UniMove provides door-to-door student storage for Cambridge postgraduates, collecting boxes, bags, bicycles, and furniture directly from college accommodation, private flats, and rented houses across the city, then holding everything in secure storage until you are ready to receive it back. The service is available at any time of year and covers all postgraduate scenarios at the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University: the gap between finishing an MPhil and starting a PhD, end-of-thesis moves, end-of-grant relocations, and the period after completing a course when the next destination is not yet ready.
Why Cambridge Postgraduate Storage Works Differently
Postgraduate study at Cambridge does not follow the same academic calendar as undergraduate study. Most taught postgraduate courses, including MPhil, MSt, LLM, and MBA programmes, end in September rather than June. PhD students may submit their thesis at any point in the year and then need to vacate their room while waiting for a viva date. Funded research positions end when the grant runs out, not at a fixed point in the term calendar.
This means the standard June-to-September student storage window that suits undergraduates is often the wrong fit for postgraduates. UniMove accepts bookings year-round. Whether a postgraduate needs storage from February to June, from September to January, or from October through to the following autumn, a collection and delivery can be arranged for those exact dates.
Cambridge Graduate Accommodation: Where UniMove Collects
The University of Cambridge manages graduate accommodation at more than thirty colleges, and most of the larger graduate colleges have rooms spread across several sites. UniMove collects from all of them.
Graduate college addresses covered include rooms at Wolfson College (including Wolfson Court on Clarkson Road and the main site on Barton Road), Clare Hall on Herschel Road, Hughes Hall on Mortimer Road, Darwin College on Silver Street, Homerton College on Hills Road, and St Edmund’s College on Mount Pleasant. Private rented houses and flats in the Romsey area, Chesterton, Newnham, Cherry Hinton, and Mill Road are also standard collection points.
The Eddington development on the north-west Cambridge site houses many postgraduate and early-career researcher families. UniMove collects from Ackermann Road and the surrounding Eddington streets. Collections from the Addenbrooke’s and Biomedical Campus area can be arranged for postgraduate students based at the clinical and research institutes on Hills Road and Long Road.
The MPhil-to-PhD Gap: A Common Cambridge Postgraduate Storage Scenario
One of the most frequent postgraduate storage requests UniMove receives from Cambridge is from students finishing a one-year MPhil or Part III course in September and starting a funded PhD the following October. The student must vacate their college room at the end of September but does not move into their next accommodation until the start of Michaelmas term. There is a gap of two to five weeks when they have nowhere to store their belongings.
For students who live within easy reach of Cambridge, the usual solution is to take everything home. For students based in Edinburgh, Belfast, Leeds, or Manchester, that is not practical when they will need everything back in Cambridge within a matter of weeks. UniMove collects at the end of September, stores everything, and delivers to the new Cambridge address when the student is ready to receive it.
The same scenario applies to students starting a Part III after completing an undergraduate degree at a different university. They need storage from June to October while they arrange their new Cambridge accommodation.
For summer storage in Cambridge generally, see our page on summer student storage in Cambridge.
After Thesis Submission: Storage During the Viva Wait
PhD students who submit their thesis often face an uncertain wait for their viva examination, which can be scheduled anywhere from six weeks to six months after submission. If the student’s funding or college room ends at submission, they may need to vacate their Cambridge address while still technically enrolled.
UniMove stores belongings during this period. The student can leave Cambridge, travel, or take short-term work elsewhere, with the certainty that their possessions are in secure storage and can be delivered to a new address when they return. Delivery does not have to be back to Cambridge: if the student is relocating to London, Manchester, or Bristol after their viva, UniMove delivers to the new address directly.
Relocating from Cambridge After Completing a Postgraduate Course
Many Cambridge postgraduates move to a different city at the end of their studies. The timing of the move is often uncertain. A job offer may arrive late, accommodation in the destination city may not be available for several weeks, or the student may need to travel for an extended period before settling. UniMove holds belongings in storage while plans firm up and delivers when the new address is confirmed.
This removes the need to move everything twice: once into temporary storage and once into the new home. UniMove collects from the Cambridge address and delivers directly to the new destination, with the delivery date agreed when everything is ready.
For a general overview of storage options across Cambridge, see our page on student storage in Cambridge. To book or get a confirmed price, visit studentsummerstorage.com/get-a-quote.
UniMove vs Other Cambridge Storage Options
| UniMove | Self-Storage Unit | Leaving It with a Friend | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who moves your things | UniMove collects and delivers | You transport to and from the facility | You transport to your friend’s address |
| Vehicle needed | No | Yes, or pay for a collection service | Yes, or carry by hand |
| Delivery to a different city | Yes, anywhere on GB mainland or Northern Ireland | No, you collect from the local depot | Only if your friend can help |
| Insurance | Included | Often an add-on | None |
| Minimum storage period | No minimum | Typically one month | Depends on your friend |
| Flexible delivery date | Yes, choose when you are ready | Collect at any time during opening hours | Depends on your friend’s schedule |
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to book postgraduate storage in Cambridge?
Book as early as you can, ideally at least two weeks before your required collection date. September is a busy period for postgraduate moves in Cambridge because many MPhil and PhD students leave or relocate at the end of Michaelmas term preparations. June can also be busy if your departure coincides with the main undergraduate move-out window.
Can UniMove collect from my graduate college room at the University of Cambridge?
Yes. UniMove collects from graduate accommodation across all Cambridge colleges, including Wolfson, Clare Hall, Darwin, Hughes Hall, and Homerton. If your college has a porter’s lodge or a specific loading bay, let UniMove know when you book and they will coordinate accordingly.
What if I do not know my new address yet when I book?
You do not need a confirmed delivery address at the time of collection. Provide the delivery address when it is confirmed and agree a delivery date with UniMove at that point. Many postgraduate customers book collection while still uncertain about where they are moving to, and the delivery side is arranged later.
Can UniMove deliver to a city other than Cambridge when I am ready?
Yes. UniMove delivers anywhere on the GB mainland and in Northern Ireland. If you are relocating from Cambridge to London, Bristol, Edinburgh, or another UK city after your postgraduate course, UniMove delivers to the new address directly. You do not need to return to Cambridge to collect your things.
How is the price calculated for postgraduate student storage?
Pricing is based on the volume of items stored, measured in cubic feet or by the number of standard boxes and bags. UniMove provides a confirmed price before collection so you know the cost in full. There are no hidden charges for the collection or delivery element of the service.
Is there a minimum or maximum amount I can store?
There is no minimum. A postgraduate student storing a single box or a bicycle can use UniMove. There is no practical maximum either: if you are storing the contents of a full flat, UniMove can accommodate that. The price scales with volume, so storing less costs less.