Temple University Freshman Dorms: Your Comprehensive Guide to On-Campus Living

Moving into a dorm is an exciting and transformative experience. Your residence hall is more than just a place to sleep. It’s your personal space to recharge, study and socialize as you acclimate to college life. This guide provides essential information for freshman students preparing to live in Temple University housing.

Before Move-In: Key Preparations

Before arriving on campus, there are a few important steps to complete:

Report Your Immunizations: All full-time Temple students are required to submit their immunization records. You can upload these records through your TU Online Student Health account. Required immunizations include:
- TETANUS/DIPHTHERIA/PERTUSSIS (TDAP): A TDAP vaccine within the last 10 years, or a TDAP older than 10 years and a Diptheria Tetanus (DT) vaccine within the last 10 years.
- VARICELLA (CHICKEN POX): Two doses of the chicken pox vaccine. Positive laboratory titer results are acceptable if proof of vaccination is not provided.
Know Your Assigned Move-In Date and Time: Your move-in date and time will be visible on MyHousing. Adhering to your assigned arrival time ensures a smooth check-in process.
Complete Orientation: As a housing student, you must be registered for 12 or more credits to remain eligible for housing, which you will complete during Orientation. You must make your reservation for Orientation in TUPortal no later than July 1, 2025. The reservation link will appear in your Next Steps channel.
Move In Appointment: Move in appointments will be available in MyHousing in July 2025. It will be visible for you on the main page as well as in your housing application. These can be selected in MyHousing as availability allows.
Early Arrival: Early arrival comes at a $30 flat fee for students. Certain groups or athletic teams may be approved for early arrival due to their university commitment. For these groups, a list can be prepared by a faculty or staff member including the students' name, TUID, early arrival date requested, administrator responsible for the group, and the FOAP account to be charged. Permission for early arrival will be at the discretion of the University Housing and Residential Life.
Late Arrival: If you intend to arrive later than your move in appointment or after move in week, you must notify the Office of University Housing and Residential Life as well as your department of study of your delayed arrival. Failure to do so will place you in No Show status and jeopardize your room assignment.

What to Bring: Essential Items for Dorm Living

Here’s a comprehensive list of items to bring to make your dorm room feel like home:

Bedding and Linens: Be sure to buy the right size sheets (and an extra set!) to fit your bed. Don’t forget towels, either. Add some colorful pillows and blankets for extra pizzazz. Temple’s residence halls have two bed dimensions:
- STANDARD TWIN: 75 inches by 39 inches (1300 Residence Hall first- through third-floor suites)
- EXTRA-LONG: 80 inches by 39 inches (1300 Residential Hall fourth- and fifth-floor apartments, 1940 Residence Hall, Mitchell and Hilarie Morgan Hall, James S. White Hall, Temple Towers)
Room Decorations and Materials for Wall Hangings: Decorate your room to reflect your personal style. Bring posters, photographs, string lights, and anything else that reminds you of home. Don’t forget to bring the necessary materials to hang these items and be sure to check what kinds of hanging materials are allowed in each residence hall. There are some restrictions, like no candles or contact paper, and only 50% of your walls can be covered. Guidelines for hanging or decorating can vary by building, too.
Electronics and Appliances: Bring a laptop for classwork and headphones for video assignments or virtual meetings. Don’t forget a surge protector/power strip to plug everything in, and of course your chargers! You may also want to bring a fan, TV and/or coffee maker. Please note that cooking appliances such as hotplates and portable stoves are not allowed, and kitchen appliances such as rice cookers and toasters are only allowed in the kitchen areas of apartment-style living spaces. You can bring a fridge, but it must be less than 3.6 cubic feet and Energy Star rated. You can also rent a combination microwave/fridge! We highly recommend you do this through our preferred vendor, Microfridge.
Cable Lock or Safe: A cable lock can help keep your laptop safe, or an actual small safe can help protect other valuable items.
Trashcan: Bring a small trashcan for your room, as you are responsible for taking out your personal trash. In apartments, you may want a larger trashcan to share with your roommates.
Laundry Supplies: Bring laundry detergent, a hamper or clothing bag for easy transport and quarters to run the machine. The cost of laundry washers and dryers is $1.75 per load.
Reusable Water Bottle: There are multiple bottle filling stations all around campus. Not only is this better for the environment, but it helps you to stay hydrated!
Cleaning Supplies: Pick up some items to help with dusting, sweeping/vacuuming, disinfecting and the like. Temple will keep common spaces in your residence hall clean, but you’re responsible for cleaning your own room.
Health Items: These could include your health insurance card, medications you may take, over-the-counter pain relief medicine, bandages and whatever else you may need.
Other Essentials:
- Mirror
- Lamp/light
- Mugs
- Dishes
- Extra hangers
- Extra socks
- Knickknacks
- Posters

Getting to Know Your Roommate(s)

We strongly suggest you contact your roommate(s) before you arrive at Temple University. You and your roommates may become friends right away, or it may take some time. Getting a head start on that relationship and discussing your living expectations can make things easier after move in.

The following are a few conversation starters that are helpful when you contact your new roommate(s):

About You: Hometown, family life and friends
Favorite school activities
Intended major at Temple
Music, movie and TV preferences
How you like to relax
What makes you laugh
How to know when you're having a bad day
What you're like when you first meet people
Talk about your profile answers such as bedtime, cleanliness, noise, guests, etc.

