Information for New First Year and Transfer Students

Important Dates for the 2025-2026 Academic Year **

New First Year Student Move-In: Wednesday, August 20, 2025**
Transfer Student Move-In: Tuesday, August 19, 2025**
Returning Student Move-In: Friday, August 22, 2025**

*Students will need to sign up for a move in time slot. Emails will be sent to the students drake.edu email on August 1^st.

Winter Break All Halls Close: Saturday, December 13, 2025, at noon.

**Jewett Hall - open for the Winter Break (spaces limited, once full, other
off campus options will need to be sought by the student) **
Opening Friday December 12, 2025, at 12:00pm
Closing Monday January 5, 2026, at 12:00pm
There will be a per day housing fee billed to the student account. There will be no campus dining service. Residents will NOT have access to their school year room. They should take all needed items w/them before the break period begins.
Those interested in this option should contact (campsandconferences@drake.edu) for more information.  
** Jewett Hall January 4, 2026, to January 24, 2026**
(Spaces limited, once full, other off campus options will need to be sought by the student)
There will be a per day housing fee billed to the student account.
Limited Hubbell hours are offered for this period for meal service at the student cost.
Residents will NOT have access to their school year room. They should take all needed items w/them before the break period begins.
Those interested in this option should contact (campsandconferences@drake.edu) for more information.

All Halls Open for Spring Semester: Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Noon (no earlier arrivals will be permitted)

Spring Break All Residence Halls Closing (Carpenter, Crawford, Goodwin-Kirk, Herriott, Stalnaker): Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Noon

**Jewett Hall will open for Spring Break, please contact

(campsandconferences@drake.edu) for housing needs**

Opening, Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 8:00 am
Closing, Sunday, March 22, 2026, at Noon.

There will be no campus dining service.
Residents will NOT have access to their school year room. They should take all needed items w/them before the break period begins.
Those interested in this option should contact (campsandconferences@drake.edu) for more information.

Spring Break All Residence Hall Opening (Carpenter, Crawford, Goodwin-Kirk, Herriott, Stalnaker): Sunday, March 22, 2026, at 10:00 am
Spring Semester Closing (Carpenter, Crawford, Stalnaker): Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Noon.**
Spring Semester Closing (Goodwin Kirk, Herriott): Sunday, May 17, 2026, at Noon.**
Interim Hall Opens: Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 10:00 am.**

Meal Plan Changes: Students will receive an email to their drake.edu email with the directions on when and how to make changes to their meal plan. Students can change their meal plan selection online, the month that classes will begin, (Fall/August, Spring/January) through the first Thursday of classes for each term within the academic year. After this date has passed the meal plan cannot be changed. **

**ALL dates and times listed are subject to change based on University need**

All halls on campus (First Year and Upper-class) have extra-long beds. Residents supply their own sheets, blankets, bedspreads, and pillows.

The Drake University campus is a smoke-free environment as per an Iowa State Law enacted July of 2008. Hookah pipes are not allowed in the residence halls even to be stored. Should a resident be found responsible for smoking in their residence hall room, that resident will be assessed a cleaning fee of $250 at the time of the incident.

Residence hall rooms contain wooden beds that can be bunked/lofted or used as twin beds. Only university beds are permitted in the residence halls. Beds cannot be bunked in First Year Experience residence halls.

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 through the yellow pages.

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.

All pets, except fish, are prohibited, as they can create safety and sanitation hazards in the residence halls. Animals "just visiting" are also not permitted in the residence halls. Fish are the only acceptable pets permitted and may be kept in tanks no larger than 10 gallons. Fish should be removed from the residence halls during winter and spring breaks. https://www.drake.edu/policy/category/safety/serviceandassistanceanimalsanimalmascotspets/

Drake University does not offer landline phone lines in the residence hall rooms. It is encouraged that students obtain some form of mobile/cell phone option as a mode of communication.

How to request a roommate, please log back into the Housing & Meal Plan Selection Portal, on the left-hand side you will see “Roommate Selection”, you will click on this to follow the directions on this page to begin the process of roommate selection. Know that all roommates must have a completed "Residence Life 2025-2026" application in order to see them and request them as a roommate.
All roommate requests must be completed by June 16th.

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 assessed an improper room change fee of $100.00.

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)/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.

You may access the housing/commuter application via the online housing portal by logging into my.drake.edu and clicking on the Fork & Knife Icon in Campus Resources.

The complexes are located adjacent to Drake's campus on 30^thstreet and are for students who have met the two year live on requirement, (Juniors, Seniors, Pharm. D, Law and graduate students).

There is a two year live on requirement: Full-time students must live in a Drake University residence hall for the first two-years out of high school. The Drake West Village property is not owned nor operated by Drake University. Drake West Village is not a residence hall.