Housing Accommodations Procedures
(available in PDF format: Housing Accommodations)
Housing accommodations are determined by Student Disability Services (SDS) based upon disability documentation and available housing options. In general, the disability documentation must be comprehensive enough to allow the SDS staff to make informed decisions about reasonable and appropriate accommodations at Cornell University.
Incoming Students
Continuing Students
Documentation
Incoming Students
If you are an incoming undergraduate student and plan to live on campus, in addition to submitting current documentation to SDS, it is necessary to complete the Request for Disability Services and Accommodations Form, as well as the Special Housing Request section of the Single-Student Housing Application Form required by the Housing Office. The Request for Disability Services and Accommodations Form can be found in the Cornell Bound booklet that is mailed to all incoming students, on-line at: https://www.applyweb.com/apply/cornell-bound/, or by downloading and printing this page: Request for Disability Services and Accommodations (PDF).
If you are an incoming graduate student who wishes to live on campus, you will need to complete the Special Housing Request section of the appropriate housing application form. In addition, you must send a description of your disability and your housing requirements to SDS as well as the required documentation.
Information from these forms, together with the required documentation, will allow SDS staff to determine appropriate housing accommodations. For further information on the housing process and where to find forms, contact the Housing Office directly at 607-255-5368 or by email at housing@cornell.edu.
Continuing Students
Students with disabilities who wish to live on campus after the first year must request housing accommodations each year. It is important that you meet with an SDS counselor no later than the first week of February to make your request for the fall term. Call 607-254-4545 to schedule an appointment. Appropriate disability documentation must be on file with SDS before we will confirm your housing needs with the Housing office.
Documentation
To be eligible for academic or campus accommodations or services, including special housing accommodations, students must provide Student Disability Services with current documentation of a specific disability, including a diagnosis, from a licensed professional with the proper expertise. This documentation must also include:
- Information concerning the functional limitations caused by the disability.
- Information concerning treatment or prognosis (if applicable).
- Recommendations for academic or campus accommodations in a college environment.
To assist you in gathering this information from your physician, you can download a Verification of a Disability for Physical, Medical or Sensory Disabilities: http://sds.cornell.edu/Med_Physical_Sensory_Form.pdf