Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's is a close-knit Jesuit university straddling City Avenue on the western edge of Philadelphia, where the campus — Hawk Hill — sits literally half in the city and half on the Main Line. It's a school defined by its service-minded Jesuit core, its Big 5 basketball tradition, and a mascot, the Hawk, that famously never stops flapping. The seasons here are real, so you're packing for a hot, humid late-summer move-in and a genuine Mid-Atlantic winter that shows up by December.
What to wear in Philadelphia, 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) | 78–88°F | Hot, humid Philadelphia late summer — sticky afternoons and warm nights. Tees, shorts, and a fan for the un-air-conditioned walk to class. |
| Sept–Oct | 55–78°F | Classic Mid-Atlantic fall settles in — crisp mornings, mild afternoons, the first real color on the Main Line. Jeans, sweaters, a light jacket. |
| Nov–Dec | 35–52°F | Gray and cold, with the first snow usually landing by December. Time for a real coat, hat, and gloves. |
| Jan–Feb | 25–40°F | True Philadelphia winter — raw wind and the odd nor'easter dumping snow across the city. Heaviest coat, boots, thermals. |
| Mar–May | 48–74°F | A muddy thaw into a fast, green spring — rain one week, shirtsleeves the next. A jacket and layers you can peel off. |
What Saint Joseph's University lets you bring
- 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
These come from Saint Joseph's University'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 Saint Joseph's University
- 01After you're admitted
Submit your enrollment deposit
Pay the non-refundable enrollment deposit through your Saint Joseph's Admission Account — that's what unlocks the Housing & Dining Portal for incoming students. First- and second-years not living at home are required to live on campus.
- 02Spring
Complete the Housing Agreement + roommate profile
In the Housing Portal you sign the Housing Agreement, fill out a roommate-profile questionnaire, and can search for a roommate or opt into a Residential Learning Community. You get one preferred roommate request, and it has to be mutually accepted before it locks.
- 03May & July
Sit in on a housing webinar
Residence Life runs live webinars — typically one in mid-May and another in early July — walking families through the portal, the Housing Agreement, roommate search, and exactly how selection works. Worth the hour before your selection window opens.
- 04Summer
Select your room
You're assigned a selection date and time to log in and choose your first-year hall and room from what's available — go in with a confirmed roommate, or select solo into an open space and get matched (you'll see your future roommate's profile first).
Where you'll live at Saint Joseph's University
First-year residence halls
First- and second-years are required to live on campus, and every incoming student lands in one of three first-year halls clustered along City Avenue at the heart of Hawk Hill — Villiger, McShain, and the new Sister Thea Bowman Hall. All three are air-conditioned, all furnished with a Twin XL bed, desk, and wardrobe-with-dresser per person, and all built for community: hall-style bathrooms, floor lounges, study rooms, and the option to join a Residential Learning Community on the housing application. You complete the housing agreement and roommate profile in the portal, then get a selection time to pick your room.
A six-story hall-style high-rise with roomy 20-by-10½-foot doubles — two twin beds, desks, and wardrobes with built-in dressers. Air-conditioned, cable and Wi-Fi throughout, generous floor lounges and study areas, plus a first-floor gym, main lounge, and laundry. One of the most social first-year buildings on the hill.
A traditional-style first-year hall whose doubles come with the rare luxury of walk-in closets, plus air conditioning, cable, and Wi-Fi. Hall lounges and study spaces, laundry, and the Haub conference center in the building — central, classic, and a straight walk to the dining hall.
SJU's newest residence, opened in fall 2025 at 5800 City Avenue for more than 500 first-years — modern hall-style rooms with a Twin XL bed, desk, and built-in wardrobe/dresser per resident, air-conditioned throughout. Named for Sister Thea Bowman, the African American educator, evangelist, and social-justice advocate now on the path to sainthood.
The Saint Joseph's University move-in checklist
Before you order any of this
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Bedding6
Bath5
Laundry4
Storage & organization6
Making it livable6
Desk & study4
Electronics6
Cleaning5
Kitchen — within the rules5
Health & meds4
Clothing — see the seasonal guide7
Move-in day go-bag5
Your items
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Philadelphia logistics, sorted
How to send mail to an SJU student
SJU Hawk Hill Student, [Residence Hall]
2425 Cardinal Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19131
The Hawk will never die
Hawk Hill straddles the city line
Philadelphia & around
Manayunk / Main Street
The riverside neighborhood that's effectively SJU's off-campus living room — Main Street's 275-odd shops, bars, and restaurants (Manayunk Brewing Company, Insomnia Cookies) plus the canal towpath for a run or a ride. The Manayunk/Norristown Regional Rail line drops you a block off Main Street.
Center City Philadelphia
The city core — Rittenhouse Square, the Art Museum steps and Boathouse Row, Reading Terminal Market's food stalls, and the museums along the Ben Franklin Parkway, all a short drive or SEPTA ride from campus.
The Main Line
City Avenue is the doorstep of Philadelphia's Main Line suburbs — Suburban Square in Ardmore and a string of walkable town centers with cafés and shops, a few minutes west by car or Regional Rail.
Fairmount Park & the Schuylkill
One of the largest urban park systems in the country begins minutes from campus — the river trail, Kelly Drive, Boathouse Row, and miles of green for a break from the books.
Where to stay near Saint Joseph's University
Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue
City Ave · ~5-min driveThe biggest hotel closest to campus — a full-service Hilton on City Avenue with an indoor pool and Delmonico's steakhouse, the move-in and game-weekend default, and it sometimes offers a university rate.
Homewood Suites by Hilton Philadelphia-City Avenue
City AveAll-suite with full kitchenettes and free breakfast, a few minutes from Hawk Hill — the practical pick for a multi-night family stay.
Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia City Avenue
City AveA dependable Marriott on City Avenue minutes from campus, with easy parking — straightforward booking for move-in and Family Weekend.
Saint Joseph's University gear & gifts
Saint Joseph's University — links & contacts
- Saint Joseph's University: 610-660-1000
- Mail Services: mailservices@sju.edu