Student Shipping Guide — Send Stuff to Uni Cheaply

Why students should use courier services

A taxi from home to university can cost £50–150+. Van hire costs £40–80 per day plus fuel and insurance. Train tickets with excess luggage are stressful and expensive. Meanwhile, sending a 20kg box via courier costs just £8–15 with 1–2 day delivery.

Send your boxes ahead, travel light, and arrive at halls without the stress of hauling everything yourself.

Cheapest options for student shipping

How to pack for university shipping

1. Use strong boxes. Double-walled cardboard boxes from Amazon or eBay (around £2–3 each) are ideal. Do not use thin single-wall boxes for heavy items.
2. Weight limit per box. Keep each box under 15kg if possible. This keeps prices low and makes them manageable to carry. Two 15kg boxes are cheaper than one 30kg box.
3. Label clearly. Write your name, room number and university address on the box in marker pen, as well as using the courier label. If the label falls off, the box can still reach you.
4. Pack fragile items separately. Laptops, monitors and kitchenware should be wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in their own box. Use the fragile items guide for tips.
5. Time it right. Send boxes 2–3 days before you arrive so they are waiting at reception. Most university halls accept deliveries during freshers week.

Delivering to university halls

Most university halls have a reception or post room that accepts parcels. Before sending, check with your university:

• Is there a post room, and what are the opening hours?
• Can parcels be delivered before your move-in date?
• Is there a size limit on parcels the post room will hold?
• Do you need to use a specific address format?

If your halls do not accept advance parcels, deliver to a nearby InPost locker or Evri ParcelShop and collect when you arrive.

End of term: shipping stuff home

The same process works in reverse. At the end of term, box up your belongings, book a courier collection from your halls, and travel home without luggage. This is especially useful if you are flying home for international students — courier shipping is almost always cheaper than excess baggage fees.

Pro tip for international students: Compare courier prices to your home country vs airline excess baggage. A 20kg box to the EU costs ~£12 by courier vs £40–70 for excess baggage. To the USA or Asia, courier shipping runs £25–45 vs £80+ for airlines.