HARRISONBURG, VA (James Madison University) — James Madison University (JMU) students will begin moving into residence halls for the 2026-27 academic year this weekend. 

The university reportedly anticipates welcoming approximately 5,000 new students and more than 1,200 transfer and upper-class students who will arrive between Friday and Sunday. JMU anticipates a total enrollment of 23,000 students for the fall semester. 

JMU President Jim Schmidt expressed his thoughts about the busy weekend. 

“The Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area is always warm and inviting. With the return of our students, it becomes an even more vibrant and exciting place to be. Our students and their visiting families bring energy to our community and investment in our local economy, creating a meaningful impact across the region. We are thrilled to see our campus filled once again with students, friends and families.” 

The freshman class brings to JMU students from 40 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 20 countries and territories outside the U.S. The top three majors for these incoming students are nursing, finance and psychology. 

Transfer students to JMU come from 21 states, Puerto Rico and three countries. The top majors for transfer students are business management, finance and psychology.  

Members of the local community should be mindful of the increase in traffic in and around campus throughout the weekend and at the beginning of the semester.  

Road Construction: 

Travelers should be aware of major road construction projects in Harrisonburg. 

  • East Market Street (U.S. 33) – Multiple improvements are taking place on East Market Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Burgess Road/Linda Lane, including upgrades to the I-81 interchange (exit 247). Speed cameras are in place to help enforce the work zone speed limit. More information is available on the project website. 
  • University Boulevard realignment – This project realigns University Boulevard between the JMU Convocation Center parking lot and Forest Hill Road at the Oak Hill Drive intersection. Project details can be found on the City of Harrisonburg website. 
  • Port Republic Road Improvements – This project will lengthen the westbound left turn lane from Port Republic Road onto Bluestone Drive, construct a new traffic signal at the intersection of Port Republic Road and Bradley Drive, and add a new separated eastbound bike lane from Devon Lane to Forest Hill / University Blvd.  Project details can be found on the City of Harrisonburg website. 
  • Travelers should check the Virginia Department of Transportation website before heading to Harrisonburg for any potential delays or detours due to traffic. There is also a new app for using the HB Connect transit buses called MyStop, which replaces Passio GO!  
  • Signs will help guide traffic and JMU Police Department officers will be stationed at several intersections around campus. 

Additional information: 

Other general information on JMU Move-In Day for students, families, guests and visitors is available at jmu.edu/orl/move-in. 

All students moving into residence halls at JMU will go through a check-in process at their residence hall when they arrive on campus. Individual parking and move-in instructions for each residence hall are available on the Office of Residence Life website.