Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact Student Disability Services (SDS) to request accommodations that address barriers related to accessing University Housing. Our goal is to provide equitable access to all aspects of the university for eligible students.
Requests should be submitted as soon as possible after admission to the university and will be evaluated on an individual basis. Please note that housing requests are handled on a first come, first served basis, and assignments are based on the available options at the time of accommodation approval. Visit the University Housing website for more detailed information about important deadlines and dates.
Housing Accommodations Process
The process for requesting academic accommodations is separate from the housing accommodation request process. If you need academic accommodations, please follow the steps outlined on the SDS Registration Page.
Step 1: Complete the SDS Online Housing Application
Students should be as detailed as possible regarding the accommodations they are requesting when completing the Housing Accommodation Application, establishing a clear connection between the need for the requested accommodations and the functional limitations of the student’s disability.
Step 2: Provide Documentation
To adequately evaluate a student’s housing accommodation request, students should submit documentation of their disability as it relates to their housing needs. For convenience, SDS has created documentation guidelines that students may share with their healthcare provider. Documentation should be returned to SDS via email, fax, or mail. It is recommended that students contact SDS to verify that all documentation has been received.
Step 3: Determination of Accommodations
Upon receipt of the SDS Online Housing Application and the student’s documentation, SDS will engage in an interactive process with the student to determine appropriate accommodations.
SDS will subsequently notify students via their UT email of the approved accommodations. University Housing will also be notified of the approved accommodations. Specific information about the student’s disability will not be shared. Students may then contact University Housing with questions about specific room assignment options.
Students may contact SDS if they have any concerns about their final room assignment options as it relates to accommodation needs.
Examples of Residential Accommodations
Listed here are some examples of accommodations students have requested in the past. This does not constitute an exhaustive list of all the housing accommodations that may be provided.
- Mobility and wheelchair accessible rooms
- Access to a kitchen
- Additional micro-fridge
- Limited number of suite mates
- Visual alarms and signals
- Unlofted bed
- Semi-private or private bathroom
Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals
Students with services animals are not required to register with SDS and receive approval to have the animal in residence. However, students must notify Housing in advance of moving the animal in and provide proof of current vaccinations.
Students requesting an emotional support animal (ESA) as an accommodation to address the functional limitations related to their disability should provide documentation from a licensed healthcare provider that is specific to that request. Students may download the ESA Documentation Form from the Documentation Guidelines Page to provide to their healthcare provider. If approved, students are generally permitted to have one ESA in residence. Please contact SDS if you have any questions about the process or documentation guidelines.
Important: As noted by HUD, documentation purchased through websites that sell ESA letters is typically not reliable for determining whether an individual has a disability or disability-related need for an assistance animal because the healthcare providers lack the necessary personal knowledge to make such determinations. These websites typically obtain information from the individual purchasing documentation via an online questionnaire or brief interview, which likely does not meet the standard of personal knowledge needed to reliably establish the presence of a disability and disability-related need for an ESA.
Off Campus-Housing
Students who reside in an off-campus residence must work directly with the property manager to secure accommodations. Student Disability Services does not review or process such requests. To learn more about off-campus housing options, please visit the UT Off-Campus Housing Page.