Accommodations for Students

Process for Accommodations

If you are a student with a documented disability, medical, or mental health condition(s), you may request a housing accommodation/modification through the following process.

  • Requesting or Modifying a Housing Accommodation

    If you are a student with a documented disability, medical, or mental health condition(s), you may request a housing accommodation or modification to an existing housing accommodation by:

    1. Submitting a housing application to HRE through the standard housing application process at https://www.du.edu/housing/student/applying.html, by no later than the stated deadline.

    2. Submitting a Request for Accommodation to the Disability Services Program (DSP). You may submit the accommodation request at any time. However, there are important dates below that all students should keep in mind if they would like to meet the priority housing deadline for accommodations. HRE and DSP recommend that students begin the accommodation process as early as possible because accommodation reviews may require up to two weeks to process the request after DSP has received all required documentation.

    Important Priority Deadlines for Students Requesting Accommodations

    The following dates are the priority deadlines for submitting full documentation to the Office of Disability Services Program (DSP) for Housing & Residential Education to consider students' accommodation needs during the regular room selection and assignment processes. If students do not request accommodations and submit all required documentation to DSP by these deadlines, HRE may not receive approval notifications in time for students' accommodations to be considered and students may be placed on a waitlist until a space because available that matches the approved accommodation. 

    New or Transfer Students: June 14, 2024

    Continuing Students: April 2, 2024

    Modifications to Accommodations

    If you acquire a disability or have a change in a medical condition that necessitates a modification in existing housing after the housing assignment process has been completed, the University will make reasonable efforts to implement the modification in your current assigned living quarters or move you to another assigned living quarters.

    Temporary Accommodations

    The University will provide reasonable accommodations, including those in University-owned or operated housing, to enrolled students who incur injuries or other temporary medical conditions or experience a change in a medical condition for which they have already been approved for accommodations. Residents with temporary disabilities or conditions should work with DSP to discuss reasonable accommodations. The University will work to provide these accommodations in a timely manner although some accommodations may require time to coordinate.

  • Service and Emotional Support Animals

    The University of Denver recognizes the roles and benefits that animals have in addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities. At the same time, the University strives to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all members of the DU community. The University works to balance these considerations consistent with the legal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, applicable provisions of the Fair Housing Act, and other applicable state law and local regulations. This involves proactively working to address concerns related to living with service animals and approved emotional support animals, as well as establishing systems and supports that promote high standards of animal welfare for such animals.

    • Service animals are dogs or miniature horses that are trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability where the work or tasks are directly related to their handler in most, but not all, University owned or operated housing. Students with a service animal wishing to live in University owned or operated housing are 11 encouraged to update the voluntary registration of their service animal with HRE each time they change their University housing location. This allows HRE to make appropriate accommodations for other residents, faculty or staff who may have allergies, phobias, or service animals of their own.
    • Emotional support animals (ESAs), which can be a wider variety of species, assist in the treatment of an individual with a disability. Residents seeking to have an ESA in University owned or operated housing must submit a request for approval through DSP and be approved before bringing the animal on campus. To make a request, you must complete and return the Request for Accommodation and provide supporting documentation to DSP, as specified in the Documentation Guidelines. Please see the Guide to Residence Living for information regarding the process for approval of Emotional Service Animals in University Housing. ESA approvals are made for the duration of the student’s housing contract, not exceeding the length of the academic year during which the ESA has been approved to live in University-managed housing. Approval must be renewed each year prior to student’s move into University housing.

Looking to request accommodations for an allergy, phobia, or other disability? You must first document your condition through the Disability Services Program.

Disability Services Program