What Families Need to Know for Every UMD Visit
Several points in the academic calendar bring large numbers of families to the University of Maryland: fall move-in, Family Weekend, commencement, and major admissions events. Each follows different parking, registration, and arrival rules, so a plan that works for one visit may not work for another.
UMD Move-In Day: Follow the Arrival Window
Move-in typically takes three days in late August. The university assigns each student a specific date and arrival window; the Arrival Passport, which confirms the building, unloading instructions, and long-term parking lot, appears in the student’s Housing Portal. Ask them to share it with everyone making the trip.
On arrival, directional signs and university staff guide vehicles to the correct residence hall. Terp Welcome Crew volunteers assist families and retrieve moving carts. Curbside unloading is limited to 10 minutes: unload all belongings to the curb within that window, then the driver relocates the vehicle to the designated long-term lot at no charge while the rest of the group begins moving items into the residence hall.
Packing in clearly labeled boxes makes that window more manageable. Arriving outside the assigned window may cause delays; an early-arrival option is available for a fee, though the specific terms are worth confirming closer to the move-in date.
University of Maryland Parents Weekend: Account for Saturday Separately
Family Weekend typically falls in late September. Registration opens in summer, months before the event, and carries a per-person fee. Hotels near campus and popular restaurants fill quickly once registration opens; sorting both early is the way to go.
The weekend includes both all-campus programming and events specific to individual colleges and schools. Families should check what their student’s college lists separately: departmental open houses, faculty events, and college-specific programming vary and may require separate sign-ups.
The most important logistical distinction is parking. Friday and Sunday access comes through Family Weekend check-in. Saturday is different: the football game that day requires a separately purchased game-day permit, and campus parking is restricted to general visitors. Those who show up Saturday expecting standard access will not find it.
Graduation: More Access, More Traffic
UMD holds a main commencement ceremony at SECU Stadium, along with separate ceremonies for each college and school, during which graduates cross the stage and have their names read. Families typically attend both. Look up your student’s college on the commencement calendar as soon as it’s published; that’s where the full schedule lives.
Each graduate receives a limited number of guest tickets, and the allotment varies by college and venue size. Find out how many your student has well in advance to make sure everyone can attend the special moment.
Most campus lots do not require permits during the commencement period, and visitor parking spaces carry no charge. Free shuttles link parking areas to ceremony locations and take the long walk out of the equation.
The challenge at graduation is volume, not access. Multiple ceremonies take place over several days, traffic converges heavily on the same roads, and the university advises extra time regardless of origin.
UMD Admissions Events: Getting to Know Campus
UMD runs several admissions events throughout the year, including the Fall Open House, Discover Maryland, Admitted Student Open House, Terrapin Tours, and Maryland Information Sessions. Each is aimed at a different stage of the application or decision process. The official tour highlights key campus landmarks, but getting a real sense of whether UMD is the right fit means going further than the route.
- The Stamp Student Union: the center of campus social and student life, worth walking through to see how it actually gets used
- A residence hall: most visits include a residence hall viewing; look at the style of accommodation your student would likely live in, not just the showcase version
- A dining hall during service: the food and atmosphere are part of daily life for four years
- The academic building for your student’s intended major or college: departments sometimes hold their own sessions during admissions events
- The surrounding neighborhood: restaurants, shops, and the general character of College Park itself
- Campus at different points in the day, not just during the structured portion of the visit
Each event has its own registration process; check the university’s admissions pages to find the right one for your visit.
Getting to College Park
Families coming from outside the region arrive through BWI, Reagan National, or Dulles, or by Amtrak into Washington or Baltimore. Move-in requires a vehicle large enough for the load. For Family Weekend and commencement, the Green Line reaches College Park Metro, where Shuttle-UM or another final connection carries visitors onto campus, avoiding the need to find campus parking.
Families arriving together from Baltimore or one of the regional airports may also compare rental cars, rideshare, rail, and pre-arranged transportation to UMD based on luggage, passenger count, and the event schedule. For families already in the area, a local car service option covers shorter trips when the group needs a single vehicle.
One Thing All Visits Have in Common
All these events reward the same approach: check the university’s current guidance for that specific visit rather than assuming last year’s instructions still apply. Parking permits, arrival windows, shuttle routes, and registration details change year to year. UMD’s official event pages are always more accurate than any third-party summary, including this one.
