Michigan
Michigan is a powerhouse in a classic college town that turns maize and blue every fall. You'll arrive in humid August and stay through real snow, and a lot of the older halls skip AC — so it's a fan now, a serious coat later.
What to wear in Ann Arbor, 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) | 75–85°F | Warm, humid. Summer clothes. Most halls have no AC, so a fan is essential. |
| Sept–Oct | 50s–70s | Cooling fast, leaves turn. Sweaters, a jacket, a rain shell. |
| November | 30s–40s | Cold, gray, first snow. Insulated coat, hat, gloves. |
| Dec–Feb | teens–30s | Snowy Michigan winter, biting wind. Heavy coat, waterproof snow boots, thermals. |
| March | 30s–40s | Slushy, slow thaw. Keep the boots out. |
What Michigan lets you bring
- All electrical items must be UL-listed
- Air-conditioned halls (see below) — otherwise bring a fan
- 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 A/C units (only seven named halls are air-conditioned)
- Personal wireless routers — campus Wi-Fi only
- Humidifiers, unless approved by Housing
- Anything displayed on room doors or in windows
These come from Michigan'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 Michigan
- 01After you confirm enrollment
Complete the housing application
Once you've paid your deposit and have a U-M uniqname, Housing emails you the link to apply. Roughly 97% of first-years live on campus. Important quirk: applying earlier gives you no priority — assignment isn't first-come — so take your time and fill it out thoughtfully.
- 02In the application
Answer the lifestyle questionnaire & form a roommate group
Complete the roommate-matching questions, then search for matches (the portal and the RoomSync app show a compatibility percentage) or request a specific person. The Group Leader creates the roommate group; everyone must have started an application to be added.
- 03Choose your method
Decide: self-select, or let Housing assign
U-M lets eligible first-years pick how they get a room. Assign-yourself means you choose your exact building and room during a timeslot. Have Housing assign you means they match your campus, community, and room-type preferences for you. You can't change methods once you choose, and all first-year buildings are available either way.
- 04Note for MLC/Theme students
Specialized communities get assigned
If you're accepted into a Michigan Learning Community (e.g. Lloyd Scholars, Michigan Research & Discovery Scholars, Global Scholars, WISE) or a Theme Community, or approved for an accommodation, you don't self-select — Housing places you in the right building.
- 05Room Selection ~June 22–25
Select your space (or get assigned June 29)
Self-selecting students get a random Room Selection date and timeslot (emailed in early-to-mid June); roommate groups share a slot, and the group leader assigns everyone. Selection runs roughly June 22–25. Miss it and Housing assigns you, notifying you around June 29.
Where you'll live at Michigan
Central Campus
The classic Michigan picture — social, busy, walking distance to the Diag, classes, and city life. The big draws are the recently-renovated, hotel-like Quads. Some buildings are older and can get loud, but you can't beat the location.
Reopened 2015 after a full renovation — ginormous rooms, beautiful bathrooms, lots of study space, and a direct connection to the Michigan Union (and its Starbucks). Social and central; the 'golden letters' housing assignment everyone hopes for. Has AC.
Renovated in 2014 with a 10-concept dining center widely called the best on campus. Big rooms, nice bathrooms, a 9th-floor quiet study lounge; home to honors students and athletes. Mixed-gender, ~1,170 mostly first-years. Has AC.
Closest dorm to many classes, by the Ross School and South University shops. Houses LSA's Residential College living-learning community, with the nicest bathrooms on campus and its own dining hall. Has AC.
One of the newest, most modern halls — combines living with academic spaces (the School of Information) and hosts the Global Scholars and Max Kade German programs. Central Campus. Has AC.
The Hill Neighborhood
A cluster of large dorms just east of Central Campus, famous for a tight-knit, intensely social first-year scene — the easiest place to make friends fast. The one catch: a short uphill walk back from class. Near the rec building and the Arb.
The only all-freshman hall (~1,180 students) and a legendary social hub. Rooms are small and it's the farthest Hill dorm from Central Campus, but the energy and the basement 'Hideaway' study space make it a freshman favorite.
Two halls (Mosher and Jordan) in one building overlooking Palmer Field, home to the Hill-area dining hall and the Victors convenience store. Big rooms and nice study areas; hosts the Michigan Research & Discovery Scholars and WISE programs. Has AC.
Couzens (~520) and Alice Lloyd (~520, nicknamed 'Alice Palace' after renovations) are the polished Hill options — large, beautiful rooms and baths, mini-kitchens, lots of lounges. Alice Lloyd hosts the Lloyd Scholars for Writing & the Arts. Both have AC.
A mixed-gender Hill hall (~400) with Collegiate Gothic charm, close to the rec building and Nichols Arboretum. Quieter than Markley but still firmly in the social Hill cluster.
North Campus
A quieter, focused neighborhood built around Engineering, the School of Music/Theatre & Dance, and Taubman Architecture. A bus ride from Central Campus, but with its own dining and amenities — natural if your classes are up here.
A large, social North Campus hall near Pierpont Commons and the engineering buildings. The daily bus ride builds its own gritty camaraderie; primarily first-years.
A North Campus first-year hall (~570) near Michigan Engineering and the music school — cool perks like an in-dorm movie theater, though it's often overlooked due to its distance from Central.
The Michigan 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
Ann Arbor logistics, sorted
Which halls have AC
You don't need a car
Mind the door rule
Ann Arbor & around
State Street & South University
The two classic campus shopping-and-dining streets, ringing the Diag — bookstores (and the M Den), coffee, and restaurants. Where students and visiting families wander between campus stops.
Zingerman's Delicatessen
A nationally-famous deli in nearby Kerrytown — a genuine pilgrimage for visiting families, plus the weekend Farmers Market and the shops of Kerrytown around it.
Michigan Stadium tour
The largest stadium in the country (~107,000). Even off game-day, seeing the Big House is a rite of passage; on a home Saturday, Ann Arbor transforms entirely in maize and blue.
Nichols Arboretum & the Diag
'The Arb' along the Huron River is a beloved walking/peony-garden escape steps from the Hill; the Diag and UMMA (art museum) anchor the central-campus stroll.
Where to stay near Michigan
Bell Tower Hotel
On campus, steps from the Diag & M DenA charming European-style hotel right on campus across from Hill Auditorium — within a five-minute walk of the Diag, the M Den, and State Street restaurants, with valet parking and free breakfast. The most convenient base for a campus visit; books out for games and graduation.
Graduate by Hilton Ann Arbor
Downtown, across from campusA Wolverine-themed boutique hotel a block from campus in the Old Fourth Ward, with college-nostalgia interiors, a cocktail lounge, and Relish restaurant. A favorite for commencement weekend — book early, as rooms are limited and rates climb with U-M events.
The Dahlmann Campus Inn
Downtown, near campusA long-running, family-owned hotel near the University and downtown with cozy rooms, suites, and on-site dining — a comfortable, slightly quieter alternative to the boutique options. Plenty of Marriott/Hilton properties off South Main back it up.
Michigan gear & gifts
Michigan — links & contacts
- Residence Education: ResidenceEducation@umich.edu
- Housing accommodations: hsg-accommodations@umich.edu