Find answers to frequently asked questions regarding Pitt Arrival and the student move-in process below. Please be advised that answers to our frequently asked questions could change.
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Yes. To accommodate a high volume of student arrivals, you will receive a specific move-in date and time via your Pitt email address. You can also view your move-in date and time on our website.
You will receive your move-in date and time in mid-July in an email titled “Notice of Housing Assignment” via your Pitt email address. You can also view your move-in date and time on our website.
If you are not able to move in on your assigned date, please move in on one of the other designated Arrival days. You do not need to contact Panther Central to change your date and time. Please note that your date and time have been chosen with your safety and convenience in mind. We urge you to move in at that time.
All early move-ins before August 15 (that are not associated with a Pitt-sponsored program) must receive prior approval from Panther Central. If you would like to request an early move-in, contact Panther Central as soon as possible. If you wish to move in on or after August 15, you do not need to contact Panther Central to change your date and time. Instead, move in on one of the other designated Arrival days. Please note that your date and time have been chosen with your safety and convenience in mind. We urge you to move in at that time.
No, you do not need to follow the instructions in your Notice of Housing Assignment email if you are affiliated with a Pitt-sponsored program. Instead, follow the move-in dates and instructions provided by your program manager(s).
We are unable to offer in-person building tours due to summer programming. However, you can take a virtual tour of campus and your residence hall at your leisure.
View our University Housing pages for a complete list of amenities located in your room and residence hall.
Prepare for Pitt by packing appropriately! Review our packing list to ensure that you are not bringing prohibited items and are only packing the essentials.
Please do not send packages, furniture, or deliveries to campus before Aug. 18. Packages arriving before Aug. 18 that are not part of Ship2Pitt will be returned to the sender.
After Aug. 18 packages sent via Amazon, UPS, FedEx, or USPS should be addressed to your student using the following format:
Your building's mailroom hours will vary.
The benefits of volunteering for Pitt Arrival include but are not limited to, moving in early, receiving a free t-shirt, a Panther Funds stipend, and OCC Credit. Volunteers also gain invaluable leadership and customer service experience all while making new friends!
The volunteering requirements range from 12 hours for both Volunteer and Supervisor positions to 40+ hours for Assistant Pitt Arrival Coordinator positions. Learn more about the different Pitt Arrival volunteer positions here.
There are three different Pitt Arrival volunteer positions: Volunteer, Supervisor, and Assistant Coordinator. Find details on the volunteer page.
Staff and faculty can sign up online to volunteer as a Welcome To Pitt greeter during Arrival. Greeters allocate carts, distribute family/helper wristbands, and answer questions.
Your Pitt ID is the tool that every student, faculty, and staff member needs on their first day to access essential campus services. Your ID allows you access to your residence hall, meal plan, transportation, and much more.
All Pitt students, faculty, and staff who need an official ID can pre-submit a photo. Follow our photo guidelines and pre-submit a photo for your Pitt ID today.
Contact Panther Central immediately if you missed the deadline to pre-submit your photo for your Pitt ID.
Download and print your official 2025 Pitt Arrival Parking Pass. Place it on your dashboard as you approach Oakland so our volunteers can easily identify you as a new arrival and direct you to the most convenient parking location.
Due to a limited number of available on-campus parking spaces, we are only able to provide one Pitt Arrival parking pass per student.
View a list of our parking locations to find one closest to your residence hall.
Some parking locations will require you to move your vehicle to a long-term parking location after one hour to allow for other students and their helpers to move into your building. If you need more time, simply relocate your vehicle to long-term parking..
View a list of our long-term parking locations to find one closest to your residence hall.
Your meal plan begins on August 15, 2026. Check out the Pitt EATS hours for Arrival week and our recommendations for where to eat during Arrival.
You can find hours for all on-campus dining locations by visiting the Pitt Eats website.
Pitt Eats offers various options for students with food allergies. Pitt Eats also provides students with access to a licensed dietician. To learn more about these services, visit the Pitt Eats' website.
Yes, you can find fresh and prepared foods along with pantry staples at Forbes Street Market, our on-campus grocery store.
Dining Dollars are attached to your meal membership and can be used at participating off-campus vendors, while Panther Funds are pre-loaded cash amounts that can be used at a wide variety of both on and off-campus eateries and merchants.
Yes, 25% of your Dining Dollars funds are reserved for use at select off-campus vendors. Find a list of participating vendors here.
You can use Pittsburgh Regional Transit and Pitt Shuttle transportation services for free as soon as you move into your on-campus accommodation. For routes and schedules, visit the Pitt Mobility website.
Yes, all Pitt students, faculty, and staff have unlimited, free access to 30-minute rides via Pitt’s partnership with POGOH. Learn more about POGOH at Pitt.
Apply for a permit in one of our on-campus bike rooms or lockers.
SafeRider is a complimentary transportation service available to Pitt students, faculty, and staff during the evening and early morning hours for special non-emergency needs. SafeRider has a 25-trip maximum each semester. Learn more about SafeRider.
Visit the Pitt Mobility website to learn more about their services.
Ship2Pitt allows incoming campus residents to ship up to four boxes of personal belongings to their residence ahead of move-in.
Each student will receive four pre-paid shipping labels to ship their belongings to campus in no more than four boxes.
No, items shipped to your campus address from retailers, like Amazon, Target, and Walmart are not considered Ship2Pitt packages. Do not send packages, furniture, or deliveries to campus before Aug. 18. Packages arriving before Aug. 18 that are not part of Ship2Pitt will be returned to the sender.
Each of your Ship2Pitt boxes can weigh no more than 50 lbs.
The UPS shipping portal opens on July 7 and closes at 11:59 p.m. on July 14 for all students.
Deadline to ship for guaranteed delivery to dorm room is July 22. Boxes received after Aug. 6 must be retrieved by the student from the residence hall’s mailroom. Ship2Pitt boxes received after Aug. 25 will incur additional late shipping fees.
Yes, your Ship2Pitt packages will be conveniently delivered directly to your room.
Deadline to ship for guaranteed delivery to dorm room is July 22. Boxes received after Aug. 6 must be retrieved by the student from the residence hall’s mailroom. Ship2Pitt boxes received after Aug. 25 will incur additional late shipping fees.
Note: Only Ship2Pitt packages will be delivered directly to your residence. All other packages will be sent directly to your mailroom for processing.
Bring your flattened cardboard boxes to the nearest Arrival Welcome Station.
No. The University does not cover the cost of UPS pick-ups. If you select the UPS pick-up option when creating your labels, you will be charged the additional pick-up fee to your PittPay account. To avoid additional fees, drop off your Ship2Pitt boxes at your local UPS store or drop-off location.
Yes, but do not send packages, furniture, or deliveries to campus before Aug. 18. Packages arriving before Aug. 18 that are not part of Ship2Pitt will be returned to the sender.
You can learn more about campus resources by visiting our resources page.
You can learn more about New Student Orientation here.
You can find the Welcome Week schedule here.
