Special Housing Accommodation

Accepted students and fall semester transfer students who will be attending Messiah University for the first time in the fall of 2024 may now apply for special housing. Special Housing applications and Emotional Support Animal (ESA) requests by returning students for the fall 2024 semester have closed. If you have questions about special housing, please send an email to specialhousing@messiah.edu.

Applying for Special Housing at Messiah University

Procedures, Guidelines, and Deadlines

As a four-year residential university, Messiah offers the opportunity for students to live in campus housing with their peers. Living in a residence hall or apartment is an integral part of a student’s experience during their undergraduate years and can promote a strong sense of belonging and community. Although residence facilities at Messiah University are accessible for students with disabilities, there may be a circumstance under which a student would like to request a special housing accommodation. The following information will be helpful for any student considering a special housing request because of a physical, psychological, or health impairment.  

Please note: Requests for particular housing assignments based on a student’s preference, rather than on a medical need, will not be honored. 

Procedure for requesting special housing at Messiah University 

1. Complete the online Special Housing Request Form by the appropriate deadline listed below. Students must be logged into Google with their Messiah University credentials to complete the application. The best way to ensure access to the Special Housing Request Form is to open an Incognito Window in a browser and then sign into Google with Messiah credentials.  If an error occurs regarding access, please confirm that a Messiah student Google account is being used.

2. Send the Disability Documentation Form (DDF) to your healthcare provider for completion and confirm that the completed form is submitted to the Office of Academic Accessibility before the application deadline.

   • The healthcare provider (psychologist, psychiatrist, MD, CRNP, PA, or allergist) must be licensed and qualified to make a diagnosis and recommendation for special housing. 

   • Although the DDF will be submitted to the university by the healthcare provider directly, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure the DDF is sent to Messiah University by the special housing application deadline.  

   • Failure to submit a completed DDF by the special housing application deadline will result in a denial of the special housing request.

   • Note: The Disability Documentation Form is an online, fillable PDF document designed for ease of use by healthcare providers using a PC in an office setting. For this reason, some mobile devices, particularly iPhones, may not be able to open the DDF.

Clarifications on the request for special housing at Messiah University

Special housing accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis, according to documented need(s), prevailing standards for reasonable accommodations, and campus availability. Approval for housing accommodations is granted through the Office of Academic Accessibility, in collaboration with staff from the Engle Center for Counseling and Health Services and from Residence Life, and is based on medical documentation submitted prior to the application deadline. 

All requests for special housing are prioritized by need. Applications will be reviewed and students will be notified about approval prior to Housing Sign-Ups. If approved for special housing, the student and his or her roommate/s will not need to participate in Housing Sign-Ups through Residence Life. 

It is important to remember that students are not making a request for a specific housing assignment but for a special housing accommodation. Please be advised that single rooms are reserved for individuals whose documentation illustrates substantial needs and for whom a standard housing assignment with a roommate is not viable. 

Deadlines for requesting special housing at Messiah University 

Under normal circumstances, special housing requests are considered before the start of each academic year. The deadline for special housing applications for returning students is March 3, while the deadline for accepted students is May 15.  For students commencing studies or requesting a change mid-year, the application deadline is November 11. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the required forms are submitted to the Office of Academic Accessibility prior to the application deadline. The Disability Documentation Form is to be completed, downloaded, signed, and submitted to Messiah University by the applicant’s licensed healthcare provider (psychologist, psychiatrist, MD, CRNP, PA, or allergist). 

Beginning of the academic year application deadlines 

• Returning Messiah University students – March 3
• Accepted  and fall semester transfer Messiah University students – May 15

Mid-year application deadline –

• All students – November 11

More information about specific special housing requests

Dietary accommodations:

Before submitting their special housing application, students who wish to request special housing because of a dietary need must meet with the campus nutritionist, McKenna Welshans, to explore options to accommodate the need through the Department of Dining Services. After speaking with Ms. Welshans, and at her suggestion, students may then apply for special housing and request that their licensed healthcare provider (allergist or gastroenterologist) submit the Disability Documentation Form (DDF) to the university before the application deadlines listed in the section above.

• The healthcare provider must be licensed and qualified to make a diagnosis and recommendation for a special housing accommodation. 

• Although the DDF will be submitted to the university by the healthcare provider directly, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure the DDF is sent to Messiah University by the special housing application deadline.  

• Note: The Disability Documentation Form is an online, fillable PDF document designed for ease of use by healthcare providers using a PC in an office setting. For this reason, some mobile devices, particularly iPhones, may not be able to open the DDF.

Note: The one exception to the campus nutritionist consultation requirement is a documented medical diagnosis of Celiac Disease. If you have questions regarding an application for special housing because of a dietary concern, please contact McKenna Welshans at mwelshans@messiah.edu.

Applying for an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) at Messiah University

Contact Us

You may email us at specialhousing@messiah.edu.  Our fax number is 717-691-2304.  If you'd like to contact us via US Mail, you may use the following address:  
Office of Academic Accessibility, Messiah University, One University Ave. Suite 3059, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.