The arrival day for the First-Year class of 2028 will be on Thursday, August 29th between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM.

What is the schedule for my parents/guardians on Arrival Day?

• The arrival window for students is 8am to 12pm. Once your parents/guardians drop you at Commons to pick up your ID, they will drive directly to your residence hall. You will meet them at your residence hall after picking up your ID and other check-in items. Once at your residence hall, you and your family will have plenty of help unloading. 
• Please see this page for the full First-Year Orientation schedule.

After Move-in and Orientation

Please refer to the Orientation website for information on the schedule and activities on August 29th and beyond. If you have questions on orientation please email fye@bates.edu.

The arrival days for returning students will be on Sunday, September 1st to Tuesday, September 3rd, between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM each day.

When you arrive, head to Commons for check-in. All students will have their ID cards activated, receive their room key, and then may proceed to their residence hall or house to move in. If you lost your Bates ID over the summer, be sure to request a new one by August 31st to ensure a smooth arrival.

Overall, all First-Year students should plan on arriving on August 29th and all upper-class students should plan to arrive on September 1st-3rd. There are some groups that will arrive on different dates, including orientation week student leaders, fall athletes, and certain groups of First-Year students.

In general, students who are not involved in a leadership position for orientation or on a fall athletic team are not allowed to arrive on campus ahead of their designated arrival date. If you have an extenuating circumstance for arriving outside of the designated date(s) and time(s), please see the “Frequently Asked Questions” section of this page.

Family members and support members are welcome to enter their student’s residence hall during the move-in process! We ask that parents and support members be mindful of the time that they are spending in the residence halls, in an effort to de-densify the indoor space for others to move in. Additionally, although we understand pets are family, they are not allowed inside of residence halls. Please stay tuned for additional move-in day information coming later in the month.

• All students arriving to campus should head to Commons for check-in. Students will have their ID cards activated, receive their room key, and then may proceed to their residence hall or house to move in.
  • If you are a returning student and you lost your Bates ID over the summer, be sure to request a new one by August 31st to ensure a smooth arrival.
• Meal plans will begin on the following dates:
  • First-Year students: August 29th
  • Returning students: Dinner on September 2nd
  • If you are arriving early, please check with your program lead for info about meals
• Students are not required to sign up for an arrival time on Garnet Gateway (this is a change from the past few years). Instead, students are free to arrive at anytime during check-in. As a reminder, that means:
  • First-year Students: August 29th, 8am-12pm
  • Returning Students: September 1st-3rd, 10am-6pm

I’m arriving early. What does the arrival process look like for me?

• If you belong to an approved early arrival group or team, please contact your program leader or coach for more information about your arrival process. Some examples include: AESOP Leaders, OWLs, Harward Center Orientation Leaders, ResLife Staff, students participating in pre-orientation programs, and some fall athletes (coordinated by Athletics).
• If you do not belong to an approved early arrival group but have a need to arrive early, please fill out the following form: Fall 2024 Early Arrival Petition. This form must be submitted no later than Wednesday, August 21, 2024. Any submissions after 8/21 may take longer to review.
• Approvals are typically granted for 24 hours prior to the designated arrival date for specific circumstances. Some examples include: travel restrictions for students with longer journeys, family-related travel challenges, and students facing other extenuating circumstances.
• Once approved, all early arrival dates will be reflected in your HouseCat Housing Information.

My plane/train/bus/ride to campus will arrive after check-in is closed. What should I do?

• If at all possible, students should make every effort to arrive during check-in hours on designated arrival days. We understand that for some students, flight times or other travel restrictions may cause a challenge. If you arrive after designated check-in hours, please go directly to the Campus Safety Building (245 College St) to request to be let into your room. You will then retrieve your room key the next business day at Access Control inside the Campus Safety Building.

I cannot get to campus until after September 3rd due to extenuating circumstances. What should I do?

• If you arrive after designated arrival days, please go directly to the Campus Safety Building (245 College St):
  • After-hours: Request to be let into your room.
  • Business hours: Retrieve your room key.

How can I get to Bates from the Portland Jetport?

• Please visit this webpage for information about travelling to campus.