Roommates will not always agree on everything, and that is okay. Having a basic understanding of each others' personality and needs helps build a foundation for a good year together. Residential Life will support you in completing your Roommate Success Plan within the first few weeks of classes so you have the opportunity to discuss your expectations of living together. Your Resident Assistants (RA) is also a great resource for help with navigating your roommate relationship and life on campus. RAs are trained to assist roommates with concerns or conflicts.

Understanding Your Room and Amenities

Every student is provided their own:

bed frame and mattress
dresser
desk and chair
closet or wardrobe

Other amenities include:

All windows have shades, curtains or blinds.
Student rooms are not carpeted.
Traditional and suite-style residence hall units are not equipped with cooking facilities. These locations will have common-area amenities such as kitchenettes with sinks, countertop space for preparation work, and microwaves and/or stove in an area accessible to all residents.

Bed Dimensions

The University has two standard-sized bed in its residence halls:

STANDARD TWIN bed - 75" by 39"
EXTRA-LONG bed - 80" by 39"

Bed sizes by buildings:

Read also: Is Temple a Good Fit?

Residents of 1300 Residence Hall 1st through 3rd floors will have a STANDARD TWIN bed.
Residents of 1300 Residence Hall 4th and 5th floors, 1940 Residence Hall, Morgan Hall, Johnson & Hardwick Halls, White Hall, or Temple Towers Apartments will have a EXTRA-LONG bed.

Rooms will have either the STANDARD TWIN or EXTRA-LONG beds.

Approximate Room Dimensions

Single Rooms: Single rooms are typically 8' x 10'.
Double Rooms and Suites: Double rooms or bedrooms in two- or four-person suites are between 10' x 12' and 12' x 14'.
Triple Rooms: Triple rooms are between 14' x 14' and 14' x 16'
Apartment Bedrooms: Bedrooms in apartment units vary between 10' x 10' and 12' x 16'
Apartment Living Rooms: Living rooms and dining areas in apartment units average 11' x 22'

Residence Hall Options

Temple University offers a variety of on-campus dorms, each with its unique features:

1300 Residence Hall
1940 Residence Hall
Mitchell and Hilarie Morgan Hall
James S. White Hall
Temple Towers
Johnson & Hardwick Halls (J&H)

Prohibited Items

If you have questions about a specific item and whether or not it is permitted in university housing, you should contact your Front Desk/Residential Life Office or refer to the Community Living Standards.

Some examples of prohibited items include, but are not limited to the following:

Appliances or any item with electrical wiring that is homemade, has been altered, without an underwriter’s label (UL), or a seal of approval from another recognized testing laboratory
Beds (personal frames and mattresses)
Candles, incense, wax melts, oil burners or any devices using halogen bulbs or exposed heating elements
Electric skateboards, hoover boards, scooters (must be stored/locked outside)
Hot pots, immersion coils, hot plates, burners, portable stoves, or any kitchen appliance in a bedroom
Materials or mechanisms for lofting or raising beds including but not limited to any block, lift, or other device that raises the bed platform and legs above the standard height.
Guns, pistols, rifles, stun guns, air rifles, pellet guns, etc.) including water guns/"toy" weapons, fireworks, knives, weapons, ammunition, gunpowder, explosives, or other material containing flammable substances, as well as replicas of any such articles or substances. This applies to all persons, even those who possess a license to carry such weapons, except for authorized Campus Safety Services and other law enforcement personnel performing official functions.

MicroFridge Rentals

Personal microwaves are not permitted, however, there are microwaves on every floor of traditional and suite style buildings for everyone’s use. The microwaves in the common area have an automatic shut-off safety feature. Another option is that they "can rent a refrigerator and microwave combination (a MicroFridge) through Campus Specialties, Temple’s preferred vendor.

Read also: Affording Temple

Temple University partners with MicroFridge, offering microwave/mini-fridge combination rentals for residents. Here are the features of a typical MicroFridge unit:

REFRIGERATOR
- 2.13 cu. ft. fridge with interior light
- 2 wire shelves and 2 door racks (2-liter bottle storage)
- Temperature control and auto-defrost
FREEZER
- 0.74 cu. ft. freezer
- Separate zero-degree frost-free freezer provides long-term frozen food storage
- Manual defrost with 1 ice cube tray and door shelf
MICROWAVE
- 800 watts provide superior cooking
- Electronic touch pad controls with LED display and clock
- 3 cooking levels with turntable system for even cooking
- Removable 10 11/16" glass carousel

Orders received before August 1 will be delivered prior to the start of the academic year. Orders received after August 1 will be subject to an additional $50 late fee which must be included with payment. All late orders will be delivered after the start of the academic year.

Ordering Without Roommate/Assignment Information

Order now and you will be guaranteed a reserved unit. If we receive an order from both you and your roommate, we will automatically cancel one of the orders and issue you a full refund.

Cancellation Policy

Orders cancelled prior to delivery will receive a full refund. Orders cancelled during the first two weeks of the academic year are subject to a $40 charge. Orders cancelled after the first two weeks of the year are non-refundable.

Staying Safe and Healthy

COVID-19 Protocols: Students who test positive for COVID-19 will be asked to isolate themselves from others. Depending on their living situation, that may mean going home, staying in their current room, or being temporarily moved to isolation housing space.
Meeting New People: Establishing opportunities to connect and develop as both an individual and a community remain cornerstones of University Housing and Residential Life.

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