The University of Exeter has a range of accessible and adapted rooms, including some with specific equipment and fixtures. We work alongside Wellbeing Services to make reasonable adjustments to support individuals who, due to disability, a long-term medical condition or sensory or physical impairment require adapted accommodation or a particular location to help them participate fully and enjoy a fulfilling university experience. Accommodation is allocated based on students’ needs, and reasonable adaptations will be made where and when possible based on individual requirements.  

When completing your application for accommodation, please think carefully about how your accommodation can help you manage your illness or disability. The following are examples of indicative adjustments and equipment which you may wish to consider alongside your application.

• Accommodation near to your college
• Accessible parking near to your accommodation
• Ground Floor accommodation
• Accommodation with a lift
• Wheelchair accessible accommodation
• Wheelchair/scooter storage space
• Catered halls
• Self-catered halls
• Automatic doors to flat and room
• Hoist (either fixed or mobile)
• An ensuite bathroom
• Adapted bathroom/toilet (shower seat, grab rails, height adjusted facilities)
• Alarm pull cords in bedroom and/or bathroom
• A kitchen with height adjusted facilities
• Rumble pillow
• Flashing fire alarm
• Fridge in room
• Space for specialist furniture
• A carers living space - charged at normal rent for contract period
• Facilities for guide/assistance dog registered with an organisation such as Guide Dogs or Assistance Dogs International

Please see below for a list of our undergraduate and postgraduate residences offering rooms adapted for students with disabilities:

Catered residences

• Birks Grange Village* - en-suite
• Holland Hall - en-suite
• Pennsylvania Court (Exeter Halls) - en-suite
• Ransom Pickard (Exeter Halls) - standard

Self-catered residences

• Birks Grange Village* - en-suite and studio
• Duryard* - en-suite
• East Park - en-suite 
• Kingdom Mews (St Davids) - standard
• Lafrowda - en-suite
• Lafrowda - studio
• Rowancroft - studio
• Rowe House - en-suite
• Spreytonway - en-suite 
• St German's - en-suite

* Due to the location of these residences, students may need transport between the residence and the central Streatham campus.

The table below provides information on what requirement can be catered for within which residence and also if accessible parking is available:

Applying for Year 1 accommodation

You will need to apply for accommodation and indicate that you require specific accommodation. Although you do not have to do so, it will help us to help you if you mention your specific requirements in your application. Even though you may have told others in the University, we would strongly advise that you make us fully aware of your requirements for accommodation separately so that we can support you during your stay.

You will also need to complete Wellbeing Services prospective student questionnaire to provide details of your requirements. Please review the 'Typical adjustments' information above to consider what type of request you may wish to make.

You will need to submit supporting evidence before your application can be processed for the specific accommodation you have requested or room adaptions i.e. a fridge in your room.

Our AccessAbility/Wellbeing Services Team will then liaise with you about your specific requirements.

We encourage you to submit the Wellbeing Services prospective student questionnaire by 31 July so we will seek take such action as we reasonably can to find or adapt accommodation that will be suitable for your needs.  If you submit your accommodation application after this date and in particular if your disability reasonably requires extensive adaptation of the accommodation, we may not have sufficient time or appropriate space to reasonably make all the required adjustments before the start of the academic year.  If your needs are significant and adjustments are likely to go beyond the standard baseline adjustments, it is essential that you contact Wellbeing Services in advance e.g. you need adaptations to your accommodation such as a hoist.  This enables the University to consider arrangements for elements of your support in a timely and appropriate manner before your arrival on a case by case basis.
 
The availability of accessible and/or adapted rooms reduces as allocations are made during the allocation period and we may have limited availability to late applicants.

Read our 20 February 2018 blog post from guest blogger Ellen Gibbins from the Wellbeing Services Team at the University of Exeter. She is considering the question 'Should I declare a disability to the University of Exeter before I begin my studies?' and looking at the support provided to students by our AccessAbility/Wellbeing Services Teams.

Other years accommodation

If you require a room in University accommodation for a welfare reason for all of your academic programme, this will not automatically be allocated to you and you will need to apply each academic year for accommodation and provide medical evidence. This is to ensure that the room is still suitable to your medical requirements.

You will need to follow the process outline on our returning students page to gain support for your application.

Our rooms are occupied throughout the year and therefore in order to to provide our current students with notice. If you wish to view one of our accessible rooms* and have completed your Wellbeing Services questionnaire, please contact the Accommodation Office directly giving at least 10 working day's notice.

At this visit, we will discuss your specific requirements for accommodation and look at the location of the residence to your college.

*Please note that viewings will take place for those students who require specially adapted rooms rather than students who require an en-suite room only. 

Virtual tours

We have 360° virtual tours of some of our adapted rooms within our Birks Grange Village residences. In order to view these, please follow the instructions below:

Birks Grange Village (catered) en-suite

• Visit Virtual Tours
• Click on the the 'catered accommodation' tab
• Go to Birks Grange Village
• Go to 'accessible room'

Birks Grange Village (self-catered)

• Visit Virtual Tours
• Click on the the 'self-catered accommodation' tab
• Go to Birks Grange Village
• Go to 'accessible room'

Once we have received written supporting evidence from Wellbeing Services, we would look to find you a suitable room/residence in accordance with our room allocation procedure. This is subject to availability at the time of receiving your application and the support from Wellbeing Services.

Please note that not all of our accommodation is located on campus. Approximately 86% of our self-catered accommodation is located on the Streatham Campus and approximately 14% is available off campus (this figure may vary if nominated partner accommodation is used). Off campus accommodation is located within a 5-25 minute walk away. Our walking distance map provides further information about this. You may still be allocated to off-campus accommodation if it meets the requirements which Wellbeing Services have supported.

AccessAbility

If you have a a disability or long term health condition which requires extra support then you can contact AccessAbility to discuss your requirements.

•     Telephone: 01392 723880
•     Email: AccessAbility@exeter.ac.uk

Opening times: 9.00am - 4.30pm Monday - Friday (Closed on Bank Holidays and University closure days)

Accommodation Office

The Accommodation Office can provide information on our residences and the accessible rooms which are available:

• Telephone: 0300 555 0444
• Email: ExeterAO@exeter.ac.uk

Opening times: 9:00am - 5:00pm Monday - Friday (Closed on Bank Holidays and University closure days)

Wellbeing

The University of Exeter Wellbeing Services team, made up of counsellors and mental health practitioners, are all highly skilled and experienced. They are able to offer advice, therapeutic and practical support to help students cope personally and to manage their studies.

•     Telephone: 01392 724381
•     Email: wellbeing@exeter.ac.uk

Opening times: 9:00am - 5:00pm Monday - Friday (Closed on Bank Holidays and University closure days)

Students who might incur additional costs for en-suite or studio accommodation as a direct result of a disability may be eligible for a subsidy towards these costs on disability grounds. The subsidy is offered by the University of Exeter and is only applicable to students who will be resident in a residence where the University issues the contract (i.e. residences in the City that are nominated by the University but where the contract is with a private company are not covered by this subsidy).

Undergraduate, postgraduate Home, EU and International students can apply for the rent subsidy if they require en-suite or studio in University contracted accommodation due to their disability and/or health needs. If you are supported by a registered resident carer for personal care assistance on a separate accommodation contract you will be able to apply for the subsidy for their accommodation as well as your own.

The subsidy will not automatically be awarded to students with a disclosed disabilities who are in en-suite/studio in University contracted accommodation; instead you will need to apply annually via Wellbeing Services if you meet the criteria. After your first year, the reassessment will form part of the process to support your accommodation application as a returning student but you must still submit an application on an annual basis if you are returning to university accommodation.

The subsidy will be calculated annually and will be credited to your account on a termly basis. For 2022/23 and 2023/24 the subsidy will be a maximum of £1,500. Your accommodation fees will be quoted in full on your accommodation offer and student statement but the credit will be applied by the start of each term.

PLEASE NOTE: If your application for a subsidy is received after the start of the contract period then this amount will be reduced on a pro-rota basis, starting from the date you requested the assessment. We do not back date any subsidy if you do submit your application after the start of your accommodation contract.

If, at any point, we agree to release you from your contract or you are not charged accommodation fees for any period within your contract, the subsidy will be reduced on a pro-rota basis so you only receive a subsidy for weeks that you are charged accommodation fees.

Criteria

You are eligible to apply if you meet one or more of the following criteria:

1. A requirement for en-suite/studio in University contracted accommodation as a result of a physical disability i.e. mobility difficulty/wheelchair user, where specific accessibility requirements prevent you from sharing bathroom facilities with others.
   
   
2. A requirement for en-suite/studio in University contracted accommodation as a result of a sensory disability e.g. visual impairment, that prevents you from maintaining independence when sharing bathroom facilities because other students impact on the accessibility or usability of the shared space.
   
   
3. A requirement for en-suite/studio in University contracted accommodation as a result of an unseen condition such as a mental health disability, autism spectrum condition or a medical condition that prevents you from using shared bathroom facilities without a substantial impact on your wellbeing and ability to carry out self-care activities.
   
   
4. Exceptional cases where a requirement for en-suite/studio accommodation is considered appropriate by senior Wellbeing Services staff, based on evidence of ongoing difficulties that substantially impact on your ability to use shared bathroom facilities.

Personal convenience or preference do not form part of the criteria and will not be considered.

Application Process

We have a specific process for you to follow should you wish to be considered for this subsidy by the University. If you meet the criteria and wish to apply, please complete the Accommodation_Financial_Subsidy_application and return it to the Wellbeing Services team with any appropriate supporting evidence of your disability (if this has not previously been supplied to Wellbeing Services).

You can email your form to accessability@exeter.ac.uk or alternatively you can post a copy of the form to Reed Mews Wellbeing Centre, University of Exeter, Streatham Drive, Exeter, EX4 4QP. 

Wellbeing Services aim to respond to your application within 10 working days. Please see the Accommodation_Subsidy_Flowchart for an overview of the process, and who to contact with queries.

If your application for a subsidy is supported, the Accommodation team will be notified by email of this outcome and will be in touch to confirm the rent subsidy agreement and will then apply credit to your University account.

We are only able to a consider request for a rent discount for students who have followed this process. Any discount will be made once a formal assessment has taken place and will only apply from the date of the request for assessment.

The subsidy will be available for accommodation where the contract is issued by the University only and is not available for any other accommodation offered by the University e.g. residences in the City that are nominated by the University but where the contract is with a private company.

If you have been unsuccessful in your application, you will be notified of this outcome and you may supply additional supporting evidence and re-apply for the subsidy.

Important information

If you are a prospective student applying for the subsidy and you have not already been in touch with Wellbeing Services to discuss your accommodation requirements, please fill out their Prospective Student Form as soon as possible. 

Please note that the accommodation financial subsidy cannot be backdated. If your application form is received and approved before the start of the academic year then the subsidy will be applied from the start of term; however, if your application form is received and approved after the start of term, the subsidy will only be applied from the date that your application form was received.

If you have support from Wellbeing Services to return to university accommodation after your first year, you must reapply via the Accommodation_Financial_Subsidy_application on an annual basis prior to your new contract starting.