ASU
ASU sits in the Sonoran desert just outside Phoenix, where the sun never really lets up and August move-in can top 110°F. There's no winter to dread here — just bring water, shade, and a layer for the seriously air-conditioned indoors.
What to wear in Tempe, month by month
The national lists assume everyone needs a winter coat. Here the real questions are heat, sun, and rain — plus clothes for buildings kept ice-cold against it.
| Move-in (Aug) | 105–110°F | Extreme dry heat plus monsoon dust storms. AC is provided and essential. Sun protection. |
| Sept–Oct | 90s–100s | Still very hot, easing late October. Shorts, tees, sunglasses. |
| Nov–Dec | 60s–70s | A gorgeous mild stretch. Light layers, a jacket for nights. |
| Jan–Feb | 50s–70s | Mild winter, cool nights, almost never freezes. A light jacket. |
| Mar–May | 80s–100s | Heating back up fast. |
What ASU lets you bring
- AC is provided and essential
- Microwave ≤700W, fridge ≤4.0 cu ft
- Twin XL bedding (confirm your specific hall)
- UL/ETL power strip with a built-in circuit breaker — not a bare extension cord
- Damage-free wall hangings like Command strips — no nails or screws
- Low-draw LED desk and task lamps
- A fan, a reusable water bottle, and UL-listed electronics
- Open-coil / open-flame cooking: toasters, toaster ovens, air fryers, hot plates, electric grills, sandwich makers
- Candles, incense, wax warmers, and anything with an open flame
- Halogen lamps
- Extension cords without a breaker; outlet splitters and multi-plug adapters
- Space heaters and personal A/C units (unless your school provides/approves them)
- Hoverboards, e-scooters, e-bikes, and other e-mobility devices
- Weapons of any kind — including decorative — and fireworks
- Any appliance with an exposed/heated coil
- Personal A/C units, neon signs, halogen lamps
- Security cameras and recording devices
- Alcohol and empty alcohol containers (ASU is dry)
These come from ASU's official housing pages and cover the essentials plus the genuinely local rules. Double-check the current official guidance before you buy — policies and renovations change every year.
Getting your room at ASU
- 01After you deposit
Housing options appear by major
Once you're admitted and have paid your enrollment deposit, housing options are presented in the My Housing Portal based on your campus and academic major — ASU groups first-years into Residential Colleges tied to their college. Review them the moment you deposit; it improves your odds of getting your preferred community.
- 02Apply early — priority deadline ~May 15
Apply and sign the License Agreement
Applications typically open in mid-January with a May 15 priority deadline. With 10,000+ new first-years a year, earlier is better. You'll agree to the full-academic-year License Agreement and pick a meal plan in the portal.
- 03In the portal
Use Roommate Finder and self-select your room
ASU lets you self-select your actual room and bed via the Room Search Wizard, and find or request roommates through the Roommate Finder tool. If you're a roommate group's "Group Leader," make sure you book enough beds for everyone.
- 04Until early May
Change your mind freely (then it locks)
You can return to the portal to swap your bed space until early May. After that, self-selection closes and changes go to an email request line; room changes can't be processed after late June as they prep for move-in.
- 05Move-in day (assigned slot)
Arrive with your Fast Pass and Sun Card
Your move-in date, time, and check-in location post to MyASU in July. Bring your printed Fast Pass (available 48 hrs before) and your ASU/Sun Card Mobile ID. AC is provided, so skip a unit.
Where you'll live at ASU
Manzanita Hall (Liberal Arts & Sciences)
The iconic 15-story tower on the north edge of campus, across from Sun Devil Stadium and two blocks from Mill Avenue. Co-ed, double-occupancy with suite-style baths, and home to Manzy Square, an all-you-care-to-eat dining hall. One of the most sought-after first-year buildings for its location.
Doubles sharing suite bathrooms; two-story lounges with community kitchens, a fitness center, and dining on-site. Houses the Liberal Arts & Sciences residential college.
Tooker House (Fulton Schools of Engineering)
The newest and largest first-year hall (1,594 beds, opened 2017), built for engineering students. Suite-style with learning labs, makerspaces, a dining hall, and a P.O.D. market built in. Modern, hotel-like, and competitive.
Single and double suite-style rooms, two-story lounges with community kitchens, fitness center, and on-site dining. The engineering residential college lives here.
Palo Verde East & West (Liberal Arts & Sciences)
Paired first-year halls on the north side near Manzanita. The Palo Verde East Hub is the local nerve center — Starbucks, a UPS Store, the Sun Spot tutoring space, and the P.O.D. Market.
Double-occupancy, suite-style. Central north-campus location near dining and the retail hub, close to athletics facilities.
Barrett, the Honors College complex
A dedicated honors village (Cereus, Agave, Cottonwood, Rosewood, Juniper, Willow, Sustainability House) with its own dining and courtyards — LEED-certified and built specifically for honors students at every stage. You must be admitted to Barrett to live here.
State-of-the-art honors halls with breezeways, open courtyards, and embedded academic and residential support. Among the nicest housing on campus.
San Pablo, Hassayampa & others
Additional first-year communities tied to specific colleges — San Pablo (Health Solutions, Teachers College, Future of Innovation) and Hassayampa Academic Village (W. P. Carey business). Each clusters you with students in your field.
Suite-style, college-themed communities. Hassayampa houses business students; San Pablo serves health, education, and innovation majors.
The ASU move-in checklist
Bedding6
Bath5
Laundry4
Storage & organization6
Desk & study4
Electronics6
Cleaning5
Kitchen — within the rules5
Health & meds4
Clothing — see the seasonal guide7
Move-in day go-bag5
Tempe logistics, sorted
Heat is the hazard
The Fast Pass
AC is built in
Tempe & around
Mill Avenue District
Tempe's college main street, against the northwest edge of campus — restaurants, bars, boutiques, and the Valley Metro Streetcar. Where students and visiting families eat and wander.
The Chuckbox
A historic Tempe burger joint cooked over charcoal right in front of you — an ASU rite of passage and a parent-weekend favorite. Cornish Pasty Co. nearby is another walkable classic.
ASU Gammage
A Frank Lloyd Wright–designed theater, one of the largest university performing-arts venues in the world, hosting touring Broadway productions. Worth a tour even without a show.
Tempe Town Lake & 'A' Mountain
Kayaking and paddleboarding on the lake, or a short hike up Tempe Butte ('A' Mountain) for skyline views. Papago Park and the Desert Botanical Garden are a short drive.
Where to stay near ASU
Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU
Steps from campus, Mill & UniversityASU's own hotel, opened recently at the corner of Mill and University — a 5-minute walk to campus with a rooftop pool, multiple restaurants, and blocks held for Family Weekend, move-in, Homecoming, and graduation. The most convenient stay, books first.
Tempe Mission Palms
Downtown Tempe, steps to Mill AveA AAA Four-Diamond Tempe landmark with palm-lined exterior, lush courtyard, rooftop pool, and airport shuttle. A longtime parent-weekend favorite for its location.
Residence Inn Tempe Downtown/University
Just east of Mill AveSuites with full kitchens next to Tempe City Hall — ideal for multi-day move-in or graduation stays when you want space and to cook. The Westin Tempe and Canopy by Hilton are other strong downtown options.
ASU gear & gifts
ASU — links & contacts
- University Housing: Visit page