Space in residence is limited, so try to reduce what you bring with you. And if you need anything else after you arrive, you can pick up any other essentials at the UBC Bookstore—or order ahead and have items prepared for your arrival!
Bring only what you need
Do your best to limit what you bring to residence and accumulate while you’re living at UBC. You’ll need to take all your belongings with you when you move out and donate, sell, recycle or throw away all the stuff you no longer want.
How bringing less helps
With nearly 14,000 students living in residence, we can generate a lot of waste. By reducing what you bring in the first place, you’ll help reduce the waste you produce while living in residence.
Let’s all work together to help reduce waste in residence—in support of UBC’s Zero Waste Action Plan and Climate Action Plan.
On this page
What to bring
Essentials
Items everyone should have on their packing list.
Personal items
Room supplies
Electronics
Clothing and footwear
What to pack for Vancouver’s climate: mild, rainy winters and warm, sunny summers.
For suites with bathrooms and kitchens
Additional items for residents moving into a suite with a bathroom and/or kitchen.
Suites with bathrooms
In addition to your personal toiletries, you’ll need these items for your private or semi-private bathroom.
Suites with kitchens
You’ll need to bring these items for your kitchen.
Remember, you’ll need to take everything with you when you leave.
- Plan ahead and consider which items you’ll actually use.
- Connect with roommates to reduce duplicate items.
- Visit our annual Mindful Market in September to purchase cheap, second-hand items and support UBC’s circular economy.
🌿 Sustainability tips—cleaning supplies!
To reduce plastic waste and your overall environmental impact, try to buy cleaning supplies that are biodegradable, non-toxic, concentrated, and/or come in recyclable packaging or refillable containers.
Reusable cleaning cloths or sponges, instead of single-use options, are great too!
UBC’s Mindful Consumption Guide
Check out UBC’s Mindful Consumption Guide to learn about making informed purchasing decisions and discover UBC resources, programs and more.
Permitted appliances
These cooking and cooling appliances are permitted in residence.
Cooking appliances
If you’ll be living in a unit with a kitchen, it will feature a stove, oven* and fridge, with some also offering a dishwasher and microwave. Check your residence and room type to confirm!
*except in our Nano suites, where the kitchenette features a stovetop only.
If you want to bring some additional appliances, these items are permitted, as follows.
Permitted in any residence area
These items are permitted in any residence area, but are typically not needed in Orchard Commons, Place Vanier or Totem Park, which have a required meal plan for the residence dining halls.
Permitted—except in first year residence areas
These items are permitted in residence, except in Orchard Commons, Place Vanier and Totem Park, where they are prohibited.
Pro tips!
Appliance not listed above?
If there’s a cooking appliance you were hoping to bring, but it’s not listed above, you must contact your Residence Life Manager to find out if it could be permitted.
Can I bring a mini fridge?
While you are permitted to bring a mini fridge to residence—that’s no bigger than 0.14 cubic metres (5 cubic feet)—many students end up finding that it’s an unnecessary item.
If you’re moving into a unit with a kitchen, you already have access to a fridge. If you’re in a residence with a dining hall, you’ll have access to plenty of food and drink from morning to night through your meal plan.
Plus, it’s burdensome to move in and out of residence and can result in extra electronic waste at the end of the year.
Cooling appliances
While most residence buildings don’t include air conditioning, Vancouver’s mild climate means that a portable cooling appliance isn’t necessary during the Winter Session (September to April) but may be valuable during the Summer Session (May to August).
What is and isn’t permitted
What you’ll need to stay cool
During the Winter Session
If you’re living in a Winter Session residence area, you won’t need a fan—and air conditioners are not permitted in Winter Session residence areas.
During the Summer Session
With temperatures during the Summer Session (May to August) becoming warmer on average, some students living in Year Round residence areas find a fan useful for staying cool during these months.
While portable air conditioners are permitted in Year Round and Summer residence areas, you must email your Residence Life Manager to request approval, in advance, to bring one to your unit/room.
And before you purchase a portable air conditioner, to help us reduce energy use and appliance waste during move out, we ask you to consider whether one is truly necessary and explore alternative ways to stay cool in hot weather.
What not to bring
We don’t recommend you bring these items.
Printers
You’ll submit the majority of your assignments digitally, so it’s unlikely you’ll need to print much, if anything, during your time at UBC. In the rare case, you need to print something, you’ll have easy access to printers in libraries across campus through UBC Pay for Print.
Bikes and vehicles
UBC is a very walkable campus—flat and pedestrian-friendly, with everything inside a 15-minute walk or so and much of campus a car-free zone. So you don’t need to bring a bike or vehicle to get around.
Plus, with plenty of rain in the winter, students who bring a bike often find they don’t use it as much as they thought they would.
Alternative transportation options
If you need to travel a little further away or get somewhere in a hurry, here are some options.
For getting around campus
For going off-campus
If you do bring a bike
If you do end up bringing a bike or buying one while you’re at UBC, make sure it’s inexpensive—and bring a good U-lock. Bike theft happens. Learn more about cycling at UBC and how to keep your bike safe on-campus.
If you do bring a vehicle
Parking availability is limited. Make sure you apply early. Learn more about residence and campus parking.
Expensive and priceless items
Avoid bringing expensive or priceless items to residence, such as luxury jewellery or family heirlooms. It’s not worth the risk of losing items while moving/travelling or to theft.
Alternative options
If you bring expensive/priceless items
If you do end up bringing any items of significant value to residence (or store them in a safety deposit box) ensure that your renter’s insurance covers you in the event of theft or loss.
Prohibited items
The following items are prohibited in residence. While some items might be obvious, such as firearms, other items might seem less obvious, but are also prohibited for a range of reasons.
Thank you for your support, cooperation and understanding regarding these prohibited items. We all play a role in contributing to a safer residence environment.
*Students must apply for approval via the UBC Centre for Accessibility before bringing a service animal to residence. For students moving into Acadia Park (Family Housing), learn more about animals permitted in residence.
**Please refer to the weapons clause in your Residence Contract for further detail.
Questions?
If you have any questions about what to bring, what not to bring, permitted appliances or prohibited items, please contact us.