current residents
Winter Break 2026
Chestnut Residence
Winter Break Closure
Chestnut Residence will be closed from
12pm (noon) on Wednesday, December 23, 2026
to
8am on Wednesday, January 6, 2027.
student
Checkout Date
Residents must check out either
48 hours following your last December exam
or
by 12 pm (noon) on Wednesday, December 23, 2026.
(whichever comes first)
IMPORTANT GUIDELINES
Checking Out
As you prepare to depart for Winter Break, please take note of the following information.
- Residents are expected to move out promptly following their last December exam to not disrupt others still studying and preparing for exams.
- You can leave your belongings in your room while you are away for winter break.
- You will need to return your room key before you depart (you may hold onto your laundry card and mailbox key if you are returning in January). Return your room key to Front Desk when you leave or place it in the Express Checkout Box, also located at Front Desk.
- You must be checked out by 12pm (noon) on Wednesday, December 23, 2026, but you may stay with your belongings in Chestnut Student Lounge until you leave for your flight/train/ride etc.
- There are no in/out privileges for those who have not been approved for Winter Break stay.
Prepare your room
Please ensure you tidy your room and remove all garbage and recycling prior to your departure:
- Check that you have not left any perishable food or beverages in the communal fridge on your floor.
- Garbage bags are available for students to pick up at the Front Desk.
- Once your garbage bags are full, leave the bags at the designated garbage area.
- When possible, throw out your garbage early so that the garbage room doesn’t get crowded.
- Don’t leave behind any food, garbage, or other items.
If you have concerns about your check-out date, please visit the Residence Life Office or email chestnut.residence@utoronto.ca
January Check In
January check in will begin at 8am on Wednesday, January 6, 2027.
To ensure an efficient check in, all residents are required to book a move-in time slot for your return to residence in January.
Login to StarPortal to book your time slot under ‘Manage my Housing’ beginning in early-November.
Time slots will be available soon and will be bookable in StarRez through ‘Manage My Housing’ and ‘Chestnut Residence Winter Term 2027’.
You are permitted to have up to two (2) individuals assist you as move-in helpers while moving back into residence, however, please keep in mind that residents are not permitted to have guests, including overnight guests, during the move-in period, so helpers are expected to depart as soon as you have completed your move in.
Should you require an early check in, you must apply and be approved for the Winter Break stay as per the process and deadline outlined in the Staying For Winter Break section below.
Winter Closure
Chestnut Residence Dining Commons
The Chestnut Dining Commons will be closed after dinner on Tuesday, December 22, 2026 and will reopen for breakfast on Saturday, January 9, 2027.
if you need to
Stay in Residence over the Winter Break
If you need to stay at Chestnut Residence beyond Wednesday, December 23, 2026 at 12pm (noon), you must submit a Winter Break Application on the StarRez portal.
The application can be found under ‘Manage My Housing’ and ‘Chestnut Residence Fall Term 2026’. You will receive an email in December if your application has been approved with detailed information about your stay over Winter Break.
Please note that there is a $550 charge for staying over the Winter Break. This fee is not pro-rated, and is a flat rate regardless of how many days you will need to stay during this time.
This fee does not include meals. All applicable charges will be processed via ACORN.
The submission deadline for the Winter Break application is Tuesday, December 1, 2026. Applications received after this date will be subject to a late submission fee of $50 and may not be approved.
What to expect
During Your Winter Break Stay
If you are staying at Chestnut Residence during the Winter Break, please be aware of the following service changes during this time:
Reduced Service:
- Front Desk will be closed beginning Thursday, December 24, 2026 and will reopen as of 7am on Wednesday, January 6, 2027. Mail or parcel pickup will not be available throughout this time.
- The Chestnut Dining Commons will be closed after dinner on Tuesday, December 22, 2026 and will reopen for breakfast on Saturday, January 9, 2027.
- The Residence Life Office and ResNet will be closed beginning Thursday, December 24, 2026 and will re-open as of 9am on Wednesday, January 6, 2027.
- The last day that Housekeeping regular room cleaning services will take place is Wednesday, December 23, 2026 and will resume Wednesday, January 6, 2027; the reduced Housekeeping team working Thursday, December 24 – Tuesday, January 5 will focus on washrooms and garbage removal.
- For urgent matters, students can borrow cleaning supplies from Security.
- The reduced Building Operations team will be onsite to address any urgent maintenance issues throughout Winter Break.
- All Bookable Spaces and 28th Floor will be closed throughout Winter Break.
Security Procedures:
- You must show your Winter term keycard (and Tcard if requested) to Security each time you enter or exit the building.
- No guests are allowed during the Winter Break.
- Security guards will be conducting foot patrols of residence floors.
The Chestnut Community Standards remain in effect for the duration of the Winter Break.