Residential life is an integral part of the Harvard FAS student experience, and the Disability Access Office (DAO) is here to help reduce or remove environmental barriers that significantly limit your access and inclusion in on-campus housing. We work with the College Housing Office, Dean of Students Office, and GSAS Housing Services on accommodation requests. We review each set of needs on a case-by-case basis.
Determining Your Housing Accommodation Needs
Accessible options for each residential space vary. Housing accommodations can include:
Accessible bedroom
Elevator access
Accessible bathrooms
Physical access within residential community spaces
Social connections and friendships are important to the residential experience, but they are not part of the criteria we use to determine reasonable accommodations on the basis of disability. Requests for proximity to specific peers or preferred residential locations should not be made through DAO.
Access Meeting with DAO
During your access meeting with DAO, we will review your needs and types of housing accommodations. Be prepared to discuss the following topics related to your disability:
Which major life activities could be substantially limited in campus housing?
What is your personal history and experience living in a residential community or away from home?
What is the severity and duration of your disability, and how are you impacted in a residential community?
What significant health or safety concerns will you have without housing accommodations?
Dates and Deadlines
If you are requesting a housing accommodation, you should complete an application and provide supporting documentation by the deadline.
Meeting Deadlines
You may request housing accommodations at any time, however applications received after these deadlines may be subject to delays in review and implementation.
Harvard College
| Group | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Rising sophomores Rising sophomores approved for housing accommodations are eligible to block with up to 7 other students. | Last Friday in January |
| Rising juniors | Last Friday in January |
| Incoming first-year students (Class of 2027) | May 15, 2023 |
Harvard Griffin GSAS
The priority deadline for Harvard Residence Halls and Harvard University Housing (HUH) is May 1.
Important Housing Information
Medical Transfers
If your assigned housing cannot meet your disability-related needs, you may need a medical transfer to an accessible location. We cannot consider your housing preferences when we provide medical transfers. If you need a medical transfer, we will relocate you to any available accessible location. Only the student approved for the medical transfer will be moved. This accommodation is not extended to include other students or roommates.
Single Rooms
Living within a community is central to the residential experience. You should expect varying degrees of noise, activity, and engagement with peers while living on-campus. Because of shared facilities, resources, and the number of people living in each building, it is not always feasible for us to provide quiet or private places to live or study. Therefore, when we review your needs, we must also explore alternative accommodations to singles. Single bedroom accommodations are implemented only when significant access barriers are identified that make your residential experience inequitable.
Temporary Injuries
Students with a temporary injury should register with DAO. If we determine that your current housing does not meet your needs, your accessibility advisor will work with the Housing Office to identify an accessible room.
Environmental Allergies
Living in a new environment may create concerns if you have allergic conditions. Precautions are taken in all residences to mitigate the impact of environmental allergens. These standards are applied equally across all residential communities. We cannot conclude that any residential buildings have less allergens (i.e. dust) than others.
Service & Assistance Animals
Service and assistance animals are critical in providing equal access for many students. Before bringing an assistance animal into residence, you will need to complete our registration process and meet all requirements for approval.
Personal Care Assistants
If you need assistance performing activities of daily living, you may need to have a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) on campus with you.
Apply for Accommodations
You can register with DAO and apply for accommodations in three simple steps.