Student move dates in Southampton

Southampton has two universities with different calendars. Their term dates decide when vans are busiest in the city. This guide lists both sets of dates for the year ahead and explains which weeks to plan around.

Nothing is taken until your driver confirms. Pay them the rest when the job is done.

University of Southampton, academic year 2026 to 2027

Source: the university's own term dates page. Check it before you rely on a date, as the university can change them.

Solent University, academic year 2026 to 2027

These are the standard undergraduate dates; some courses differ. Source: the university's academic calendar for 2026 to 2027.

When vans get busy

The week before the autumn term

The University of Southampton's welcome week runs from Monday 14 to Sunday 20 September 2026, with the autumn term starting on Monday 21 September. Solent's autumn term starts a week later, on Monday 28 September. Between them, the second half of September is the busiest fortnight of the year for vans in the city. Students arrive, second and third years move into houses, and families arrive with car loads that do not fit. If you can move in the first half of September, or in early October, you will find a driver more easily.

The end of the summer term

Solent's summer term ends on Friday 14 May 2027 and the University of Southampton's on Saturday 29 May 2027. Students leave halls and houses for home, often with everything they own, and many of those are long trips across the country. Book early for the last week of each term, and consider moving a few days after term ends when the rush has passed.

The end of tenancies

Student house tenancies in the city tend to end in the summer, often in the same few weeks, and the move from one house to the next can mean a gap with belongings in storage. If your tenancy end falls in a busy week, a storage run before the end date and a second run after it may be easier to book than one move on the day itself.

Quieter spells

The Christmas vacation, from Sunday 13 December 2026, and the Easter vacation, from Sunday 21 March 2027, are quiet. Mid-term weekdays are quiet. If your move is flexible, these are the easy times to find a driver and to take the loading at a calm pace.

What to do with the dates

1. Find your own dates. Your tenancy end, your halls check-out and the term dates above. Write them down together.
2. Avoid the peaks if you can. The second half of September and the last week of each summer term are the hard weeks.
3. Book early if you cannot. Send the request as soon as your date is known. A deposit held on your card secures it, and if no driver can take the job the hold is released.
4. Be flexible on the hour. Early mornings and evenings cost the same per hour as midday and are easier to fill in a busy week.
5. Sort the parking. Streets near both universities are mostly controlled zones. The parking guide explains loading on yellow lines and the council's £14 bay suspension.

Booking a student move

The student moves page covers the usual jobs, the cost of a Medium van and the questions students ask, such as riding in the van and whether parents can pay. For one large item see single items and furniture, and for a whole shared house see house removals. The home page has the overview of how the service works.

Nothing is taken until your driver confirms. Pay them the rest when the job is done.