Housing Accommodations

Tulane University strives to create intentional and supportive living communities that account for the needs of all students. We recognize that students may occasionally require specific housing accommodations to achieve this goal.

Please read thoroughly before submitting your request for housing accommodations. Requests submitted outside of the considerations detailed below, such as applications without documentation or with insufficient documentation, may experience a delay in processing.

The Goldman Center for Student Accessibility's housing accommodation process is designed to support students with diagnosed disabilities, particularly those with chronic medical conditions and functional limitations, by identifying and addressing barriers in the housing environment. Housing requests must be submitted via the online portal. Any other route-- via email, phone, or to another Tulane office-- will not be considered. Below is a summary of the steps involved:

• Submit a COMPLETE housing accommodation application, with the receipt of BOTH the submitted online request form AND the supporting medical documentation. 

  • Students who have NOT requested accommodations with our office will submit a new application with supporting documentation.

  • Current students with approved accommodations will submit a housing request through the "Additional Accommodation Request" tab on their Goldman Center Portal. If your documentation already on file does not include recommendations for accommodation in the residential environment, please provide new and pertinent documentation.

• Once you've submitted a completed housing accommodation application (including the online request form and supporting medical documentation), your application will be added to our queue for follow-up. If everything is in order, you'll receive a Calendly link to schedule a consultation, called an Access Interview, with one of our team members.

• Attend your Access Interview, a one-on-one meeting with a team member to discuss your housing accommodation request in detail. During the interview, we will ask clarifying questions, review your documentation, hear your personal experience, explore available on-campus resources, and outline the next steps in your application process. You may be asked to seek additional documentation to support your request. 

• After your Access Interview, your request will be processed through the Housing Committee, which meets on the first Friday of every month. Your determination will be communicated to you via email no sooner than five business days after the Housing Committee meets. Tulane University generally does not consider housing accommodations for: 

• Requests centered on attentional, executive functioning, and learning concerns: please see information for on-campus study spaces and other academic resources for these concerns.

  • Dorm-specific requests/building-change requests  

  • Roommate preferences AND/OR roommate conflicts. HRL is your campus-based resource for mitigating the impact of roommate conflicts.

  • Religious/Spirituality based housing requests 

  • Non-chronic, non-permanent health conditions such as sinusitis, mono, etc. 

Tulane University follows the guidelines of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology in granting housing accommodations for environmental allergens. Students with housing accommodations due to environmental allergens will be permitted to purchase and bring allergen-proof fabric covers for bedding, a dehumidifier, and/or a HEPA filter air purifier. NOTE: By engaging in the Housing Accommodation review process, you permit Committee members to share and discuss information about your medical condition and/or disability status strictly and specifically as it applies to your housing needs. 

The Goldman Center requires that students complete their request for accommodation AND provide current documentation before scheduling a meeting with the student. However, we are aware of potential barriers that exist in seeking current documentation necessary to move forward with your request. We work with each student on an individual level to navigate this process and discuss potential solutions and resources. If you have concerns about the documentation requirement, please feel free to contact the Goldman Center for further information and assistance. 

In general, documentation should be written by a medical professional. Documentation must include comprehensive information on the diagnosis (including the DSM 5 or ICD-10 code), associated severity of the diagnosis, and the specific impact and resulting functional limitations of the diagnosis in the academic, housing, or dining environment. Common sources of documentation are health care providers, psychologists, and diagnosticians. The Goldman Center Fillable Provider Form can be used to submit information regarding your request. Important: While evaluators can submit recommendations for accommodations based upon their assessment, actual provision of accommodations is deferred to the appropriate board, school or occupational institution governing provision of accommodations under applicable law.

Suggested Documentation Elements:

• Typed on letterhead, dated, and signed by the qualified evaluator providing the documentation.
• Contains information on the diagnosed condition(s), including the DSM 5/ICD 10 codes
• Details the severity of the diagnosis, relevant symptoms, and associated impact in the academic and/or living environment 
• If appropriate, discusses treatment, expected progression, and medication side-effects.
• Discusses current or past accommodations. It may discuss recommended accommodations.

Download the Goldman Center Fillable Provider Form

See our full Documentation Guidelines