What you need to do to successfully check out of HLS Housing
Below is information you will need to know as you make plans to move-out of your HLS residence. To avoid any fees associated with improperly moving out, please read over the information carefully.
Last update: 05.05.2025
Move-Out Dates
Fall Semester Move Out – Students moving out upon completion of fall semester will need to vacate their HLS residence by noontime (12PM), Friday, December 20th.
Winter Term Move Out – Students moving out upon completion of winter term will need to vacate their HLS residence by noontime (12PM), Monday, January 27th.
Spring Semester Move Out – Students moving out for spring semester will need to vacate their HLS residence by noontime (12PM), Monday, May 19th .
ALL GRADUATING STUDENTS – Students receiving degrees in the 2025 commencement event will need to vacate their HLS residence by noontime (12PM), Monday, June 2nd. No exceptions on this date.
Checking out
You are NOT officially checked out of HLS Housing until:
- Your HLS residence is empty of all personal belongings
- Your HLS residence is empty of trash and recycled material
- Furniture provided by HLS is returned to its original placement in the room/suite
- Your room and mailbox keys have been properly turned in
Donation Stations ~ No Dumping
Please consider donating any items that no longer serve you but are still in good, usable condition. Items that are broken, missing parts, defective, excessively worn, or unsanitary should not be donated and must be properly discarded.
❗️Please do not leave or “dump” items in lounges, hallways, or other common areas. This is not acceptable and creates unnecessary work.
Donation stations will be available one week prior to official spring and fall move-out dates.
SPRING & FALL MOVE OUT:
- Ames Hall entry door under the overhang adjacent to Holmes Hall east entry
- Hastings lounge area
- North Hall lobby
- Story Hall main entry outside
ALL OTHER MOVE-OUT TIMES:
During all other move out times please consider donating any unwanted items to local charities in the area. Do not leave unwanted items in the room.
Hand Trucks & Cargo Bins
Hand trucks are available in the Facilities Management Office all year long to assist in your move out. The Facilities Management Office is located at Holmes Hall, room four. You will need to show a photo ID to check out a hand truck. Hand trucks not returned to the Facilities Management Office may be accessed a replacement fee of $100 .
A limited number of corrugated bins will be available for your use and convenience during the spring move out. To support a spirit of sharing and community, please ensure these bins are accessible to others by promptly returning them to their designated locations on campus after use. This way, everyone can benefit from this shared resource.
- Gropius: Overhang of Holmes and Ames Hall
- Hastings Hall: Courtyard
- North Hall: Lobby
Hastings Hall Move-Out
If you are moving out of Hastings Hall after commencement please note the Littauer lot will not be available to you. Please click here for added information.
HLS Provided Furniture
All HLS provided furniture must be returned to its original location in the room/suite prior to checking out. Moving fees of $100 may be assessed if furniture is not placed as originally located.
Housing References
HLS Housing adheres to a strict policy when providing housing references. As such, HLS Housing is unable to fill out any third-party forms or questionnaires submitted to us for housing references.
Our office is authorized to confirm only specific information regarding a student’s residency, which includes the dates of occupancy and the location of the housing within HLS. We are not permitted to disclose any additional details, such as personal conduct, financial reliability, or character assessments, as these are beyond our scope and are protected under privacy laws.
HLS Housing can provide a verification letter that includes the allowed information, which will be sent directly to the student upon request. We recommend students seeking comprehensive references provide personal contacts or additional documentation to supplement our verification. This policy ensures the protection and confidentiality of personal information for all our students.
Mail & Forwarding Address
When departing HLS Housing we encourage you to contact mail senders (magazine subscriptions, law firms, financial institutions) to notify them of your change of address.
Before you return keys and leave campus, please stop by the HLS mailboxes in the lower level of WCC and empty your HLS mailbox. Any mail left behind will be returned to sender if a forwarding address is not provided.
If you would like your first-class mail and USPS packages forwarded you will need to enter a forwarding address in the FORMS tab of the HLS Student Life portal. This will need to be done before you are officially checked out of your HLS residence. You will not be able to access the mail forward option after you have been officially checked out.
Select “Summer Leave” regardless if you are returning to HLS Housing or not in the upcoming academic year. Mail forward for summer leave ends on August 1st. After August 1st, all mail/packages will be returned to the original sender.
Select “Off-Cycle” if you move out anytime other than the official spring semester. Mail forward for off-cycle is for 45-days only. After 45-days all mail/packages will be returned to the original sender.
Mini Fridges
FALL & SPRING MOVE-OUT:
If you have a mini fridge in your HLS residence that you will not be taking with you, it must be emptied of all food and ice and placed at one of the donation bin stations. Mini fridges may not be left in your HLS residence. Removal fees may apply.
ALL OFF-CYCLE MOVE-OUT TIMES:
For all other move-out times, mini fridges must be emptied of all food and ice and brought to the exterior south door of Story Hall facing Harknss. As with spring move-out, mini fridges may not be left in your HLS residence. Removal fees may apply .
Move-Out Dates
If you are unsure of your official move out date please refer to the Housing Calendar. As noted in previous communications all dates are firm. You are welcome to move out any time or date before your official move out deadline.
Plan your departure accordingly as exceptions cannot be made. There is a $500/per night fee for late move outs. If you need additional time in Cambridge beyond your official move out date, please consult:
Personal Belongings
❗️We understand that as you begin packing for move-out, your personal belongings can occasionally spill into hallways and corridors. However, for everyone’s safety, all shared spaces must remain completely clear. Items left in these areas—even temporarily—can create fire hazards and block emergency exits. Please ensure anything placed in the hallway returns to your room promptly. Items left in corridors for an extended period of time will be removed and discarded without notice.
Students must remove ALL personal belongings from their HLS residence. Presences of any personal belongings in an HLS residence indicates a move out is not complete.
Room & Mailbox Keys
SPRING MOVE-OUT:
One week before the official spring move out date key return envelopes will be placed in your HLS mailbox. Labels on the key return envelopes must be clearly filled in with your name and room number.
ALL OTHER MOVE-OUT TIMES:
If you are moving out during any other time of the year you can obtain a key return envelope at the HLS Mail Center, the Facilities Management Office or at any of the key drop off boxes.
You may turn in your key envelopes at the following locations:
- Gropius – West entrance of Holmes Hall. Envelopes can be found on the inside of the key drop off box.
- Hastings Hall – Basement kitchen.
- North Area (serving both North and the HLS apartments) – North Hall lobby.
Improper key return includes:
- Not returning your keys at all
- Leaving your room and mailbox keys behind in your HLS residence
- Giving your keys to someone else, including your RA, to return them for you
- Dropping loose keys in the key drop box without any identification
- Placing unlabeled key return envelopes in the key drop box
If you do not return your room and mailbox keys properly you may be fined a lost key fee of $300.
Summer Storage
There are several local storage companies in the area for students to utilize for storing their belongings during the summer.
These companies are in no way affiliated with or contracted by Harvard University or Harvard Law School. This page is not an official endorsement or recommendation of these non-affiliated companies, but should be considered a resource. Harvard Law School and Harvard University are not responsible for contracts between a student and an outside company, and are not responsible for items stored in storage facilities. There are many other companies that advertise storage for students, which can be found through internet searches and on-campus advertisements.
Students are responsible for arranging storage and moving their belongings before they check out of their HLS residence. Any item left in a room after check out will be discarded and the student may be subject to fees.
NOTE: Delivery of items in storage to a returning HLS Housing student is not permitted until the student has returned to campus and checked in to their HLS residence.
Trash Bags
HLS Housing provides trash bags to assist with the disposal of garbage from your rooms. We ask all students properly use these bags to clear out their spaces before departure. To avoid fees, do not leave filled trash bags in your room, hallways, or lounges, as this creates egress/safety, cleanliness, and pest concerns. Instead, bring all trash to the designated disposal areas for your location.
Trash bags will be made available in the following areas; Gropius pantries, North Hall kitchens, Hastings kitchen, entrance of 3 Mellen, living room of 5 Mellen and trash closet of 1637 Mass Ave.
Trash & Recycling
Students must remove all trash/recycling material from their HLS residence. Trash/recycling material should be brought to the appropriate location of your resident hall/apartment. Due to egress regulations you may NOT leave trash/recycling bags/material in the hallway outside of your HLS residence. Fees may apply if trash/recycling material is left behind in the HLS residence room or hallway.
Writing Competition
Harvard Law School (HLS) Housing will provide support to students participating in the Harvard Law Review (HLR) Writing Competition in May 2025.
The Harvard Law Review will send a survey that includes a housing-related question. Students currently residing in HLS Housing who indicate their intent to participate in the competition before the survey deadline will be considered for a short housing extension.
Once the survey closes, HLS Housing will review responses and eligible students will receive an official email with a revised check-out date. Please note your participation in the HLR writing competition will be confirmed.
Students who request a housing extension but later decide not to participate in the competition must promptly notify HLS Housing and vacate their room. Students who fail to check out immediately as a result of not participating in the competition will be referred to the Dean of Students Office (DOS).