Who is eligible for housing accommodations? 

  • Students with documented long-term or permanent disabilities or medical conditions may request housing accommodations. To be eligible for housing accommodations, the student must have a disability, and the disability must necessitate adjustments to the living environment.
  • Adjustments to a student's housing assignment due to health-related symptoms that do not rise to the level of a significant disabling condition, such as living with a particular roommate, proximity to academic/campus buildings (unless impacted by mobility), or a desire for a quiet/undisturbed place to study, are considered housing preferences. Housing preferences cannot be accommodated through the ADA/Medical accommodations process.
    • If your request is unrelated to a disability and you want a room change, please follow the room change process.
    • If your request is unrelated to a disability and you are having roommate difficulties, contact the Department of Residence at 515-294-2900 or housing@iastate.edu.   

Housing Accommodation Request Process/Documents

Read about Housing Accommodations at ISU

Housing Accommodation Request Process

  • All housing requests require the following:
    • Medical documentation following our housing documentation guidelines
      • The documentation must be from an appropriately licensed provider following SAS Guidelines (See "Examples of Documentation" here)
    • An Intake Meeting with an Accessibility Coordinator
  • Ready to request housing accommodations?
    • Learn how to begin the process, submit documentation, and schedule a meeting with a coordinator HERE.
  • Please note that housing accommodations do not guarantee placement within your preferences.
    • If approved for a housing accommodation, SAS is not able to guarantee the student will be moved with their preferred roommate. Placement for students with housing accommodations is based on availability. 

Key Dates & Housing Priority Deadlines 

  • It is important to communicate early and thoroughly with Student Accessibility Services staff to ensure your needs can be met most effectively.
  • We recommend students request accommodation before the priority deadline if it is medically necessary to receive it. If you are requesting housing accommodations after the deadline, we will do our best to accommodate you but may be limited in what can be offered.
  • If you submit an accommodation request after the priority deadline, it will be filled as space allows. Please note that not every residence hall room is accessible to students with disabilities and that on-campus housing is NOT required for any student on campus.
    • New Students for Fall Semester
      • Priority Deadline Date: May 1st
    • Spring Semester Housing
      • Priority Deadline Date: December 1st
    • Returning Students Continuing Accommodations
      • If you remain in your current room that already has your accommodation, you will continue to receive them.
      • If you change your housing placement, students must notify the Department of Residence. Some changes may cause you to have to forgo your current accommodation. Make sure to discuss this with their office before deciding to switch. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Requests are generally denied for three reasons: 

  1. Documentation does not indicate a substantial limitation to a major life activity (i.e., the student does not have a disability, the impact does not directly cause a barrier related to the disability) 
  2. The university has not caused a barrier to equal access to housing. Accommodations at the university are designed to address barriers that are caused by the university environment.  
  3. The disability-related need does not require an alteration to the living environment. (For example, students who request a private room in order to have a quiet study area can have that need met through use of the libraries and other spaces around campus that are suitable for quiet study.) 

Remember, housing assignments will be based on disability-related needs, not requests to live in a specific residence hall. Not all residence halls are able to accommodate students in the same way. If a student’s top choices for residence halls are already filled or are unable to meet the student’s disability-related needs, the student will be assigned to another residence hall. For instance, if a student with a mobility disability is requesting a specific centrally located dorm due to mobility concerns and that dorm is either full or is not equipped with other accessible amenities, the student may be placed in another centrally located dorm that can accommodate their needs.

Not all residence halls are able to accommodate students in the same way. If a student’s top choices for residence halls are already filled or are unable to meet the student’s disability-related needs, the student will be assigned to another residence hall. Student Accessibility Services will work with the Department of Residence to ensure that your accommodation is met, but does not have control over preferred residence halls.

 

Housing accommodations must be based on the disability-related barriers created by university housing. It is important to note that another person cannot serve as an accommodation. If having your preferred roommate is a higher priority for you than your accommodation request, you are not required to request an accommodation. If you have already been approved for a housing accommodation, you may choose to forgo the approved accommodation.

  • If you have been deemed eligible for a housing accommodation and wish to opt out of the request, you must notify SAS staff as soon as possible.

Requests for air-conditioning accommodations due to allergies or asthma are carefully considered for students whose conditions are documented by a qualified medical provider as causing a substantial impact on daily functioning. Mild allergies that do not substantially limit major life activities would not typically qualify for this accommodation. However, we will closely review and determine eligibility for every request.

Given the limited availability of air-conditioned housing at Iowa State University—only seven of the 19 residence halls offer this feature—new students approved are often assigned to non-air-conditioned housing. In buildings with air-conditioning, units are typically operational only during the first four weeks of the fall semester and the last two weeks of the spring semester.

If you feel you may qualify for housing accommodations, please follow our registration process to get started.

Wondering what else you can do to cool down your room? Check out the ISU Housing - Prohibited Items list to determine the types of room cooling devices that are allowed.

Housing accommodations take priority over roommate placement. Your roommate will not be moved to your accommodated room. 

  • For example, two friends have a placement together. You were approved for an Air-Conditioned room and need to switch housing. You will be moved, but not your roommate. 

SAS does not recommend waiting to request accommodations. Preferences selected during the housing application process do not guarantee placement within those preferences. If a housing preference is based on disability need, the student is responsible for applying for a formal accommodation with SAS for priority placement. Waiting beyond the priority deadline is not recommended as spaces meeting the accommodation may be limited. 

When a student is approved for housing accommodations, SAS sends notification of the accommodation to the Department of Residence. DOR prioritizes accommodations over roommate preferences, and therefore cannot guarantee your preferred roommate will be placed with you. SAS cannot dictate that you live with a specific person as an accommodation.