University of WashingtonStudent Guide

Academic dates, campus language, housing, and student-life references for University of Washington. Free for students.

Public Research University in Seattle, WA. Operating on a semester system.

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Total Enrollment

Research University

Institution Type

41

Housing Buildings

Student guide · Summer Quarter 2026 Full-Term

The semester, explained for University of Washington

Dates from the active academic calendar, plus the campus language and local details students actually need. Every entry comes from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Relevant term
Summer Quarter 2026 Full-Term
Campus terms
78
Local details
40

Academic calendar

Summer Quarter 2026 Full-Term runs Jun 22, 2026 – Aug 21, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.

10 entries
  1. Summer 2026 A-Term
  2. Summer Quarter 2026 Full-TermRelevant now
  3. Summer 2026 B-TermSummer B-Term 2026
  4. Autumn Quarter 2026
  5. Winter Quarter 2027
  6. Spring Quarter 2027
  7. Summer 2027 A-Term
  8. Summer Quarter 2027 Full-Term
  9. Summer 2027 B-Term

Add dates to DormWay

Campus language

Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.

78 terms

A

Alder
Alder Hall, a West Campus residence hall that houses the District Market.
ASUW
Associated Students of the University of Washington, the undergraduate student government.

B

Boundless
A term often used ironically by students to mock the university's 'Be Boundless' marketing slogan.
By George
A popular cafe and deli located in the basement of Odegaard Library.

C

Cedar
Cedar Apartments, a West Campus housing option primarily for upper-division students.
Center Table
The primary dining hall for students living in North Campus residence halls.
CIRCLE
Center for International Relations & Cultural Leadership Exchange, supporting international students.
CLUE
Center for Learning and Undergraduate Enrichment, the university's free late-night multi-disciplinary tutoring center.
CT
Center Table, the primary dining hall for students living on North Campus.
Cultivate
A full-service, sit-down restaurant located in Elm Hall.

D

Dawg
A common nickname for a UW student or fan, derived from the Husky mascot.
Dawg Pack
The official name for the student section at Husky athletic events.
Dawgs
The common nickname for UW students, alumni, and sports teams (short for Huskies).
District Market
The campus grocery stores located in Alder Hall and Oak Hall.
DM
District Market, the campus grocery stores located in Alder Hall and Oak Hall.
Drumheller
Drumheller Fountain, the large fountain aligned with Rainier Vista.
Dub
A nickname for the 'W' logo or the university itself (short for 'U-Dub').
Dubs
The name of the university's live Alaskan Malamute mascot.

E

ECC
The Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center, a hub for student diversity and inclusion orgs.
ETC
Short for 'Etc. Coffee & Goods,' small convenience stores/coffee shops scattered across campus.

F

FIG
First-year Interest Group, a program where freshmen take a pre-set cluster of classes together.
FIUTS
Foundation for International Understanding through Students, an org focused on international student programs.

G

GPSS
Graduate and Professional Student Senate, the representative body for grad students.
Greek Row
17th Avenue NE, the primary location for fraternity and sorority houses.
Greek Row
The area north of campus (primarily 17th Ave NE) where most fraternity and sorority houses are located.

H

Haggett
Haggett Hall, an older North Campus dorm known for its unique hexagonal towers.
Hansee
Hansee Hall, known for being the 'quiet' and historic 24-hour quiet-hours dorm.
Harry Potter Room
The Graduate Reading Room in Suzzallo Library, named for its resemblance to the Great Hall in the films.
HFS
Housing & Food Services, the department that manages campus living and dining.
Huskies
The collective name for UW students and the school's athletic teams.

I

IMA
Intramural Activities, referring to both the massive campus gym and the sports programs.

L

Lander
Lander Hall, a major residence hall in West Campus that houses the Local Point dining hall.
Local Point
The primary dining hall for students living in West Campus residence halls.
LP
Local Point, the primary dining hall for students living on West Campus.

M

Madrona
Madrona Hall, a newer residence hall located in North Campus.
Maple
Maple Hall, a West Campus residence hall often associated with engineering and tech communities.
McCarty
McCarty Hall, a North Campus residence hall.
McMahon
McMahon Hall, known for its unique 'cluster' living arrangement where 8-10 students share a common space.
McMahon Clusters
The unique 8-10 person shared living suites within McMahon Hall.
Mercer
Shorthand for Mercer Court, a West Campus apartment-style housing complex.
Mercer Court
A West Campus apartment-style complex popular with upperclassmen.

