Carnegie Mellon
Carnegie Mellon sits on a compact hill in Pittsburgh's Oakland district, sharing the neighborhood's museums and parks with Pitt and looking out over Schenley Park's ravines. It's an intense, maker-minded campus where students paint the Fence at midnight and race hand-built Buggies down Schenley Drive at dawn. The weather is genuinely four-season and often gray, so pack for a humid August move-in, a brilliant autumn, and a long, snowy, overcast winter.
What to wear in Pittsburgh, month by month
This region runs from a humid late summer to a hard winter in about ten weeks. The mistake out-of-region families make is packing the whole year in August.
| Move-in (Aug) | 62–83°F | Warm and humid on the hill. Light layers, and a box fan for the no-A/C houses. |
| Sept–Oct | 48–75°F | Crisp foliage weather across the Cut and Schenley Park. A light jacket and a rain shell. |
| Nov–Dec | 30–52°F | Gray, damp, and cooling toward finals. A real winter coat by Thanksgiving. |
| Jan–Feb | 20–38°F | Cold, snowy, and famously overcast. Insulated boots, gloves, and a heavy parka. |
| Mar–May | 38–72°F | A wet, swingy spring that turns warm by Carnival. Layers and an umbrella. |
What Carnegie Mellon lets you bring
- A sturdy box fan — several first-year houses (Donner, E-Tower, Mudge) have no A/C and personal units are banned
- A rain shell and umbrella for gray, damp Pittsburgh
- A power strip with surge protection
- 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
- Personal air-conditioner units
- Candles, incense, and any open flame
- Space heaters, halogen lamps, hot plates, toasters and toaster ovens, and pressure or slow cookers
- Non-surge-protected extension cords
These come from Carnegie Mellon'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 Carnegie Mellon
- 01Apr–May
Apply and sign the contract
After your deposit posts and your Andrew account is active, complete the Housing Application and Contract on the StarRez portal. Apply before the late-May deadline to get a random lottery number; a parent may e-sign the contract.
- 02June
Lottery processing
Applications are processed in lottery-number order in early June — a lower number improves your odds of landing one of your top-five building preferences. Roommate requests need each person's Andrew ID.
- 03Early July
Get your assignment
Your building, room, rate, and roommate's name and Andrew email are released through Student Information Online (SIO).
- 04Mid August
Move in
First-year Move-In is mid-August with required timeslot sign-up through the Housing Portal because of campus traffic restrictions. The Post Office starts accepting student packages around the same time.
Where you'll live at Carnegie Mellon
Margaret Morrison neighborhood
The largest cluster of first-year houses, on the Margaret Morrison side of campus. A mix of traditional doubles and semi-suites, including several identity-based communities (Scobell for women, Welch as a queer community). A/C varies house to house, so check your building before packing a fan.
Traditional doubles with communal baths and central air — a classic, social first-year house.
Semi-suite singles and doubles with semi-private baths, central A/C, and an elevator.
Traditional singles, doubles, and triples with communal baths and no A/C — bring a fan.
Semi-suite houses with semi-private baths and building window A/C; Maggie Mo adds full kitchens.
Scobell is an all-women community and Welch a queer community — both central-A/C semi-suite/traditional houses.
Morewood Avenue neighborhood
Four houses along Morewood Avenue near the north edge of campus, a short walk to the Cut. Ranges from the big, social Morewood Gardens to the no-A/C traditional houses — several add fitness or yoga rooms.
A large semi-suite house with semi-private baths, central A/C, a fitness room, and an elevator.
Traditional doubles with communal baths, central A/C, a yoga room, and an any-gender community floor.
A grand old house with semi-suites and traditional rooms, a fitness room, and no A/C.
Traditional singles, doubles, and triples with communal baths, an elevator, and no A/C.
Fifth Avenue neighborhood
Two apartment-style houses on Fifth Avenue for first-years who want kitchens and a more independent setup, still steps from campus.
Studio-apartment doubles and triples with kitchenettes, semi-private baths, central A/C, and an elevator.
Studio doubles and triples with kitchenettes and building window A/C.
The Carnegie Mellon move-in checklist
The “Shop” links are Amazon affiliate links — a purchase may earn AllDorms a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
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
Your items
Anything you add gets its own Shop link, and saves on this device.
Pittsburgh logistics, sorted
How to send a package to a CMU student
SMC [####]
Carnegie Mellon University
5032 Forbes Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15289
Not every house has A/C
Tartan traditions to know
Pittsburgh & around
The Fence & the Cut
The student-painted Fence and the green central spine of campus — the classic CMU landmarks and photo spots.
Schenley Park & the Carnegie Museums
A big city park with trails, a golf course, and an ice rink right off campus, beside the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History and Phipps Conservatory.
Shadyside & Squirrel Hill
Two walkable neighborhoods just east — Shadyside for tree-lined boutiques and coffee, Squirrel Hill for dense, affordable eats.
Bakery Square & East Liberty
Target, Giant Eagle Market District, and more for dorm supply runs, about two miles from campus.
Where to stay near Carnegie Mellon
The Oaklander
~0.5 miA Marriott Autograph boutique hotel in Oakland with a CMU rate — the closest walkable option.
Hilton Garden Inn University Place
~0.6 miOn Forbes Avenue near campus with a CMU special rate.
Residence Inn Oakland/University Place
~0.6 miAll-suite hotel with kitchens on Forbes — best for multi-night family visits.
Carnegie Mellon gear & gifts
Carnegie Mellon — links & contacts
- Housing Services: Visit page
- Postal Services (student mail): Visit page