A student's first year experience at Temple University is often his or her first experience living away from home. Students often bring items to campus based on personal preference.

• alarm clock
• backpack and supplies
• fan
• headphones
• sheets, pillows, blankets
• waste basket
• pictures, posters
• stereo or iPod
• television
• cable lock for any laptops
• mobile device (iPad/iPhone/Android phone or tablet, etc.)
• personal toiletries and medications
• cleaning supplies and laundry detergent
• personal appliances with automatic shut-off feature (iron, coffee maker, etc.)
• students are only permitted to bring refrigerators that are less than 3.6 cubic ft. and are energy star rated. Students can contract through our preferred vendor, MicroFridge, by visiting their site at www.mymicrofridge.com.
• your health insurance card

Temple University has been offering the Residence Hall Linens program since 1993. Students at Temple University require specially-sized sheets, mattress pads and comforters to fit campus mattresses. These beds, which are longer than 76 inches, are intended to maximize student comfort. 

When you reserve your college bedding through the Residence Hall Linens Program at OCM, you ensure the right size linens for move-in. The selection is larger than you will find anywhere else, at prices that are budget-friendly. Best of all, every Residence Hall Linens product available through OCM is guaranteed to fit and guaranteed to last from move-in all the way to graduation. Extra-long sheets, extra-long mattress pads, extra-long comforters, pillows, décor and storage solutions and all other products are backed by this guarantee. And using the OCM.com website is EASY!

We recommend that parents and students respond early, in order to have the widest selection of college bedding to choose from. Doing so will guarantee your first choice color or pattern and help you make great progress on your college shopping checklist.

If you have questions about a specific item and whether or not it is permitted in university housing, you should contact your Front Desk/Residential Life Office or refer to the Community Living Standards.  Some examples of prohibited items include, but are not limited to the following: 

• Appliances or any item with electrical wiring that is homemade, has been altered, without an underwriter’s label (UL), or a seal of approval from another recognized testing laboratory
• Beds (personal frames and mattresses)
• Candles, incense, wax melts, oil burners or any devices using halogen bulbs or exposed heating elements
• Hot pots, immersion coils, hot plates, burners, portable stoves, or any kitchen appliance in a bedroom
• Materials or mechanisms for lofting or raising beds including but not limited to any block, lift, or other device that raises the bed platform and legs above the standard height. Beds can be bunked, if the university-provided furniture allows
• Networking equipment (including but not limited to: wireless access points, routers, hubs, etc.)
• Personal microwaves, unless acquired through the Temple selected vendor, Campus Specialists Inc.
• Pets or live animals (other than certified service animals and approved assistance animals)
• Toaster Ovens, toasters, woks, rice cookers, broilers, popcorn poppers, and other cooking appliances (except when used in the kitchen area of apartment-style rooms in Temple Towers, Morgan Hall, and 1300)
• Water-filled devices (including, but not limited to: aquatic tanks, inflatable hot tubs, waterbeds, etc.)
• Firearms (e.g. guns, pistols, rifles, stun guns, air rifles, pellet guns, etc.), fireworks, knives, weapons, ammunition, gunpowder, explosives, or other material containing flammable substances, as well as replicas of any such articles or substances. This applies to all persons, even those who possess a license to carry such weapons, except for authorized Campus Safety Services and other law enforcement personnel performing official functions.

Please note that students are not permitted to bring their own microwaves unless they are ordered through our partners.

The Microfridge

• Campus Specialties, Inc.offers a refrigerator and microwave combination ("MicroFridge") rental unit for students living on-campus.
• For more information about renting a MicroFridge, please visit https://www.mymicrofridge.com/.  
• They'll deliver your unit prior to move-in, making it easier for you and your family during Move-in Day.
• Learn more about MicroFridge and their offerings by checking out this short video.

Residents are encouraged to consider purchasing renter's insurance through GradGuard, a service of Next Generation Insurance Group.  The plan they're offering to Temple students is designed specifically for college students, costs just $149.68 for the year and includes $5,000 of coverage for theft or damage by a covered peril to your personal belongings with a $100 deductible and $50,000 of personal liability coverage.  If you already have Renters Insurance with equal or better coverage or are covered on your parents’ homeowners insurance you don't need to do anything else.

On college campuses, backpacks are often filled with thousands of dollars of electronics and books, and student bicycles and other valuables are often targets for criminals. Remember, you are responsible for replacing stolen or damaged property, not Temple University.

GradGuard Renters Insurance is a smart investment for college students and their families. With our Renters Insurance plan, any personal items that are stolen or damaged by a covered cause of loss can be replaced, subject to a $100 deductible. This includes clothing, computers/laptops/tablets, smart phones, bikes, game consoles, textbooks, furniture, and more. GradGuard Renters Insurance also protects you financially for unintentional damage to your residence or bodily injury to others for which you are liable.  With low annual rates, GradGuard Renters Insurance is designed for Temple students and their families.            

Features of GradGuard Renters Insurance include:

• Low $100.00 Deductible. Compared to $500, $1000, or more for a typical homeowners insurance policy.
• Replacement Cost. If your personal property is stolen or damaged due to a covered peril, it will be replaced with an item of like kind and quality.
• Worldwide coverage – Your belongings are protected even outside your home. If you are traveling or your car gets broken into, GradGuard Renters Insurance can help cover property losses outside your residence.
• Electronics coverage – Your electronics, including your TV, laptop, smartphone and tablet, are covered up to the policy limits. There is no special limit.
• Personal Liability Coverage. If you cause damage to property or injure others, you may be liable for the damages. Renters Insurance from GradGuard provides up to $300,000 in personal liability coverage. For example, if you unintentionally set off your building’s sprinkler system, liability protection can help pay for the resulting damages.
• Alternative to Homeowners Insurance. Not all Homeowners Insurance policies are the same. Limitations may apply when property is away from the principal residence. With Renters Insurance, personal belongings are covered whether you are on-campus, off-campus, or traveling anywhere in the world, up to the policy limits.

To learn more or sign up for a plan, click here.  After visiting the site be sure to enter "Temple University" as the school. 

To contact Grad Guard directly, call (866) 985-7598.  The preferred e-mail address for written inquiries is customerservice@gradguard.com.  

For frequently asked questions about Renter's Insurance, click here.

Washers and dryers are available in every residence hall. Our halls are not equipped with change machines, so getting a roll of quarters every so often is a good idea.

You should also consider putting money on your Diamond Dollars account for added convenience. Most students tend to do laundry on weekends. Washers and dryers are available 24 hours a day, so the best availability you may find is during the day before dinner, or late at night.

• We encourage you to decorate your room to reflect your personality and style.
• Many rooms have bulletin boards or tack strips; we also suggest using fun-tack for hanging things on the walls instead of nails or tacks.
• Students are not permitted to paint, install carpeting (area rugs are fine), hang wallpaper, or apply contact paper or decals.
• Students are also not permitted to hang items from ceiling pipes or fire-safety equipment, or to alter any university furniture in any way.

If you're interested in registering your room for our Annual Room Decorating Contest, check back for registration details to participate in the Showcase Your Space Program and be sure to follow instructions about the process when notifications are sent.

Room Decorating Policy