N

Nordheim
Shorthand for Nordheim Court, an off-campus but UW-affiliated apartment complex.
North Campus
The cluster of dorms located north of the main campus, including Madrona, McCarty, and Willow.

P

PACCAR Starbucks
The high-traffic Starbucks located within the Foster School of Business.
Pag
Pagliacci Pizza, a popular local pizza chain with multiple locations on campus.
Pags
Shorthand for Pagliacci Pizza, which has multiple locations on campus.
Parnassus
A student-run cafe located in the basement of the Art Building.
Purple Out
A designated game day where all students are encouraged to wear Husky purple.

R

Rainier Vista
The specific campus view-path designed to frame Mount Rainier on clear days.
RCSA
Residential Community Student Association, the student government for those living in HFS housing.
Red Square
The central brick-paved plaza (officially Central Plaza) where most events occur.

S

Sleepless in Seattle
A common joke among students during finals week or heavy midterms.
Stevens
Shorthand for Stevens Court, an apartment-style student housing complex.

T

T-Lander
A common shorthand for the adjacent Terry and Lander Halls on West Campus.
Terry
A West Campus residence hall often paired with Lander in student conversation.
Terry-Lander
The combined residential community of Terry and Lander Halls in West Campus.
The 2104
Common shorthand for the 2104 House, a small university-owned residential community.
The 8
The primary dining hall located in McMahon Hall on North Campus.
The Ave
University Way NE, the main street off-campus filled with restaurants and shops.
The Ave
University Way NE, the main street bordering campus where many students live in off-campus apartments.
The Ave
University Way NE, the main street bordering campus filled with off-campus restaurants and shops.
The Cut
The Montlake Cut, the waterway where the rowing team practices and the boat parade happens.
The District
District Market, the on-campus grocery store located in Alder Hall.
The DM
The District Market, the campus grocery store located in Alder Hall.
The Dub
A common nickname for the University of Washington, derived from the letter 'W'.
The HUB
The food court area inside the Husky Union Building.
The Mac
Student shorthand for McCarty Hall, a residence hall in North Campus.
The Mad
Student shorthand for Madrona Hall, a residence hall in North Campus.
The Madrona
Madrona Hall, a newer North Campus dorm often cited for its modern amenities and learning communities.
The Nook
A convenience store and late-night snack spot located in McMahon Hall.
The Quad
The Liberal Arts Quadrangle, famous for its cherry blossoms in the spring.
The Rotunda
The main dining area serving the Health Sciences and medical complex.
The W
The large purple 'W' statue located at the north entrance of campus, a popular photo spot.

U

U-District
The University District, the neighborhood immediately surrounding the campus.
U-Dub
The universal shorthand and nickname for the University of Washington.
U-Village
University Village, an upscale outdoor shopping mall located just east of the campus.

W

West Campus
The cluster of modern dorms located west of the main campus, including Alder, Lander, and Maple.
Willow
Willow Hall, a North Campus residence hall known for housing the Center Table dining facility.

Places and practicalities

Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.

