Housing Accommodations

Housing accommodations may be needed for students who feel that living in the traditional setting described may not work, for those who will need something additional in that setting, and for all students who need accessible rooms.

  • Housing accommodations are only based on disability-related needs and are determined on a case-by-case basis. Examples of housing accommodations include but are not limited to: wheelchair-accessible room and bathroom
  • Flashing fire alarms
  • Bed shakers
  • Reduction in number of roommates or single room
  • Semi-private or private bathroom

How to Apply

How Accommodations Are Determined

In collaboration with Columbia undergraduate and graduate housing departments, accommodation requests are determined by committee on a case-by-case basis, according to documented need and prevailing standards for reasonable accommodations. Housing accommodations are made after a determination of:

  1. Student’s disability status
  2. Whether student’s disability necessitates adjustments to the living environment
  3. Potential alternative accommodations, and what, if any, housing accommodations would be appropriate for the student.
  4. Available housing options

Housing accommodation requests and documentation are reviewed monthly, generally the first Tuesday of the month. Incomplete applications are not reviewed.

Students who submit completed requests after the committee has met for any given month must wait until the following month to have their request reviewed and considered. The committee communicates its decision via an email sent to the student’s Columbia email address by the end of that same week.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may request a housing assignment as a housing accommodation. Complete the application process outlined on this page.

Students who wish to bring their service/assistance animal to Columbia must be approved for this accommodation through the housing accommodations process before bringing their service/assistance animal onto campus. Read the University Service and Assistance Animal Policy for complete information about related policy, procedures, and expectations.

Students who wish to have live-in or per diem personal care assistants must be approved for this accommodation before bringing their assistant onto campus.

Students who do not qualify for disability housing accommodations may apply for an assignment or transfer to a location that may better address their preferences through standard housing procedures:

  1. Columbia College and Columbia Engineering undergraduates should contact Housing Services for information on this process.
  2. Graduate students and General Studies undergraduates should contact University Apartment Housing.
  3. Students matriculated in programs at Columbia University Medical Center should contact the Office of Housing Services.

To request accommodations related to allergies or asthma, submit a Verification of Disability Form for Asthma and Allergy Conditions form completed by your doctor.

If your need for academic, classroom, or campus accommodations is directly related to your need for housing accommodations, you do not need to submit separate documentation. But your documentation should address the need for all requested accommodations.

However, if your need for academic, classroom, or campus accommodations is unrelated to your disability-related need for housing accommodations, separate documentation is required to appropriately address the non-related requests.