Supporting your Hawkeye
- Offer Reassurance: Remind them that it’s okay to feel stressed and that you’re there to support them.
- Provide Practical Advice: Suggest manageable steps they can take to address their stress, such as breaking tasks into smaller parts or seeking campus resources.
- Navigating Roommate Conflicts: Remind them that it takes time to adjust to sharing a space with someone new. Encourage them to try to solve the conflict on their own by having open, and engaged conversations.
- Resident Assistants (RAs) can assist with roommate mediations.
- We are not able to solve roommate conflicts when parents call/email our office.
- Urge Self-Care: Emphasize the importance of taking breaks, eating well, and getting enough sleep.
- Has your student eaten in all of our dining locations yet? If they are struggling to put together a healthy plate or find food they like, they can work with our campus
- Locate the nearest Student Health office and pharmacy. In Iowa, our peak allergy seasons are April, May, June, and September. It's helpful to have cold medicine and allergy medications handy.
- Encourage self-care and seeking support if needed. Did you know that University Housing and Dining has embedded therapists that are just for students living in the residence halls? Learn more here.
- Students have access to several recreation facilities on campus.
- Encourage community engagement: We often hear of students being homesick or lonely as they adjust to being in a new environment. Encourage your student to attending their residence hall meetings, social events, and other on campus activities. University of Iowa has over 600 student organizations for students to join, too!
Fall key dates
August 29
Deadline to change Fall meal plans.
November 5 - 20
Submit fall break plans.
November 5 - December 10
Apply for winter break housing in the housing portal.
November 5 - December 5
Spring course registration. Students can check their individual registration time and view any registration holds in MYUI.
November 12
Returning student housing application opens for 2026-2027 in the housing portal.
November 22 - 30
Fall Break. It is free to stay in the halls during this time; we ask all students submit their plans by November 20 in the housing portal.
December 10
Deadline to apply for winter break housing in the housing portal.
December 10
Deadline for spring course registration for all students contracted for 2025-2026 housing.
Students that are not registered for a minimum of 7 credit hours will be required to move out of the residence halls and are no longer eligible for winter break housing.
December 15 - 19
Finals week. Students that do not have winter break housing are asked to vacate the residence halls within 24 hours of their last final, or by 12pm on Saturday, December 20, whichever is earlier.
December 20
Residence halls close at 12pm for the semester.
University bills (U-bills) are emailed to students on the first of each month with a due date of the 22nd. In order to remain eligible for housing in the residence halls, students must remain in financial good standing and be registered for a minimum of 7 credit hours.
Parent Frequently Asked Questions
What if my student doesn't get along with their roommate?
Roommate conflicts are common and often part of the adjustment process. Resident Assistants (RAs) are trained to help mediate concerns. If issues continue, students can explore room change options by adding their name to our room change waitlist.
My student added their name to the room change waitlist but has not received an room change offer. What can we expect?
Room changes are not guaranteed and are available on a first-come, first-served basis as space allows.
What if my student is not registered for spring courses by the deadline?
All students that do not meet the course registration requirement will be required to remove all items from their residence hall no later than 12pm on Saturday, December 20. Should they enroll in courses over winter break, our office will reassign them to an available space on campus.
How do I know if my student has a registration hold?
Students can verify their registration time and any registration holds within MYUI. Even with a guest account, parents are not able to view registration holds. We encourage open and supportive communication between students and their families.
Common registration holds we see are from:
- Overdue university bills
- Low grades
- SAT/ACT scores
- High school transcripts
- Immunization records
Please note that financial holds may take several weeks to resolve.
My student will be staying on campus for winter break. Are there additional fees for this?
Winter break housing is not included in your student's current rate. Students that need winter break housing need to apply for winter break housing by December 10 and will be billed $350 for winter housing.
All students that are not registered for winter break housing are required to vacate the residence halls no later than 12pm on Saturday, December 20.
Spring key dates
January 17
Residence halls reopen for the Spring semester.
January 20
Spring classes start.
January 30
Deadline to change Spring meal plans in our meal plan page.
February 1
Deadline to apply for 2026-2027 housing for returning students. Students can apply in the housing portal.
February 16 - 20
Returning student room selection. Room selection timeslots are determined by how long a student has lived in the residence halls.
February 25
Returning student housing contracts for 2026-2027 sent to students.
February 25 - March 12
Students should submit their Spring Break Plans in the housing portal.
March 14 - 22
Spring Break
March 25
Summer housing application opens in the housing portal.
April 22 - May 14
Tell us your plans for check out in the housing portal.
April 29
Summer housing application due.
May 11 - 15
Finals week. Students that do not have immediate summer break housing are asked to vacate the residence halls within 24 hours of their last final, or by 12pm on Saturday, May 26, whichever is earlier.
May 15
Deadline for all students that have housing contracts for 2026 - 2027 to be registered for Fall 2026 courses.
May 16
Residence halls close at 12pm.
Send your Hawkeye a care package!
The Residence Hall Activities Board works with SWAKU our vendor partner that sells room accessories and care packages, then donates a portion to fund activities in our halls that build community. Hawkeye families and supporters can send care packages themed for Halloween, or Valentine's Day, or order a treat basket to fuel your Hawkeye through finals.