40 details
10-minute rule
The convention where classes end 10 minutes before the scheduled hour to allow travel time between buildings.
BAG
Bagley Hall, the main building for the Chemistry department.
Canvas
The Learning Management System (LMS) used for almost all course materials and assignments.
center_table
Center Table
CSE
The Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering.
Dawg Daze
The official week of welcome events held for new students at the start of the Autumn quarter.
Dawg Path
A web tool used by students to discover majors and research course workloads/grades.
DawgPath
A data-driven tool used to check course workloads and grade distributions.
district_market_alder
District Market Alder
Drumheller
The large fountain (Drumheller Fountain) located at the center of Rainier Vista.
Gug
Guggenheim Hall, the main building for the Aeronautics and Astronautics department.
Guggenheim
Guggenheim Hall, the primary building for the Aeronautics & Astronautics department.
Handshake
The official platform used by UW for student job postings and internship searches.
Husky Card
The official student ID used for building access, dining payments, and transit.
Husky Check-In
The process of using a mobile device to record attendance in large lecture classes.
Husky NightRide
A free shuttle service providing safe transportation between campus buildings and residential areas during late-night hours.
Husky NightWalk
A safety service where uniformed staff provide walking escorts for students across campus at night.
Husky NightWalk/Shuttle
The campus shuttle service providing safe transportation around the U-District at night.
husky_den_food_court
Husky Den Food Court
Kane
Kane Hall, the building containing the university's largest lecture halls.
KNE
Kane Hall, the building containing the largest lecture halls on campus.
Link
The Sound Transit light rail system, which has a major station located at Husky Stadium.
local_point
Local Point
Mary Gates
Mary Gates Hall, the center for undergraduate academic advising and student services.
MGH
Mary Gates Hall, the center for undergraduate academic advising and classrooms.
MyPlan
The online academic planning tool used by students to build schedules and register for classes.
MyUW
The central web portal for registration, grades, and financial aid.
NightRide
A free shuttle service for students traveling between campus and residential areas at night.
NightWalk
A campus safety service where uniformed teams escort students across campus after dark.
Notify.UW
A tool that sends texts or emails when a seat opens up in a closed course.
Ode
Odegaard Undergraduate Library, the main 24-hour (during finals) study hub.
Odegaard
The undergraduate library (often called 'Ode'), known for being open 24/7 during finals.
PACCAR
PACCAR Hall, the primary building for the Foster School of Business.
Suzz
Suzzallo Library, famous for its 'Harry Potter' reading room.
Suzzallo
Suzzallo Library, famous for its 'Harry Potter' style Graduate Reading Room.
The HUB
Husky Union Building, the central student union for food, events, and student offices.
The Link
The Sound Transit Light Rail, which has stations at Husky Stadium and the U-District.
The Quad
The Liberal Arts Quadrangle, famous for its cherry blossoms in the spring.
U-PASS
The universal transit pass integrated into the Husky Card for unlimited bus and light rail use.
UW Time
The convention where classes end 10 minutes earlier than the listed time to allow for travel between buildings.

Quick answers

Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.

What academic term is relevant now?
Summer Quarter 2026 Full-Term runs Jun 22, 2026 – Aug 21, 2026.
How much campus context is included?
78 approved campus terms and 40 local details are included in full.
Are all approved campus terms included?
Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
Where does this guide come from?
Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Class of 2030 · University of Washington

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What we’ll email you about

  • Jun 30

    Roommate selection window closes

    Recommended · source

  • Jul 1

    Final high school transcripts due

    Required · source

  • Jul 1

    Immunization records due

    Required · source

  • Sep 23

    Fall Move-in begins

    Required · source

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Find a few communities to try at University of Washington

These are things we discovered from public campus sources. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed

30 mapped items from 11 public sources

Interest filters
  • Major-aligned clubs, pre-professional groups, and research communities.
  • Performing arts, visual arts, student publications, film, and music.
  • Cultural orgs, identity communities, and faith-based groups.
  • Volunteer groups, civic engagement, mutual aid, and student government.
  • Outdoor clubs, intramural sports, club sports, and rec center programs.
  • Entrepreneurship, hackathon teams, makerspaces, and engineering project teams.
  • Casual hangouts, interest groups, and open events without applications.

Worth a look

Dream Project

A student-initiated program that partners UW students with first-generation and low-income students in Seattle-area high schools to assist them in their college-admissions process.

Open to all

Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS)

The official student government for graduate and professional students at UW, advocating for their unique needs and interests.

Source: depts.washington.edu · Verified 1 month ago

Visit Website

Husky Dance Team

A competitive dance team that performs at various UW athletic events and competes nationally in pom and jazz categories.

Tryout required

Husky Marching Band

Known as the 'Heartbeat of Husky Stadium,' the 240-member Husky Marching Band performs at all home football games and other university events.

Tryout required

Rainy Dawg Radio

UW's official student-run radio station, broadcasting a wide variety of music, talk shows, and sports coverage online.

Source: rainydawg.org · Verified 1 month ago

Listen Live

Residence Hall Student Association (RHSA)

Represents the interests of students living in residence halls, providing programming, advocacy, and leadership opportunities.

