Hokie Families: Help your students prepare for Thanksgiving Break!
Residence Halls close for Thanksgiving Break at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, November 22, and reopen at 8:00 A.M. on Sunday, November 30. Students who plan to stay in the residence halls during Thanksgiving Break for any amount of time must register for break housing.
- There is no additional cost for students to live on campus during break
- Registration opens October 24, 2025
- Registration remains open throughout the entire break
- If your student goes home and decides to come back to campus early, they must register for break housing before returning to campus
- Students noted in residence without an active break registration may face financial and student conduct penalties.
How to register:
- Students should access the StarRez Portal
- The registration form can be found by navigating to “Online Forms” and then to “Break Housing Registration”
Registration helps Dining Services, Residential Well-being, and the Virginia Tech Police Department appropriately schedule staff to assist your student over break. Suggest to your student that they add the VT Police non-emergency number (540) 382-4343 to their cell phone!
Expectations for living on campus during Thanksgiving Break:
Residence halls will be in a low-occupancy period during break, and services will be limited. Residential Well-being’s on-call student staff and administrators will be available to respond to situations; however, the staffing level in the buildings will be significantly reduced.
Some details of a low-occupancy period are discussed below, and you can learn more about low-occupancy periods on our website!
- Dining: After November 22, dining operations will be open, but limited. Access to fitness facilities will likewise be reduced. Your Hokie should see the Dining Center Operation Hours for the most current schedule.
- Guests: Guests within the residence halls are not permitted during this period. Guests include anyone who has not been approved by Housing Services to be in the residence halls.
- Hot Water: The hot water supply may be delayed due to the building's pipes being sized for higher occupancy. The water will heat, but your student may need to wait for a longer period until hot water is present in the way it is during higher occupancy periods.
- Mail Services: Student Packages & Mail Services may have limited hours during the low occupancy period. Your Hokie should check the website for hours of operation.
Takeaways:
- Residence Halls close for Thanksgiving Break at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, November 22, and reopen at 8:00 A.M. on Sunday, November 30.
- Your student must register for break housing in order to stay on campus during break, no matter the amount of time they stay.
- There are limited services available on campus during break. Your student should familiarize themselves with what they can expect during break concerning dining, staff support, and more on our website.
You and your Hokie can follow @vtresidential on Instagram and Facebook for more information about the residential experience at Virginia Tech
