Moving & Breaks

November 27, 2025 – November 30, 2025

All University Residence Halls will remain open through fall break without charge for residents who choose to remain on campus.

Office Closures

All UW-Madison offices will be closed on Thursday, November 27, and University Housing offices will also be closed on Friday, November 28.

Limited Staff

Limited Housing staff will be available during fall break. Residents can call their House Fellow on Duty phone number for assistance. In case of an emergency, please call UW-Madison Police Department.

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Parking

Traffic will be busy around the residence halls before and after Thursday, November 27. UW-Madison Transportation Services will allow 30 minutes for pick-up and drop-off for residents and their families in areas around the residence halls from November 25 – 26 and November 30. For details, view our parking map.

Free Parking Areas

• 30-Minute Parking: Visitors may park for up to 30 minutes in lots 2, 5, 26, 34, 35, 37, 44, 48, 58, 69, 106, 110, 136, and at mobile payment stations located on Babcock Dr, Kronshage Dr, Observatory Dr, and adjacent to Barnard, Chadbourne, Ogg, Smith, and Witte. Winter parking rules must be followed. Vehicles that are left unattended for over 30 minutes are at risk of being ticketed, as this accommodation is meant for pick-up and drop-off only.
• Side Streets Near Campus: Some City of Madison streets near campus offer limited parking with time limits, although winter parking rules must be followed.
• Other Campus Parking Lots: Some campus lots may offer free parking on weekends or after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Check posted parking lot entrance signs for details.

Free Campus Bus Route

Madison Metro Transit’s campus bus route #80 is free and runs throughout the UW-Madison campus area from approximately 8 a.m. to midnight year-round. Additional information on route #80 can be found in Madison Metro’s ride guide.

Paid Parking Areas

• Campus Parking Lots: In lots 6, 7, 17, 20, 27, 29, 36, 46, 67, 76, 80, and 83, visitors will take a ticket on entrance and pay when leaving the lot. Hourly rates vary by location.
  No trailers are allowed.

No Parking Areas

Parking is prohibited at all times in fire lanes, no parking zones, disabled stalls (unless a proper permit is displayed), in front of trash dumpsters, in service vehicle stalls, on grass, or on sidewalks.

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December 18, 2025 – January 17, 2026

Winter Break Housing

Winter Break housing is available to residents who need to remain on campus during winter break from December 18, 2025, to January 17, 2026, for an additional fee ($500). Fees for winter break housing are non-negotiable and will apply for any length of stay. Charges are not due at the time of sign-up but will be added to your student account. Winter Break housing sign-up is available in My UW Housing.

Winter Break Housing

Extra Nights

Residents who are unable to leave by 7 p.m. on December 18, but do not need to stay the entire winter break, can request to stay up to three additional nights: the night of only December 18 (no fee), the night of December 18 and 19 ($40 fee) and December 18, 19 and 20 ($80 fee). Residents approved for extra nights would be required to leave no later than 12 p.m. the following day (December 19, 20, or 21). The Winter Break Extra Nights application is available in My UW Housing. If you have questions, please email reslife@housing.wisc.edu.

Extra Nights Application

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Limited Dining & Desk Hours

Dining service and desk hours will be limited during winter break. Students staying over the winter break period will be responsible for their meals during this time. Community kitchens within the residence halls will be available during winter break. More specific information will be sent directly to winter break residents.

Microwaves Available

During winter break, when you are responsible for your meals, it may be helpful to have a microwave in your room if you don’t already have one. University Housing has clean, working microwaves available to winter break residents that were donated by residents moving out last spring. There is a limited supply, so if you’re interested, please fill out this form by Monday, December 15, to let us know of your interest. The requests will be confirmed in the order they are received, and the microwave will be delivered to your hall desk to be picked up as a package. If you have any questions, feel free to email sustainability@housing.wisc.edu.

Request Microwave

Other Food Resources

Other food options to consider for winter break include having groceries in your room, preparing food in the residence hall kitchens, going to local restaurants, or visiting campus or community resources providing free/reduced-cost food. Additional resources on campus can be found here.

Campus & Community Food Resources    Additional Resources

Please note: Meal plans for the 2026 Spring Semester begin Sunday, January 11, 2026 

Winter Break Resource Guide

Students who are living in the residence halls on campus over winter break should check out the Winter Break Resource Guide for ways to connect with other residents over the break. The Winter Break Resource Guide will be included via email and on posters in the residence halls.

Students are encouraged to reach out to the Office of Financial Aid or the Office of Student Assistance and Support if they believe they will need additional financial support during winter break.

Additional information about winter break for the 2025-26 academic year will be published in November 2025 on our moving & breaks page.

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January 17 & 18, 2026

Information about spring move-in for the 2025-26 academic year will be published in January 2026.

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March 28 – April 5, 2026

Information about spring break for the 2025-26 academic year will be published in February 2026.

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May 3 – 8, 2026

Information about spring move-out for the 2025-26 academic year will be published in April 2026.

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