There are a variety of reasons you may require an accommodation request, and we make every effort to accommodate the unique and diverse needs of students. We consider information shared through accessibility needs in residence request forms to accommodate student requests.
If you have a medical, disability, religious, dietary or service animal need that may require specific residence accommodation needs, you must indicate this in your application.
Residence accommodation requests are used for the residence room assignment process and are not used to grant admission to Trent residence. We cannot guarantee specific residence room types or buildings based on student preferences; however, we will work to ensure that reasonable accommodations are provided based on your documented needs.
How to complete an Accessibility & Unique Needs in Residence Request form
Students seeking specific accessibility needs in residence for pre-existing circumstances must complete the accommodation request form on the Student Housing Portal in the application process. Steps on how to do so can be found below.
1. Apply for residence online: All responses and documentation for accommodation requests are completed within the Student Housing Portal. Click here for instructions on how to complete a residence application.
2. Once in an application, proceed to the Accessibility in Residence step
Here, you will indicate yes if you have an accommodation request
3. Select/Indicate the type of request:
- Medical (Examples: environmental sensitivities, immunocompromised, allergies, etc.)
- Disability (Examples: (physical, chronic health, sensory, learning, mental health, etc.)
- Dietary Restrictions related to your Dining Plan (including food-related allergies)
- Religious
- Service Animal
Over 6’4”
4. Upload your completed medical attestation form, which can be downloaded from the residence application on the Student Housing portal.
Supporting Documentation
Student Housing does not require a diagnosis from an attesting professional; however, medical documentation is required for accessibility and unique need requests. We will need information regarding the existence of a disability or medical need and the details of the functional limitations. Information required includes, but is not limited to:
- Explanation of the nature of the student’s situation and functional limitations that require an accommodation request to be made
- Explanation of room types and amenities the professional deems to be applicable to the needs of the student, including, but not limited to:
- Single room
- Semi-private washroom
- Wheelchair accessible washroom
- Access to daily cooking
- Special bed setup
- Sensory room requirements
- Access/space for assistive living devices
Student Housing will only accept a completed attestation as documentation.
Deadline
All residence applications are due by June 4, 2025, at 11:59 P.M. for new students, and students will have until the application deadline to submit their supporting documentation. Documentation is required by this date to be considered for the accessibility needs in residence room assignment process before the general room self-selection process for guaranteed students.
As room assignments for accessibility needs requests are done in advance of the general self-selection process, any late request forms can only be accommodated if space allows. Students that apply after the June 4, 2025 at 11:59 P.M. deadline for new students will be placed on the waitlist.
Once on the waitlist, should a room become available for the student, an offer for a room will be made. In some circumstances, rooms that are available at the time may be an interim solution and may be provided as an alternative or next best accommodation until the most appropriate accommodation is available.
Room assignments
Room assignments for accessibility needs in residence requests are done in advance of the general self-selection process. All room assignments, including assignments that are made as part of the room transfer process, are subject to the applicable residence fee for the room type and location assigned.
Students applying after the deadline of June 4, 2025, at 11:59 P.M. will be placed on the waitlist.
What if I have a temporary accessibility need?
We know that at times students require an accommodation for a temporary circumstance (e.g broken limbs). Should this occur, please contact Student Housing (residence@trentu.ca). Our office will share the medical attestation form with you, which will need to be completed by a medical professional. The completed form then can be uploaded and sent back to Student Housing via the Housing Portal through the application process.
In the event that a room transfer is required as part of the accessibility need in residence, pending availability, the change will be made permanently for the remainder of the academic year, and the assignment will be subject to the applicable residence fee for the room type and location assigned.
