Students may apply for housing accommodations due to a disability or medical condition, also known as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations. The ADA ensures individuals with disabilities have equal access to housing and other services. ADA accommodations are reasonable adjustments made to meet the specific needs of students with documented disabilities. For details about the application process, visit Apply for Housing Accommodations.
ADA accommodations
Submit an ADA Accommodations Request Form to outline your specific needs for a disability or medical condition. Examples of medical and accessibility accommodations:
- Wheelchair-accessible bathrooms
- Rooms with fewer allergens
- Room with fewer roommates (double-occupancy bedroom)
- Substance-free environments
- Dietary needs
- Service dogs and emotional support animals: read ESAs and Service Animals for details
Documentation for ADA accommodations
If you are requesting an ADA accommodation, you will be asked to provide supporting information that establishes your need for accommodations in campus housing.
Submit documentation via the Secure Document Upload Portal; you must be logged in to your UC Berkeley Google account. Examples of supporting documentation may include:
- Medical provider’s letter verifying disability or medical condition. You may share ADA Accommodations – Medical Professional Instructions PDF with your provider.
- Medical provider’s letter for the emotional support animal. You may share Emotional Support Animal Application Medical Professional Instructions PDF with your provider.
- Rabies vaccination documentation for dogs and cats.
Dietary needs accommodations
For students in need of housing accommodation due to severe food allergies, who are impacted when in close vicinity to a food item, who require separate food storage, or other dietary-related issues, please submit a request for a Disability and Medical Accommodation.
Berkeley Dining offers vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, and allergen-free options for students with meal plans. See the Berkeley Dining Special Diets page for more details. In addition, residence halls are equipped with community kitchens for students to prepare their own food if desired. Campus apartments include full kitchens.
Disability or medical condition-related room relocation
Students may request a room relocation at any time if their assigned housing or current housing does not meet their needs. Priority consideration for a room relocation will be provided to students whose documentation clearly demonstrates that their current on-campus residence is not a reasonable accommodation for their needs. When you make your request:
- Submit an updated ADA Accommodations Request Form for disability or medical condition to outline your specific needs.
- Provide supporting documentation from a qualified individual.
Emergency preparedness for students with disabilities
The UC Berkeley Office of Emergency Management offers a free individualized emergency preparedness consultation to students with disabilities. If you are a student with a disability or access needs and would like to learn more about emergency evacuation planning while on campus, such as how to evacuate a building safely during an emergency and what to have in your emergency “go bag”, please complete a disability self-identification survey to get started.