Additional requirements

At the University of Leeds, we understand that a disability, medical condition or other health related concern can affect your accommodation requirements. We encourage you to tell us about your needs, and we’ll do our best to meet some or all of your requirements. 

We do all we can to support students with specific requirements in our University accommodation. This includes students who: 

• are D/deaf or hearing impaired 

• are blind or visually impaired 

• have a physical disability, and/or mobility difficulties 

• have a specific learning difficulty (for example, dyslexia or dyspraxia) 

• have a neurodevelopmental condition (for example, AD(H)D) 

• have a neurological condition (for example, MS, epilepsy, Tourette Syndrome, stammer) 

• are autistic 

• have a mental health condition 

• have a long-term medical condition (e.g. chronic fatigue syndrome, asthma, diabetes, cancer, HIV) 

• have a combination of these 

This list is not exhaustive. If you want to check whether you are entitled to access support, please contact us for advice accom@leeds.ac.uk.  

If you currently use equipment or adaptations at home, please let us know, this helps us create a positive and supported accommodation experience. Sharing this information will not adversely affect your offer to come to the University of Leeds; it simply allows us to prepare appropriately to ensure you can make the most of your time in University accommodation.  All information is handled confidentially and in line with the Data Protection Act 2018. 

 

Telling us your requirements  

So that we can allocate or adapt suitable accommodation for you we ask you to: 

• Complete the 'Supporting Your Requirements' section of your accommodation application - telling us what we need to take into consideration when allocating you a room, and any emergency evacuation issues you may have 

• Provide us with supporting documentation of your medical condition or disability – such as a doctor’s note, medical report, official documentation from a third party or authority or Disability Form for Accommodation Rent Reduction for accommodation allocation if applying for a rent reduction 

Information provided on both forms will be used to help us allocate you appropriate accommodation. We will do all we can to meet your disability related requirements, however, as with all accommodation requests, you are not guaranteed your preferred residence. 
 
If you require any assistance or further information regarding this, please contact the Accommodation team 
 
Please provide this information by the relevant accommodation application deadline. This allows us time to suitably adapt the accommodation before you arrive. 

 

Requests which are exempt from additional requirements  

Please note that this list is not exhaustive, but an indication of what will not be considered an additional requirement.  

• Personal preferences for a room type or residence which are not required due to a medical condition or being a Disabled Person. 

• Dietary choices which are not medically required.   

• Personal financial circumstances. 

• Religious or spiritual preferences for a room type or residence. 

• Requests for specific bed sizes due to requirements which are not considered a disability, for example, height   

 

Requests we cannot accommodate  

• We cannot guarantee you your first choice of residence when requirements can be met in multiple residences. 

• An accommodation environment free of allergens. 

• With the exception of assistance dogs and only dogs registered with ADUK, we cannot accommodate other animals or personal therapy pets. 

• To live with a specific person or people unless they are providing personal care or assistance within a formal support plan. 

• An allocation based on a person who is not yourself and who requires specific facilities or adjustments when visiting.  

• An adjustment to the accommodation that is impractical or disproportionate with regards to cost, resources, or scale. 

 

University adapted accommodation 

Several of our halls of residence, both on and off campus, have adapted accommodation which is accessible to disabled students with a range of requirements. This includes catered and self-catering accommodation.   

You can read more about the accessibility of our different halls of accommodation via the AccessAble website. 

We can provide: 

• rooms with adaptations 

• larger rooms for students requiring specific equipment or wishing to bring specific equipment with them 

• rooms for personal assistants/support workers 

Demand is high and availability is limited, especially  on‑campus accommodation. If we deem it appropriate to do so, adaptations may be made to standard rooms If required. 

If you state specific requirements in your accommodation application form, (e.g. lowered worktops in the kitchen or self-closing doors) we may invite you to visit the University to view potential accommodation, discuss your needs and undertake an assessment. Where appropriate, the University may also invite an Occupational Therapist to support this assessment and advise us on any specialist support or equipment that you may need.  

If you already work with professionals who have advised on adaptations, you’re welcome to invite them to participate in these discussions also. If you are unable to visit us in person, we will arrange an alternative format for the assessment (telephone or online appointment). 

We do all we can to adapt accommodation to suit your needs, but if you decide not to visit in advance or engage in fuller discussions, we cannot guarantee that your requirements will be met by the time you begin your course. 

 
Rent reduction  

At the University of Leeds, we believe that disabled students should have access to accommodation that meets their specific needs and not be  financially disadvantaged due to limited accommodation options. 

If you meet the Equality Act 2010* definition of disability and your accommodation choices are restricted because of disability-related needs, you may be eligible for a rent reduction from the University. 

Please note that without a completed Disability Form for Accommodation Rent Reduction, we cannot consider request for rent reductions. 

How to apply for a rent reduction  

• Download a copy of the Disability Form for Accommodation Rent Reduction.  

• Ask your doctor or relevant healthcare professional to complete the form, outlining how your medical needs affect your use of the accommodation. 

• Return the completed form for review to accom@leeds.ac.uk. 

Our team will then review and calculate any applicable reduction based on the information provided.  

If you have any questions about the process, please get in touch – we are happy to help.  

 

*Equality Act 2010 definition of disability 

To be considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 definition, you must have a physical, sensory or mental disability which has a substantial (more than minor or trivial) and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities (including education). To be considered long term, the effect of the disability must have lasted or be likely to last at least 12 months or for the rest of your life.