How to Move Across the Country for College

Using dorm moving services to transport belongings across country 

When attending an in-state college, getting your things to campus in a car or rental truck makes sense. But those options are not ideal when your university is across the country. Instead, choose a company with student moving experience, like U-Pack®.

Before you make the journey to campus, let’s review what you’ll need to do to make the most of the move.

Your plan for moving to an out-of-state college

Your anticipation has likely been building since receiving the university acceptance letter. Now, it’s time to consider all the practical details of moving to a campus across the country.

Verify the college’s move-in details

Review your residence life packet to confirm move-in dates and any rules or restrictions for parking vehicles or moving equipment. Contact the campus housing office if you have any questions or concerns about college moving day.

Choose a student moving service

As mentioned, hiring a self-moving service like U-Pack is often the easiest and most affordable solution for moving out of state for college. With U-Pack, you pack and load your belongings, and we take them straight to your dorm or off-campus housing. Reserve your student move as early as possible since summer is busy!

Not sure U-Pack is right for you? There are a few different options, depending on how much stuff you have and how you plan to travel to campus. A couple of duffle bags or boxes can easily travel out of state with you or be shipped using a parcel service like FedEx®, UPS® or USPS®.

A DIY moving service makes more sense when there are many things to move to campus. You could choose a rental truck, but driving a bulky truck long distance can be a hassle, and the extra fuel costs add up fast.

Make personal travel arrangements

Book your tickets early to avoid the rush during back-to-school season if you plan to travel by air, bus or train. If a road trip move to the university (maybe combined with some sightseeing) is more your style, map out pit stops in advance to save time.

Prepare your things

Dorm rooms and student apartments can be small, so check the university’s housing website for room dimensions and furnishings as you plan what to pack for college.

Keep these tips in mind:

• Avoid bringing too many decorative items.
• Don’t bring things that are prohibited on campus (air fryers, candles, etc.).
• Follow professional packing tips and loading advice to protect your things during transit.
• If possible, wait to purchase heavy or bulky supplies like body wash, bottled water and laundry detergent after you’ve settled on campus.
• Only pack what’s needed until winter break to save space. You can swap out clothing during school breaks.
• Pack any weather-specific clothing you’ll need if the climate in your hometown and the college town differs.

Secure storage or return moving services during school breaks

Most campus housing allows you to leave belongings in the room between the fall and spring semesters, but when the academic year ends, you’ll need a plan to store or move stuff back home for the summer.

If you plan to store your things, check with the housing office about on-campus options or contact a local storage facility for an off-campus solution (some might offer student discounts).

U-Pack can help transport everything back home! Book your return move between winter and spring break to ensure equipment availability.

U-Pack can help you move across the country for college

Whether you’ll be living in a college dorm or an apartment, U-Pack’s ReloCube® containers are a perfect fit. Each weather-resistant metal moving container holds up to one room of belongings. It fits into a regular parking space and has ground-level loading.

The best part is that you don’t have to drive a rental truck. An experienced driver will pick up the ReloCube and transport it to campus. You can also load or unload at a local service center for added savings.

Get a quote online or call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to speak to a moving consultant. Enter or mention the code CAMPUS50 for a student discount! Let us know if you have questions about moving to an out-of-state college.