New Students
New students must submit their housing application by May 30, 2026. If you’d like to request special housing accommodations due to a disability or medical condition, Arcadia strongly encourages contacting DSS as early as possible (preferably on or before May 30).
Returning Students
Returning students should make housing accommodation requests by the deadline of their housing application, March 25, 2026. For information regarding requirements for documentation of a disability related to housing, contact DSS at 215-572-4686 or accessibility@arcadia.edu.
Although requests for accommodations may be made at any time*, availability of these spaces may be limited. Medical conditions, such as allergies or asthma, can be accommodated; however, they may not rise to the level of a disabling condition.
* Be aware of accommodation request deadlines. Since housing accommodations are closely tied to the housing selection process, Arcadia University can not guarantee requests made after the deadline will be honored.
Single Room Requests
Arcadia University requires documentation that justifies the medical necessity of a single room. Examples of medical necessity may include the presence of a 24/7 personal care attendant, self-catheterization, need to store a power chair, etc. While it may not be a medical necessity to have a single room, students with disabilities may be given single-room preference due to their disability when available and will be charged the single room rate.
Housing and Study Abroad
The opportunity to study abroad or away is a hallmark of Arcadia University. Therefore, Campus Life Housing works closely with you to ensure that you have a housing assignment that is desirable and meets your needs upon your return from abroad.
If you wish to study abroad in the fall you should pay a housing deposit via the Arcadia University Online Housing Portal. This will reserve your space for the following spring. Via the Housing Portal, you will have the opportunity to search for roommates and identify a housing assignment, even while abroad. If you do not identify a space, you will be randomly assigned based upon your preferences indicated via the portal and space available.
If you are abroad or away during the spring and desire to live in housing the coming fall, you will proceed through the Housing Selection process with all other students. As Housing Selection is an online process, you are able to fully participate from just about anywhere in the world.
Break and Summer Housing
Arcadia University Residence Halls are closed during Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Break. Summer housing is available on a limited basis in Knight Hall. Summer housing information is posted in April internally, and is available to current undergraduate students. Specific dates for these break periods are made available during Summer Welcome Days and are listed in the University Housing Agreement.
Emotional Support Animals
The Federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) assures that people with disabilities be allowed to have an assistance animal in residence with them if the animal is necessary for the individual to have full benefit, enjoyment, and use of a residential facility. The term “assistance animal” encompasses both service animals and emotional support animals (ESAs).
What is an ESA?
An ESA provides comfort to a person with a psychiatric/psychological disability (a mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities). ESAs are distinguishable from service animals in that they are not trained to perform specific tasks that assist an individual with a disability. While Arcadia understands how beneficial pets can be to one's well-being, ESAs are not considered pets and are only approved as an accommodation for students with qualifying disabilities. In general, our residence halls are not an animal-friendly environment.
Note: ESAs are not permitted on campus until the accommodation request has been fully approved; students found with unauthorized animals in the residence hall will be subject to sanctions under the Student Code of Conduct and will be fined for having an unapproved animal on campus.
How do I request an ESA as an accommodation?
Since ESAs are prescribed to individuals with psychiatric/psychological disabilities, students requesting an ESA as an accommodation first need to register with Disability Support Services (DSS). As part of this process, students are also expected to submit documentation of their disability/ies (see question below for more information about documentation) and schedule an assessment meeting with a DSS staff member.
If DSS approves a student’s request to have an ESA in their on-campus residence as an accommodation, the student then needs to meet with a professional staff member in Housing & Residence Life to review and agree to the University’s established guidelines and expectations, which are provided to students upon initiating their ESA request. Students may not bring ESAs on campus until all steps in the process have been completed.
What documentation do I need to provide?
Since an ESA is part of a treatment plan for someone with a psychiatric/psychological disability, documentation must come from your licensed treating mental healthcare provider. Disability Support Services (DSS) will share a verification form that students can ask their providers to complete.
Note: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been asked by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to investigate websites that purport to provide documentation from a health care provider in support of requests for an ESA after individuals complete a short questionnaire or interview. The websites in question offer for sale documentation that is not reliable for purposes of determining whether an individual has a disability or disability-related need for an ESA because the website operators and health care professionals who consult with them lack the personal knowledge that is necessary to make such determinations.
What type of ESA can I bring?
It’s important to note that Arcadia may approve a student to have an ESA on campus as an accommodation, but not the particular ESA you hope to bring. For example, many reptiles and rodents may be rejected because of safety and health concerns, as they can carry zoonotic diseases posing a threat to the community. Another example would be if the animal is too large for the assigned housing space. In traditional halls, this typically means the animal's crate or cage must fit in the student’s room. This typically means a tank that would fit on the student’s desk (4ft x 2ft) or an animal smaller than 30 pounds. Arcadia requires that the animal be spayed or neutered to prevent behavioral issues (excessive yowling, spraying, etc.).
What are my responsibilities in caring for an ESA?
Communal living requires Arcadia to consider the concerns and comfort for all residential students. Therefore, Arcadia offers some important guidance for students considering ESA requests. Students bringing ESAs to campus are fully responsible for the animal’s care, behavior, and for any damage done. ESAs are restricted to the student’s immediate living space, and are not allowed in common areas throughout the residence hall. Moreover, the ESA must be contained (caged or crated) any time the student is not in the room.
The ESA may not be left in the care of other residents. If the student leaves campus overnight, the ESA must be taken along. If the ESA is disruptive to the living environment for others (i.e. barking or other loud noises, significant odor from litter boxes or cages), or if there is damage done to University facilities, the ESA may need to be removed from the premises. The student will be responsible for paying for any property damages caused by the ESA and/or any necessary pest control related to the ESA (e.g., treatment for flea infestation).
