residence Life staff upon checking in. You will receive your RISD ID and important information. The RISD Muscles will then help move your belongings to your rooms where you will meet your Residence Advisor. After moving in, you will check in at Orientation and receive your schedule of events, meet the Orientation Leaders, as well as meet a variety of campus resources.
Sophomores + Upperclass students
Sophomores and upperclass students will check in at their respective buildings. New IDs and keys will be present in the Residence Life offices in each area.
First Floor meetings + welcome home events!
All students will have their mandatory first floor meeting during the first week of living on campus. Your RA will email you with the date and time of this meeting.
Residence Life will also be welcoming you home with a variety of fun events throughout the first two weeks of school! Keep an eye out on your email and on the bulletin boards in your community for more details!
Orientation
Orientation for new international students begins on September 2.
Orientation for all new students begins on September 4 at 2:30pm EST.
Information about student and families orientation is forthcoming and will be available on welcome.risd.edu and families.risd.edu
RISD Muscles
Muscles help First Year and Sophomore students move their belongings into their Residence Halls and Houses. Returning students who need to arrive on campus early may elect to return for no fee if they volunteer to be a RISD Muscle. Additional meal credits will be provided for Muscles to eat upon arrival.
Sign up by July 12 on the arrival form on the Student Life Portal. After July 12, if you are interested, please email us at housing@risd.edu
Muscles volunteers move in August 28-30.
Early Arrival
Students should plan to arrive on the move in date listed above. Students needing an earlier arrival may request it on the Arrival Form on the Student Life Portal by July 12. Any questions, please contact us at housing@risd.edu
FAQ
CAN I MOVE MY BELONGINGS IN BEFORE MOVE IN DAY?
No. Residence halls will not be ready until your scheduled move in date.
Can my family spend the night or a few days with me in my residence hall room?
We kindly ask that you not have overnight guests after moving in. Currently, with COVID policies in place, no non-RISD overnight guests are allowed. If you have a roommate, you are required to have their permission to have an overnight guest, and we discourage any student from hosting family members as guests. Ask yourself, would you want your roommate’s mom or dad staying in your room? We guess not.
First year students will be busy with Orientation programming after moving in which will interfere with having a guest. Once orientation ends, and if your roommate is ok with you hosting a guest, remember that all guests are required to be accompanied by you in the residence halls at all times. Click here to learn more about our guest policy.
I forgot to bring something, will i have time to shop before orientation?
Students should have some time between moving in and the beginning of Orientation in case they need to pick up a few items. However, you may not have time to grab everything, as such we encourage you to bring all of your essentials.
Where can we park after moving in?
More information will be emailed to students in August with information about parking. Limited parking will be rented by RISD and made available for families attending orientation after helping their student move in. There is no student parking available at RISD. Students should not plan to bring vehicles themselves. Vehicles parking in these rented lots must be removed from the paid parking lots by 4:30PM.
Can I arrive a week or two early?
In general, residence halls will not be ready for your arrival until the move in dates outlined above. If a student shows up in Providence this early without prior communication with Residence Life, we are likely unable to accommodate you. If you believe you need to arrive more than 1-2 days out from your scheduled move in date, please email us at housing@risd.edu
I have questions about the COVID vaccination requirement.
Click here to review RISD’s official communication and FAQ for students regarding the COVID vaccination requirement.
I have questions about Dining, move in, and dining during the year.
Quarantine
Students unvaccinated prior to their arrival to campus will be required to quarantine, per CDC guidance. Please visit COVID.RISD.edu for the most up-to-date quarantine and vaccination information.
We look forward to welcoming you home soon!
Illustration used in header created by Martello Cesar, Illustration ’23