Students with specialized housing requirements
If you are a student with a disability or a chronic health condition, you may be eligible for priority consideration. Students who require a specific type of housing or priority admittance to on-campus housing must complete their Priority Consideration request with their housing application.
Priority consideration is defined as priority admittance to a specific type of housing in residence and/or priority admittance to housing outside of current admissions practices or eligibility criteria, based on restrictions or limitations resulting from disability or chronic health conditions.
Applications for Priority Consideration must include supporting medical documentation from a qualified professional. Documentation must outline specific functional limitations associated with the student’s disability or health condition. A clear and logical link must be identified between the functional limitations and the requirement for on campus housing and/or a specific type of housing.
The Priority Consideration Process
Students may request Priority Consideration to residence or Family Housing based on restrictions or functional limitations resulting from a disability or chronic health condition affecting them or a live-in dependent (in the case of Family Housing). Residence Services provides accessibility features in a number of residence types (single and double rooms, Pod-style housing, Cluster Housing, residence apartments and Family Housing units), and we are committed to working with eligible students to determine suitable accommodation. Student residences, however, are considered temporary and/or transitional living spaces and acceptance in priority housing for one term does not guarantee acceptance in future terms. The Priority Consideration Team conducts assessments for every application received.
Student Responsibility
Residence is identified as a high density living environment and it may be difficult to control this environment to the extent that is required to support some students’ needs. Students who submit a Priority Consideration request must understand and acknowledge their responsibility to be self-sufficient, including being able to effectively coordinate their own personal needs while in residence, including accessing campus services.
The team cannot approve student requests for Priority Consideration which are made solely on the basis of seeking a supportive living environment. Campus resources such as the Student Wellness Centre and the Centre for Accessible Learning are available to all UVic students equally. Living on-campus does not grant priority access to these services.
Reasons to Request Priority Consideration
Students may request priority consideration for the following:
- A specific type of housing (i.e. wheelchair accessible or kitchen access)
- Priority admittance (i.e. for students not guaranteed housing)
- An exception to general practices and/or eligibility criteria (i.e., reduced course load, specialized equipment, emotional support animal)
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