Housing Accommodations
WSU provides equal and accessible housing opportunities for all students. If you have a disability or medical need, we have resources to ensure you have the same housing experience as other students.
In compliance with Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, students with documented disabilities may request housing accommodations.
How to Apply for Housing Accommodations
Students with documented disabilities may request special housing accommodations.
The student and their medical provider must fill out the Housing Accommodations Health Care Form (PDF) and submit to the Housing & Residence Life Office.
Once we receive your form, a staff member will communicate with the student about any additional information needed and next steps of the process.
For our staff to best accommodate your needs, we recommend you submit your Housing Accommodation Health Care Form by April 1 for the upcoming school year.
Access Services is another great resource for students who may need additional support.
Room Assignments & Roommates
Requests will be evaluated based on current housing policies, students’ needs, and available facilities.
All our residence halls can accommodate a variety of disabilities and/or medical needs.
We may consider roommate requests, but these will not be given priority for higher demand halls if there are students with an earlier application date.
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, service animals are any dog (or other animal as defined under the ADA) that have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. These animals are permitted in the residence halls. However, all housing documentation must be submitted per the approval process.
Emotional support animals (ESA) are companion animals that provide therapeutic benefit, such as alleviating or mitigating some symptoms of a disability, to a person with a mental or psychiatric disability. These animals are only permitted in residence halls if approved by Access Services and all housing documentation is completed per the approval process.
If a visitor has an ESA, they are not permitted to bring their ESA into the residence halls.
No other animals are permitted in on-campus housing. The only exception to this rule is fish kept in an aquarium (max 10 gallon tank).
Animal Approval & Registration Process
Whether service animals or ESAs, all animals that live in University-owned or leased property are required to be approved and registered.
Learn more in the WSU Animal in Housing Procedure and Agreement (PDF).
Step 1. Inform WSU of your needs
You are encouraged to register with Access Services, as you can receive other types of support for a disability through these services.
If you do not register with Access Services, then you should reach out to Housing and Residence Life to get the process started.
Step 2: Register your Animal & Meet with Hall Director
You can complete the animal registration process on your Housing Portal.
Here are the following steps of the registration process:
- Upload a photo of your animal.
- Read and agree to the WSU Animal in Housing Procedure and Agreement (PDF).
- Updated veterinary documents necessary in order for your animal to reside in communal housing.
- City of Winona Pet License (for cats and dogs)
Step 1: You must register with Access Services
Step 2: Register your Animal & Meet with Hall Director
You can complete the animal registration process on your Housing Portal.
Here are the following steps of the registration process:
- Upload a photo of your animal.
- Read and agree to the WSU Animal in Housing Procedure and Agreement (PDF).
- Updated veterinary documents necessary in order for your animal to reside in communal housing.
- City of Winona Pet License (for cats and dogs)
Renewing Your Approved Animal Registration
Students who have an approved animal registered with WSU and plan to live on campus again will need to renew their animal registration.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure their animal is up to date on all applicable veterinary documentation and City of Winona Pet Licenses.The animal approval and registration process can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks. You may not bring your animal to campus unless this process is complete.