Mailing for Student Residents

All packages addressed to students are delivered to Mail Services in the Service Center. Mail Services processes hundreds of pieces of mail and packages daily. For the protection of the University community, the University requires that all mail and packages that come through Mail Services be x-rayed. Processing time from the receipt of mail into Mail Services is 48 hours or two business days during non-peak periods. Following this 48-hour period, processed mail is delivered to Residence Halls for further processing. Processing time may increase during peak periods. Students will want to check with Residence Hall Administration regarding mail processing time at their hall. If the processing time impacts the recipient’s delivery requirements, we recommend the use of an alternative shipping address, example P.O. Box.

All mail and packages designated for a Residence Hall are processed the same as all packages received. This includes, but not limited to, USPS, FedEx, UPS, Amazon and all other shipping type services. Amazon and other overnight/two-day shipments will require the same processing time upon receipt into Mail Services. Please note: Residence Halls’ main desks are prohibited from accepting deliveries or personal property on behalf of any student or resident.

Email authorization may be given to someone to retrieve mail and/or packages. The authorization must come via an email from a Howard University email address that shows the name of the recipient’s name on the mail/package. An example of what the email should read, “I John Smith give Jane Doe permission to pick up mail/package for me.” The individual authorized to accept the item must show a government issue photo ID.

Please note: Drivers are not permitted to accept outgoing mail and packages directly from campus residents.

Delivery Delays:

To prevent delivery delays, please ensure letter mail and packages are properly addressed. Delivery of packages that arrive to Mail Services under nicknames, no names, without full addresses or other misprints may cause delivery delays.

Shipments of perishables are discouraged as special shipments may not be immediately identified among the hundreds of packages. The University cannot be responsible for the damage of perishable items resulting from delivery delays.

Please note: Only item with tracking numbers are scanned and recorded into the iOffice Package Tracking System.

Shippers are encouraged to send special items such as medicines, passports and things of value using a method that includes a tracking number. However, do not include cash, checks, money orders or gift cards in the mail as the University cannot be responsible for lost or stolen financial instruments. The Mail Services team will not be able to locate or identify items mailed as general mail.

Outgoing Mail & Packages:

Drivers are not permitted to accept outgoing mail and packages directly from campus residents. All outgoing mail/packages must be dropped off at Mail Services in the Service Center.

For inquiries, comments or concerns regarding Mail Services, Residence Hall students should contact hureslife@howard.edu.

Residence Hall Mail Room Operation Hours:

Towers (East & West) 
Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

College Hall South 
Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

College Hall North
Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Harriet Tubman Quad
Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Bethune Annex
Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Axis
Monday - Friday, 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm

Drew Hall 
Monday - Friday, 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm

Cook Hall
Monday - Friday, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm