Accommodation for students with disabilities and medical conditions

Learn more about what we can offer
Accommodation
The University is very supportive of disabled students and it is clear that living arrangements for disabled students at University are extremely important. If you have applied by the deadline specified on our website, we will try and allocate a room that meets your requirements where possible. Our adapted rooms are located in our campus and Student Village Halls of Residence.

Applying for accommodation

When completing the Halls application on the Accommodation Portal please ensure you list all adaptations and requirements relating to your accommodation. Once rooms have been allocated, it is very difficult for us to consider other requirements not listed in the original application. If you are unsure of what to include in your application, please contact us at uniaccommodation@plymouth.ac.uk for application assistance.
Watch a video run-through of the additional requirements section of our application form
Connect with Student Services to find out more about support available and how to disclose your disability/medical information. You will need to submit medical evidence to Disability Services if required for your accommodation needs. This will enable us to work with you to consider your accommodation requirements. For example, you may require flashing lights or other alert devices for hearing loss, en suite bathroom facilities, first-floor accommodation, power-assisted doors, etc.
The Student Services team is also here to help with your study support requirements if you have a disability.

Existing provisions for particular requirements

We have a number of rooms which already have basic additional facilities installed and may be helpful for applicants with particular requirements.
Please note: these are not always available as existing students may occupy them and suitable alternative accommodation may not be available.
  • Ground floor en suite rooms which may be suitable for residents with mobility impairments. They each have a larger bathroom with rails fitted for additional support. These rooms are in flats which have lower work surfaces fitted in the communal kitchen.
  • Ground floor rooms (not en suite but with adapted communal bathrooms) in flats which have lower work surfaces fitted in the communal kitchen.
Other provisions available
  • Portable alarm systems which can be linked to a variety of rooms are available for residents with a hearing loss.

Animals in University-managed Halls of Residence

University accommodation is not an appropriate environment for most animals because of the potential impact it will have on the welfare of the animal, disruption to the other residents and damage to the accommodation. Therefore, pets of any kind are not permitted.
We are committed to making reasonable adjustments for our disabled students. We do have a limited number of rooms that that are suitable for students who have a disability or health condition that requires the support of a Registered Assistance Dog.

What is a Registered Assistance Dog?

A Registered Assistance Dog has been professionally trained to perform practical assistive tasks for their owners and/or alert them to life-threatening medical conditions. Whilst they provide emotional support to their owners, this is not their sole purpose.
Accreditation is required in the UK and is usually completed through a recognised organisation such as Assistance Dogs UK. Registered Assistance Dogs have formal identification and are permitted to accompany their owners at all times and places within the UK.
You can see the full list of accredited organisations on the Assistance Dogs UK website.

Can I bring my Registered Assistance Dog into University-managed accommodation?

If you have a registered assistance dog, you will be able to include this on your application when you book a room in University-managed Halls of Residence. A member of the Halls Team will be in touch with you to discuss this and ensure we allocate you to the most appropriate accommodation. Please be aware, we will require evidence of accreditation.

What about emotional support animals?

In the UK, emotional support animals do not have legal recognition in the way that registered assistance dogs do. Emotional support animals are legally considered pets, and therefore cannot be kept in our University-managed Halls of Residence. Students who bring pets into residences will be in breach of their licence agreement.

Personal care

In general, University-managed Halls of Residence are not designed for students who may need personal care support. However, if you do require personal care support in your living arrangements, provided you are able to organise your own on-going care and support arrangements we have two self-contained 'care team' flats available. Please note that these flats are not always available as existing students may occupy them and a suitable alternative may not be available. Please also note that the University does not provide personal care assistance.
If you already have personal care support please ask your social worker or key worker for a reassessment, as your requirements may be quite different in higher education, independent living environment - for example, you may find you will need assistance with daily personal care, cooking, shopping, cleaning and laundry.
We may require a professional assessment to be carried out (usually by Social Services) to determine whether we are able to offer suitable accommodation and make recommendations for minor adaptations, such as the installation of dedicated alarm systems.
In the past, we have found that successful moves for students requiring personal care support can take time and requires effective liaison with external support teams. Where possible, please contact both Student Services and the Accommodation team at least nine months before your intended arrival at university.
For non-accommodation support, please contact Student Services directly.

Returning students

The University usually only provides accommodation for first year undergraduate students and students would be expected to find accommodation in the private sector for subsequent years of study. However, we are aware that it may be difficult for students to find private accommodation if they have any of the below requirements:
  • a self-contained carer flat
  • accommodation with a spend area for a registered assistance dog
  • accommodation with specific structural adaptations to meet your requirements
  • accommodation on campus due to mobility or accessibility issues
If you believe that you meet these criteria and will be continuing your undergraduate degree with the University of Plymouth, we will contact you towards the end of Semester One to explain how to apply. You will have the opportunity to submit additional supporting evidence alongside your application.
All requests for returner accommodation will be reviewed by a panel and you will be contacted with an outcome.

Changes to the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)

Significant changes to the DSA administered through Student Finance England were previously announced.
The changes have meant a rebalancing of responsibility between Higher Education Institutes (HEI’s) and government with HEIs funding and providing certain aspects of disability related support previously funded via the DSA. Additional accommodation costs will no longer be funded by DSA where the accommodation is run by the University or its agent.
If you feel that you have additional accommodation costs due to a disability (i.e. you require a studio flat with a self-contained bathroom and kitchen) or en suite provision, please contact Student Services to find out how we can help you with any additional costs.

Sources of further information