Open to all

University of Washington Mock Trial

A competitive team that travels and competes in intercollegiate mock trial tournaments, simulating real-life court cases.

Tryout required

UW Climbing Team

A competitive and recreational climbing club that competes in the USA Climbing Collegiate series.

Tryout required

UW Equestrian Team

Competes in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) in both Hunt Seat and Western disciplines.

Tryout required

UW Ice Hockey

Competes in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division I, within the PAC-8 conference.

Tryout required

UW Men's Club Baseball

Competes at the Division I level of the National Club Baseball Association (NCBA) in the Northern Pacific West Conference.

Tryout required

Easy to try first

Dubstech

A student organization focused on creating a community for students interested in technology, through workshops, projects, and networking events.

Drop in any time

Using DormWay at University of Washington

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University of Washington on DormWay

Current DormWay activity for this campus

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Active Students

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Syllabi Analyzed

3

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Life in Seattle for University of Washington Students

Everything you need to know about living and studying in Seattle.

Timezone

Pacific Time (PT)

Median Rent

$2,200

Cost of Living Index

172

Student Population

45,000

City Transportation

Walkability

74

Bikeability

71

Public Transit

King County Metro, Sound Transit Link light rail

Nearest Airports

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Climate Averages

Climate

Oceanic (marine west coast)

Avg Annual Temp

52°F

Avg Snowfall

5 in

Data sources: World Population Review (2026), U.S. Census Bureau, FRED Economic Data • 2026

Campus Operations Snapshot

Parking and Transit

E18

surface_lot • High (Value lot)

Daily rate is $8.35; primary lot for student commuters.

Central Plaza Garage

garage • Moderate

Daily rate is $21.50; flat rate of $14.00 after 4 p.m. on weeknights.

S01

surface_lot • Limited

No daily rate available, hourly only.

Upcoming Events

What's happening at University of Washington

Information Session: Certificate in Data Science Methods for Real-World Evidence (RWE) in Health

July 30, 2026

Virtual

Dorms & On-Campus Housing at University of Washington

Various dorm and housing options are available for students.

39 known dorm and housing options. The first 24 are shown below; the rest are available in the expandable list.

Adams Hall

Room types: single, double

Alder Hall

Capacity: 520

Room types: single, double

Anderson Hall

Room types: single, double

Area 01 Community Center

Blaine Hall

Blakeley Village

Room types: apartment

Blakely Hall

Room types: single, double

Cady Hall

Cedar Apartments

Room types: apartment

Commodore Duchess

Room types: apartment

Denny Hall

Capacity: 520

Room types: single, double

Elm Hall

Capacity: 500

Room types: single, double

Haggett Hall

Capacity: 800

Room types: double

Hansee Hall

Capacity: 450

Room types: single, double

Lander Hall

Capacity: 510

Room types: single, double

Laurel Village

Room types: apartment

Loew Hall

Room types: various

Madrona Hall

Capacity: 420

Room types: single, double

Magnuson Park Apartments

Capacity: 200

Room types: townhouse style, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom

Maple Hall

Capacity: 530

Room types: single, double

McCarty Hall

Capacity: 480

Room types: single, double

McMahon Hall

Capacity: 460

Room types: single, double

Mercer Court

Capacity: 300

Room types: single, double

Mercer Court A, B, and C

Room types: apartment

Show the remaining 15 housing options

Mercer Court D and E

Room types: apartment

Nordheim Court

Room types: apartment

North Campus residence halls

Oak Hall

Capacity: 440

Room types: single, double

Oliver Hall

Capacity: 400

Room types: single, double

Parrington Hall

Room types: single, double

Poplar Hall

Capacity: 460

Room types: single, double

Radford Court

Room types: apartment

Schmitz Hall

Room types: various

Spratlen Hall (formerly Madrona Hall)

Capacity: 278

Room types: triple with private bathroom

Stevens Court

Capacity: 280

Room types: apartment, one-bedroom

Terry Hall

Capacity: 440

Room types: single, double

West Campus Apartments

Capacity: 400

Room types: studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom

Willow Hall

Capacity: 400

Room types: single, double

Willow Hall / Oliver Hall

Campus Details

Academic System

Semester

Control

Public

Email Domain

@washington.edu

Official Website

Visit Website →

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