SDAC receives requests, reviews documentation, and works with Housing & Residence Life to facilitate housing accommodations for students with medical conditions or disabilities who have specific needs. Considerations for housing accommodations can include, but are not limited to:
- Wheelchair accessibility
- Modified safety alarms
- Kitchen access
- Bathroom needs
- Emotional support animals
SDAC cannot guarantee housing locations or specific residence halls; rather, SDAC's role is to provide students with their accommodation need, if available.
Request a Housing Accommodation
Decisions regarding accommodations can be reached only after appropriate disability documentation has been received and evaluated. In order for students to meet Housing & Residence Life’s application deadline, SDAC requires sufficient time, typically a month, for review of requests.
- Proceed with normal Housing & Residence Life’s registration process and deadlines, regardless of the status in the SDAC process.
- Complete the SDAC Student Application to request accommodations. Students with existing SDAC accommodations will continue to work with their assigned SDAC Advisor.
- Complete the Student Request for Housing Modification form (to be filled out by the student). Students must request housing accommodations on an annual basis.
- Submit the Verification of Disability form (to be filled out by the treating provider).
Housing Considerations
- Housing’s priority is to accommodate approved high-level disability needs.
- Disability needs take precedence over specific residence hall and/or roommate requests.
- Housing accommodations are limited by space and availability.
- The only students guaranteed on-Grounds housing are first-year students and specific groups designated by HRL.
- SDAC-approved housing accommodations do not guarantee on-Grounds housing.
- If the student submits their request after the deadline and appropriate housing is not available, the student will be placed on a priority waitlist.
- Students must request housing accommodations on an annual basis.
Religious and Gender-Inclusive Housing Accommodations
SDAC works exclusively with students with disabilities. To request religious and/or gender-inclusive housing accommodations, please email the UVA Housing Assignments Team.
Service and Assistance Animals
Differences Between Service and Assistance Animals
| Service | Assistance | |
| Definition | A service animal is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. | Assistance animals, or emotional support animals (ESA) provide comfort, and emotional support or other support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of an individual’s disability. |
| University Policy | Policy SEC-044: Use and Access of Service Animals, Service Dogs in Training, and Emotional Support Animals | Policy SEC-044: Use and Access of Service Animals, Service Dogs in Training, and Emotional Support Animals |
| SDAC Accommodation Required | No | Yes |
| Provided Service |
The action or task may include:
Service Animals are not comfort or therapy animals. |
Emotional support animals may provide:
ESAs do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. |
Request an Assistance/Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Accommodation
An emotional support is defined as an animal that provides comfort, and emotional or other support to ameliorate one or more identified symptoms or effects of an individual’s disability. Students who wish to request an emotional support animal as an accommodation in on-Grounds housing should:
- Review the University of Virginia’s Animal Policy.
- Review the Housing Accommodation Documentation Guidelines
- Student’s treating provider should submit
- Student should submit:
Note: Students requesting an assistance animal must submit appropriate documentation and engage in the interactive process prior to the animal residing with them in University student housing.