Campus Housing for Students with Health Conditions and Physical Disabilities

Students with physical disabilities and health conditions may require housing accommodations in order to be able to live on campus. Most universities have a separate processing for requesting housing based on a disability or medical need. This process typically takes place before the housing selection process. You should contact the Disability Support Office and Housing Office to get information on the deadline and the requirements.

Documentation:

You will need to provide documentation from your healthcare provider that outlines your condition and what your specific housing needs are.

Types of requests:

Below is a short list of examples of  space features that you would have to request should you need them due to your condition along with possible reasons you would need that feature.

• Private bathroom
  • Crohn’s Disease/Other GI Issue
  • Private space for injectable medication
• ADA accessible room
  • Wheelchair/Scooter/Mobility device
  • Hospital bed/Medical equipment
• Private room
  • Mental health condition
  • Compromised immune system
• Strobe light/Bed shaker
  • Hearing impairment
• Kitchen
  • Special diet
  • Food allergy that dining services can’t accommodate

You may need a combination of the above items. The key here to make sure your documentation is specific about your needs and that you are comfortable and able to discuss your needs. Most universities require students to engage in the “interactive process” and have a meeting with an administrator (typically a person in the Disability Support Office) to discuss your housing request. You should be prepared to effectively articulate what your needs are. My biggest advice is to leave nothing to chance. Just because you ranked the residence hall with bathrooms in every room as your top choice does not mean that you will actually be placed there. If you need a specific type of housing be proactive in asking for it.

If you have questions about the process for requesting accommodations, please contact us so that we can work together!