Disability Housing Accommodations
The process for requesting disability/medical accommodations for specific features of campus housing is managed by the Disability Accommodations Committee for Housing, a collaboration between Student Accessibility Support (SAS) and Community Living (CL).
We grant reasonable accommodations for specific housing features to students who qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Fair Housing Act. All accommodation requests must be submitted and substantiated annually and need to be directly related to a documented medical/disability condition that impacts residential life.
Read on to learn the process for requesting accommodations. For answers to some frequently asked questions, visit our Housing Accommodation FAQ page.
If you have questions about this process or need assistance, please email HousingAccommodation@brandeis.edu.
Deadlines and Important Information
For continuing students (rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors) forms are due on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 at 12 p.m. noon to be processed in time for fall 2026 housing selection. Community Advisor forms are due on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026 at 12 p.m. noon.
If any deadlines are missed related to housing applications, housing selection or accommodation requests, we may not be able to implement substantiated accommodations before fall move-in. We will review requests after the deadline; however delays will occur.
Rising juniors and seniors are not guaranteed campus housing, even with substantiated accommodation requests. All accommodated housing offers are contingent on housing inventory (and selection numbers if the requests are completed during the spring housing selection process).
Support
Meet with the Disability Accommodations Committee for Housing! The committee will be available to meet at the following times:
- Tuesday, Feb. 3 from 2-4 p.m., Usdan East Lobby
- Wednesday, Feb. 4 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Usdan East Lobby
- Wednesday, Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., Usdan East Lobby
Disability Accommodation Request Processes
Visit a text-based version of this flow chart
Process for Submitting New or Additional Student Requests
- Submit the Disability Accommodation Student Request Form. Provide as much detail as possible about the accommodations you need and how they will help you have equitable access to campus life.
- Tell your treating health care provider who knows you and is qualified to speak about your disability-related request what you are requesting and ask them to submit supporting documentation.
- Off-campus providers must submit a completed, detailed Provider Verification Form. The medical provider cannot be a family member, even if they are a licensed provider. The accommodations requested should be the same on the Student Request Form and the Provider Verification Form.
- Brandeis Counseling Center and Health Center providers should submit letters describing the length of their relationship with you, your diagnosis if applicable, your disability symptoms, and how they impact you on campus.
- If your provider is unable to fill out the online provider form, email HousingAccommodation@brandeis.edu to request a fillable PDF and instructions for a secure upload link or fax number. Please do not submit any documentation as email attachments, as documentation must be shared only through approved secure methods.
- Please note; there are specific documentation guidelines for emotional support animal requests.
- Contact your medical/mental health provider to ensure they have submitted documentation.
- Once the Student Request Form and the Provider Verification Form are submitted, the Committee will review your request. The Committee does not review requests until both forms are received.
- Once your request has been reviewed, you will receive an email from the Committee (HousingAccommodation@brandeis.edu) with your accommodation status. This email will include what accommodations you are substantiated for, what accommodations requests are not substantiated for (if any), and will notify you if more information is needed before a decision can be made.
- After receiving the email, Community Living will reach out to you to select from available spaces that meet your substantiated accommodations. All substantiated accommodation requests are contingent on housing inventory and selection numbers.
- Juniors and Seniors will be offered accommodated spaces if their selection numbers are in the range of numbers receiving campus housing. As a reminder, rising juniors and seniors are not guaranteed campus housing even with a submitted disability accommodation request. Students with higher numbers may be placed on a waiting list for housing.
Process for Returning Students
For returning students whose housing accommodations have been substantiated in the past, the process is streamlined for convenience.
When completing the Returning Student Housing Application 2026-2027 (Fall 2026) through the MyHousing Portal, you will be able to see the accommodations that you are currently substantiated for, if any. From there, students select from one of four options which are explained below. Within 24 hours, you will receive a follow-up email which identifies your next steps.
- I would like to secure Medical Disability Housing based on these accommodations.
- For students who wish to keep the same accommodations that were substantiated for 2025-2026. Submitting a new Student Request Form and Medical Care Provider Form is not required.
- I would like to secure Medical Disability Housing, but I intend to apply for new or different accommodations.
- For students who wish to request medical disability housing accommodations for the first time or make changes to their 2025-2026 substantiated accommodations, you will need to submit a Student Request Form and Medical Care Provider Form (please review the “Process for Submitting New or Additional Student Requests” section above).
- I would like to waive my accommodations for Medical Disability Housing.
- For students who wish to not use medical disability housing accommodations during the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year, you will be placed without your accommodations considered through the housing selection process.
- My accommodations are only for Emotional Support Animal/Service Animal, I understand I will not be placed based on housing accommodations.
- For students whose sole accommodation is a Service Animal (SA) or an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) in residence, please note you will participate in the housing selection process. If you have an SA/ESA AND other substantiated accommodations do not select this option, and select one of the other three options.