Mail and Package Tips

All packages addressed to your residence hall are delivered to your Residential Service Desk (RSD). Below are some helpful tips when ordering packages to be sent to your residential address.

How to Address Your Mail

Your Name
Name of Your Residence Hall, UMass
Residence Hall Street Address, Room #
Amherst, MA 01003- (4-digit extended ZIP)

For the correct street address and zip code of your residence hall, go to Residence Directory.

Package Delivery for Fall 2023

In the Fall of 2019, when the campus was fully occupied, RSDs distributed over 60,000 packages in the first four weeks of the semester. At our busiest location we had up to nine people working at any one time to get packages out to students, and despite our best efforts students experienced extreme delays in receiving items essential to academic success, like textbooks and iClickers.

In light of this, we offer the following mail and package guidelines for Fall 2023:

  • Students should plan to arrive on campus with everything they need in order to begin classes successfully.
  • Textbooks ordered after the semester starts can be shipped to an E-campus pick up point on campus rather than to the RSD.
  • A 30 day supply of all medication should be brought from home. Refills can be ordered through the University Health Services Pharmacy. 
  • Staff will not be able to accept furniture, large rugs, or other large non-essential items at the RSDs.

Students may wish to consider the suggestions below as alternatives to frequent deliveries to the RSD:

  • Consider having items delivered to an alternate address (their permanent address, an off campus address, or even an Amherst Post Office Box) where they can pick them up at their convenience.
  • Utilize services which deliver directly to the student, such as local food delivery or services where items from local retailers are delivered directly to the student, like InstaCart.
  • Take advantage of the fare-free bus routes provided by UMass Transit to visit local brick and mortar stores.

Authorized Vendors and Delivery Partners

  • Residential Service Desks accept packages shipped through the US Postal Service, UPS, FedEx Ground, FedEx Express, and DHL. We also accept deliveries from Edible Arrangements and Atkins Farm, a local business offering flower delivery.

  • We are unable to accept packages shipped via unauthorized vendors, as well as deliveries from vendors whose goods go directly to the student such as DoorDash, Instacart, Peapod, and local restaurants offering delivery. 

When to Pick Up You Package

Wait until you receive an email from your RSD letting you know you have a package before going to pick it up. Notifications are sent out multiple times a day to ensure we are able to get you your package as soon as possible. Notifications from third parties that a package has arrived does not mean it is at your RSD ready to be picked up. During the first few weeks of each semester it can take up to 72 hours from the time you received the third party email for your package to be available for pickup at the RSD. If a package is unclaimed for seven days it will be returned to sender.

Textbooks

Order textbooks and other course materials with eCampus@UMass via SPIRE. Have these delivered to your home address prior to the start of the semester to avoid the risk of delays at the RSD. 

iClickers

Often required for attendance purposes, iClickers are usually needed for the first class. Have these delivered to your home address prior to the start of the semester to avoid the risk of it arriving late.

Medications

Whenever possible avoid sending medication to your on-campus address. Utilize a local pharmacy such as University Health Services to avoid waiting for shipping. If you must have medication delivered to your on campus address, we recommend ordering for multiple months and ordering your refill well before you run out. 

Online Shopping

Avoid having packages from online shopping delivered during the first few weeks of the semester to limit delays for time sensitive packages. 

Updating Your Address

Be sure to update your mailing address during break periods if you don't live in a break housing hall. Mail delivered when halls are closed are typically returned to sender. 

 Question? Contact Residential Life.