Housing Accommodation Process for Students

Students requesting housing accommodation will need to register with Access and Equity Services (AES) and process an accommodation request. AES facilitates disability-related accommodation and supports designed to remove barriers for students with disabilities and ongoing medical conditions on campus and will send a recommendation through to Residence Services on your behalf based on your needs.

  • It is important to note the following:
    • A request for accessible student housing through AES does not remove the requirement to apply for housing through Residence Services and/or to be eligible for student housing generally.
    • Recommendations received by Residence Services from AES are prioritized but not guaranteed and based on availability. Single units are limited.
    • Housing accommodations will not be facilitated without an AES recommendation.
    • All requests for disability-related housing accommodations, along with all required documentation, must be submitted by April 1st. This is important so that these requests can be prioritized prior to the room selection process beginning in May.
      • Students are encouraged to register as soon as they have accepted admission and have the appropriate medical documentation completed, prior to the April 1st deadline.
      • Accommodation requests made after the deadline or during the current semester will be reviewed but implementation of approved accommodations may be delayed based on current occupancy.

Overview of Accessibility Housing Options

Depending on the nature of a student’s disability or chronic health condition, they may qualify for one of three categories of accessible student housing:

  • A fully accessible room/unit for students who require more comprehensive mobility accessibility features such as washroom support/grab handles, handheld showers, lower counter tops, side opening ovens, assisted door openers.
  • A standard room outfitted with relevant accessibility features for students who require accessibility features that can be incorporated into a standard room, such as blackout blinds, visual fire alarms)
  • A standard room/unit for students who have a disability-related need to live on campus, but not for specific accessibility features or room/unit layouts.

What Cannot Be Offered

  • Structural changes after move-in
  • Specialized medical equipment (students must provide their own)
  • Third-party building/unit access; Students will be living in shared accommodations with roommates, and as such they must be able to buzz/let in any support services they may require day to day during their stay including, but not limited to health/home care, cleaning services, grocery delivery services etc)
  • Transportation services, to and from campus. These services will need to be investigated by the student and can include taxi, Access Transit bus services, uber etc

Process and Guidelines

To be eligible for accessible student housing on the basis of disability:

  1. Applicant must be enrolled as a full-time student, enrolled in a minimum or 3 course (9 credit units) per term;
  2. Medical documentation must demonstrate a significant functional barrier to living in a shared residence environment and clearly identify how the requested accommodation is necessary to address that barrier. These areas of accommodation would typically be mobility or specialized medical equipment/treatment related.
  3. Mental health and neurodevelopmental diagnoses may not require housing accommodation unless they result in significant functional barriers to living in residence. Diagnoses of this nature may be more appropriately accommodated through academic supports such as registering with Access and Equity Services or wellness supports such as counselling.
  4. Students seeking quiet, distraction-reduced environments should utilize on-campus resources such as private study rooms and designated quiet study floors, as the shared living environment of residence cannot reasonably ensure a consistently quiet or distraction-free environment, even in single room environments.
  5. Non-disability factors, such as the general cost or availability of off-campus housing, are typically not considered for accessible student housing unless they intersect with disability factors. 
  6. Prior to submitting your application, please review the AES Residence Accommodation Request Form, available directly through AES. This form must be filled out by your health care provider and submitted to AES as part of your accommodation request for accessible student housing.
  7. Please review Room Types available in student housing in advance of this application. (CQ and GH)
  8. Accessible Student Housing requests will be reviewed by the Accessible Student Housing Committee which may include professional staff from Residence Services, Access and Equity Services, Student Affairs and Outreach, and other USask offices as applicable.

How to Apply & Request Accommodations

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Register and submit documentation to Access and Equity Services (AES) by April 1 deadline
  2. Process a Residence Application for Housing and indicate accessibility needs in your housing application on the Demographic Information Page, under the Access and Equity Services - Accommodation Requirement section.
  3. Confirm your placement and any approved accommodation with Residence Services by April 28 for the upcoming Fall Move-in process.

Contact Information

Access and Equity Services: 306-966-7273 / aes@usask.ca
Residence Services: 306-966-6775 / residence@usask.ca

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I know if an accessible unit is available?

A: Contact Residence Services early; availability is limited and based on demand.

Q: Can I bring my own adaptive equipment?

A: Yes, students are responsible for personal medical or adaptive devices.

Q: What if my needs change after move-in?

A: Reach out to Access and Equity Services immediately; we’ll work with you to find solutions.

Additional Resources