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The University of Southampton
The Student Hub

Arrivals and moving in

Moving into halls will be an exciting time and there will be lots of things you'll need and want to bring with you.

When should I arrive?

Our main arrival weekend for 2023/24 is 23 and 24 September 2023 but some sites will offer arrivals in the days preceding this. A full table of arrival dates can be found below:

SiteThursday 21 September 2023Friday 22 September 2023Saturday 23 September 2023Sunday 24 September 2023
Archers Road Romero     Yes  
Archers Road Gateley         Yes
City Gateway     Yes Yes
Erasmus Park     Yes  
Glen Eyre  
Beechmount, Chancellors Courts, Chamberlain, Hartley Grove, Hillside House, J Block, Main Building, New Terrace, Old Terrace, Richard Newitt Courts, South Hill  
  Yes Yes Yes
Highfield Hall
Aubrey House, Wolfe House
      Yes
Mayflower   Yes Yes Yes Yes
Wessex Lane
Montefiore 1, 2, 3 and 4
    Yes Yes
Lucia Foster Welch  Yes      

Students known to the University’s Student Disability and Inclusion team may be able to arrive on Thursday 21 September, which will be a quieter arrivals experience. If you think you would benefit from this, please contact the Student Disability and Inclusion team to request it.

All other students will be required to book an arrival date and time. You can do this after you have completed your Essential Life in Halls induction, in the accommodation portal. You will receive an email to confirm once the induction and arrival slots are live.

We also understand plans change, so if you can no longer arrive on the date you originally selected you can log back into your account on our accommodation portal and select a different available timeslot.

New international students living in University of Southampton halls can book onto our Meet and Greet service. Meet and Greet offers airport pick up from Heathrow and Gatwick airport on 21, 22, 24 and 25 September 2023.

What to expect when you arrive

Upon arrival there will be a buzz at your halls site, with hundreds of students arriving to their new home. You will be directed to the best place where you can park and unload.

It’s then time to head to the key collection point, which will be signposted, to collect your room key or electronic keyfob.  

Trolleys will be available to borrow to transport your belongings, and student ambassadors will be located around the site to direct you to your block and answer any queries.  

Please note, there is limited parking available at each unloading area and therefore you will be required to move your vehicle after unloading to allow everyone else to unload when they arrive.

What do I need to bring?

It can be difficult knowing what you need to bring with you. Our best advice is to travel light! Just bring enough kitchen/ cooking items to get you started – any forgotten items can then be bought with your flat mates to share. There’s already a lot included in your accommodation so check what’s included below, to avoid doubling up on things.

When packing, try to use reusable items, such as suitcases, that can either be sent home or stored easily after arrival and avoid cardboard boxes wherever possible as they create a lot of waste.

Things to bring for your bedroom and bathroom

  • Bedding (duvet, duvet cover, pillows, pillow cases and sheets) (Check your bed size here)
  • Towels
  • Toiletries
  • Bath mat (for en suite accommodation)
  • Laundry bag
  • Clothes hangers
  • Toilet roll and cleaning materials

Mains extension leads can be used provided that the load on the extension is a maximum of 13 amps and one lead per socket. Cables should be positioned carefully and not present a trip hazard.

Things to bring for your kitchen

  • Crockery (plates, bowls, glasses, mugs)
  • Cutlery (knife, fork, spoon)
  • Cooking equipment (saucepan, frying pan, baking tray, oven dish)
  • Cooking utensils

Top tip: don’t forget a bottle/can opener

You don't necessarily need to bring all these things with you on day one - you could wait to see what your flat mates bring with them so that you don't end up with 8 kettles or cheese graters!

General things to bring

  • cleaning products including washing-up liquid, sponges, cloths and tea towels
  • chargers, adaptors and multisockets for your electrical items. Please note any electrical items used in halls must have a CE mark of a BSI (British Standards Institution) kitemark. This means the product has been checked and tested to ensure it meets E.U. and/or BSI health and safety standards
  • if you watch or record live TV on any channel, or download or watch any BBC programmes on iPlayer - be that live, catch-up or on demand, you will need a TV Licence. You can check to see if you need a TV Licence, and if so how to pay, on the TV Licensing website

Items that we provide

Bedrooms

  • Bed, mattress & mattress protector
  • Wardrobe
  • Desk and adjustable desk chair
  • Bookshelves
  • Curtains
  • Mirror

Kitchens in self-catered residences

  • Oven and hob*
  • Fridges
  • Freezers
  • Dining table and chairs
  • Storage cupboards
  • Ironing board 
  • Microwaves
  • Rubbish bin
  • Vacuum cleaner
  • Mop and bucket

Please note: in our Enhanced Plus flats at Wessex Lane (Montefiore 1), the hobs are induction hobs requiring induction pans.

Kitchen/pantries in catered residences

  • Small cookers/microwaves
  • Fridges

And lastly, we will provide you with a cleaning pack which will get you through the first few weeks.

Don’t forget

On moving day there will be some important things you’ll need to have to hand:

  • Check in letter – either a printed copy or on your phone
  • Photo ID (passport, driving licence, etc)
  • Phone charger
  • Spare/rubbish bags
  • Pen & paper

FAQ’s

  • What if my travel plans change? – you can book a different arrival slot, subject to availability. If you need to delay your arrival by more than a week, please contact the Student Hub to let us know your situation so we can advise further.
  • When does my catering package start? – if you are in a part-catered room, your catering package will start from Monday 26 September. You will be able to collect a packed lunch over the weekend of 24/25 September.
  • Where can my friends/ family stay? – There are plenty of hotels and guesthouses in Southampton and Winchester and the surrounding areas. We do not have any additional rooms available to rent, and do not permit family members to stay in students’ rooms over intake weekend as this makes it difficult for flatmates to meet each other and get settled in.

If you have any questions not answered on our pages feel free to contact the Student Hub Accommodation Line via email accommodation@soton.ac.uk.

We look forward to welcoming you very soon!

Forgotten something? Don't Worry!

There are plenty of shops and large supermarkets in Southampton where you’ll be able to pick up the essentials. Or, order a bedroom, bathroom or kitchen starter pack from UniKitOut using code SOUTH10 for a 10% discount.

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