Our goal is to provide a safe, inclusive and supportive home for every student who chooses to live with us. With that goal in mind, included in this section are additional options to support residential living experiences.
Students with Disabilities and Chronic Health Conditions
Students with disabilities, chronic, or severe medical conditions can request accommodations to meet their individual housing needs. We will engage in an interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations.
Please note that submitting a request for accommodation is not a guarantee you will receive the requested accommodations. The information you provide will have no bearing on your general eligibility for housing.
WE ARE ABLE TO FACILITATE A RANGE OF ACCOMMODATIONS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO
- Rooms and bathrooms in residence halls that accommodate residents using wheelchairs, power chairs, scooters, and other mobility devices.
- Strobe light fire and smoke detector alarms.
Air conditioners for students who suffer from airborne allergens*
- Service animals or emotional support animals
- Elevators
- Single rooms
Private bathrooms**
**Air conditioner requests submitted after July 15 are subject to an installation rush fee of $300.
**There are a limited number of private bathrooms available, even for students with an approved health and disability accommodation.
Due to the size and nature of the University of Michigan campus, the bus system is critical to navigate campus. Accommodations for motion sickness are generally not approved.
Request a health or disability accommodation
Housing Application: the Michigan Housing application asks if you are in need of a Health & Disability Accommodation. Choosing yes will prompt an embedded page that includes a link to a Webform for you to describe your condition and why you need a housing placement based on your condition. Documentation can be attached to the form. Complete the Web form within 5 business days of submitting your application.
You can send an email to [email protected] to make a request.
Apply for a Housing accommodation
Roommate Considerations
Students with disabilities or medical conditions are assigned roommates in the same manner as all other residence hall applicants, unless they are approved for or specifically request a single room and one is available at the time their application is processed. Accommodation requests take precedence over all other requests, including roommates.
Health & Disability Accommodation Request Form review process
The entire process can take 2-4 weeks. This is dependent on the accommodation requested by the student.
Student submits Health & Disability Accommodation Request Form to Michigan Housing.
Housing Accommodations Coordinator(HAC) reviews the form within 3-5 business days. HAC contacts the student for additional information and/or documentation, if necessary.
HAC submits requests and documentation to the review team. The request is either ‘approved’ or ‘not approved’. On occasion, partial requests are approved.
HAC communicates the decision to the student.
For approvals, the HAC works with the student, Housing Information Office (HIO) staff, and on campus partners to offer a space that meets the approved accommodation.
- If an accommodation is not approved, students may submit information for an additional review within 14 days of the decision.
- Re-Review Process
- The student submits additional new documentation or an addendum by emailing it to the HAC.
- HAC disseminates the information to the review team.
- HAC will email the student with the final decision.
Clearly stated diagnosis
Defined levels of functioning and any limitations
Current treatment plan
If a letter is provided, it should be signed and dated on letterhead
Who do I contact if I have any questions?
Send an email to [email protected].
Services for Students with Disabilities does not share documentation with Michigan Housing.
Gender Inclusivity
Michigan Housing offers a variety of gender inclusive housing options to ensure that Michigan Housing is a supportive space for residents of all gender identities and gender expressions.
Graduate and Undergraduate students can be placed in a gender inclusive room in one of our many residential communities on campus and undergraduate students can also opt into our Gender Inclusive Living Experience (GILE). The Gender Inclusive Living Experience (GILE) is one of several gender-inclusive housing options offered at the University of Michigan. GILE is intended to be a safe, inclusive, comfortable and supportive community for people of all gender identities and expressions. This community supports students who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming in choosing (or being placed with) a roommate of any gender.
If you are interested in exploring any of our Gender Inclusive Housing options please submit this interest form and we will connect with you through email. If you have any questions you can email [email protected]. Interest forms are accepted on a continuing basis.
If you have questions regarding LGBTQ campus life, feel free to contact the Spectrum Center at [email protected]. The Spectrum Center offers education, outreach, advocacy and support to U-M LGBTQ students. Please visit the Spectrum Center website for more information.
Definitions
For the purpose of gender-inclusive housing, gender non-conforming is a term for individuals whose gender expression is different from societal expectations related to gender.
Gender expression is how a person represents or expresses one’s gender identity to others, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, voice or body characteristics.
Transgender is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity, expression or behavior is different from those typically associated with their assigned sex at birth, this includes but is not limited to transsexuals, crossdressers, androgynous people, genderqueers, and gender non-conforming people. Transgender is a broad term and is appropriate for non-transgender people to use. “Trans” is shorthand for “transgender.”
Definition Source: National Center for Transgender Equality; Mara Keisling, Executive Director.
Substance Free Housing and Students in Recovery
Michigan Housing works to provide a safe, inclusive, comfortable and supportive living experience for all students living in Michigan residential facilities. We will work with students to meet their individual needs and will engage in an interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations for students in recovery who wish to limit their exposure to alcohol and other drugs.
First-year students who wish to live in a drug and alcohol-free environment are welcome to apply to our SubFree Theme Community. SubFree offers fun and educational programming within a strong community environment. If you are interested in applying to SubFree, indicate your interest on the Housing application and fill out the Theme Community application which you will find at the end of the Housing application.
If you have questions about Michigan Housing, the on-campus environment or additional support, or would like to discuss on-campus options, please contact the Housing Information Office as soon as possible.
If you have questions about recovery support and how to get connected to the recovery community, please contact the Collegiate Recovery Program.
If you have additional questions about alcohol and other drug abuse programs and services, we encourage you to contact the Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Program.
Definitions
- Recovery from substance dependence is a voluntarily maintained lifestyle characterized by sobriety, personal health, and citizenship.
- Sobriety refers to abstinence from alcohol and all other non-prescribed drugs.
- Evidence indicates that for formerly dependent individuals, sobriety is most reliably achieved through the practice of abstinence of alcohol and all other drugs of abuse.
Definitions are quoted directly from: The Betty Ford Institute Consensus Panel (2007). What is recovery? A working definition from the Betty Ford Institute, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 33(3), 221-228.
Religious Observance
We recognize and support student’s observances of their faith tradition while living in on-campus housing. Consideration will be given to religious observance requests made at the time of the housing application submission.
Submitting a request does not guarantee students will receive their preferred room type or campus neighborhood. A placement in a student’s first year does not guarantee on-campus housing, nor a specific placement in on-campus housing, beyond the first year.
You may complete the religious observance request form here or within the housing application where you will be directed to the form to provide information about your request. Once received, we will reach out to you if we need any additional information.
Priority for religious observance accommodations will be given to students who complete the Religious Observance Accommodations Form by May 6, 2024.
All requests are subject to review by Michigan Housing. Accommodation requests are not guaranteed and may be subject to availability.
Bidet Requests
The infrastructure of Michigan Housing is not able to support bidet installations in our undergraduate dorms or Munger Graduate Residences. Bidets are only permitted in Northwood Community Apartments (graduate housing). There are specific guidelines that must be followed and only certain bidets are permitted. For Northwood bidet requests, please email [email protected].
When religious observance prohibits the use of an electronic lockset, Michigan Housing will provide students with standard keys so they may access their residence hall, individual room, and bathroom.
If you have other requests, indicate your request on the housing application or direct questions to [email protected].