Moving In

Northern Illinois University is excited to welcome you to the residence halls for this upcoming academic year. To ensure your safety and a smooth arrival we are providing you with some critically important information regarding the fall move-in process to the residence halls. Please read all this information carefully.

Move-In Sign Up is Open

Please read the information below, and then make your move-in reservation. 

First-Year Students

First-year students to NIU: You will be able to move in on either August 18, 19 or 20 by appointment only. We will have dozens of reservations spaces available for all halls, each hour on those dates. We’re currently upgrading our reservation system and will notify you in early August once it’s live and residents are able to make their appointments.

To help provide for a safe and enjoyable day we please ask that each resident bring no more than 2-3 family members to assist you. We will also require that all persons who enter the residence halls on move in day will need to wear a face mask to help us protect everyone on this day. This is required of everyone regardless of vaccination status.

Returning Students

Returning students: You will be able to preschedule move-in times to the residence halls during times offered either on August 20, 21 or 22. We will have dozens of reservations spaces available for all halls, each hour on those dates. We’re currently upgrading our reservation system and will notify you in early August once it’s live and residents are able to make their appointments.

Please note that there will be no volunteers to assist with moving items from curbside parking to the rooms on those dates. If you wish to volunteer to help first-year students, please sign up to volunteer for a shift and you will be permitted to arrive early.

Required Vaccination Records for Residential Students

All residence hall and Northern View Apartment students will be required to submit a vaccination record for the upcoming academic year. NIU sent out information earlier about this process. You can submit your vaccination records online. If you wish to seek an exemption to this requirement, please go to this site to complete the exemption request information.

Students will not be permitted to move into their residence hall or apartment without submitting proof of vaccination or an exemption request. There are no exceptions to this requirement, so please submit one or the other before you make a move in reservation.

Students Not Fully Vaccinated on Move-in Days

Students who have submitted an exemption to the vaccination requirement, and/or students who are not completely vaccinated (14 days since your final vaccine dose) on the day you arrive to NIU will be required to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival to NIU and will be asked to follow our self-quarantine guidelines until those results are made available. Move-in day testing facilities will be located at the NIU Convocation Center, and students will need to stop there prior to arriving at their residence hall or Northern View Apartments. Driving instructions will be provided with your move-in confirmation email.

Additionally, students who are have not received the full dosage of their chosen vaccine will have to submit to weekly surveillance testing on campus. Failure to follow these protocols will be considered a policy violation under the Code of Student Conduct and will carry consequences that could lead to dismissal from the university. Please refer to the Protecting the Pack website for more information on the vaccination and surveillance testing policies.

Early Drop and Go Options

To relieve congestion during our formal move-in days and provide a service to our students, Housing and Residential Services is offering you a “Drop and Go” appointment option August 6, 7 and 11. Each appointment provides one hour to bring containers with your items that you can carry directly to your room, place inside and go. To serve as many students as possible, you will only be permitted to drop your items in your room, and there will be no time to unpack or set up – just time to safely drop off items before your formal move-in date.

You will not receive a key to your room at this time. Staff will open the room for your appointment. Your items will be locked and secured in your room until you arrive later in August. Our Move-in website has the link for you to make a Drop and Go appointment. We will email you information on how to schedule an hour to complete this drop and go appointment. Limitations might be in place for students assigned to New Residence Hall due to summer school occupants.

Go to Drop and Go appointments