Accessible rooms

If you require a room in University accommodation for a wellbeing 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 with written confirmation of support from the Wellbeing Services or the Student Health Centre. This is to ensure that the room is still suitable to your medical requirements.

For further information, please take a look at our Supported returning students webpage. 

Our rooms are occupied throughout the year. If you wish to view one of our accessible rooms* please make sure you have completed the prospective student form with your specific requirements, and have contacted AccessAbility@exeter.ac.uk with a request to view an accessible room. Please ensure that you give us a range of dates when you will be available to come and visit. 

At this visit, the Accommodation Team will discuss the current facilities in the room and look at the location of the residence in relation to your subject Hub. If any adaptations are identified, you can then update AccessAbility with your requirements. 

*Please note that these viewings are for students who require specially adapted fully accessible rooms, not students who require an en-suite room or studio flat. Requested viewing dates must be at least 10 days in advance; please give us as much notice as possible. 

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. 

• Location: accommodation near your college, accessible parking or on the ground floor 
• Building features: automatic doors, level access, lift access, wheelchair access, wheelchair/scooter storage space 
• Room features: hoist (either fixed or mobile), alarm pull cords, rumble pillow, flashing fire alarm, fridge in room, space for specialist furniture 
• Bathroom: ensuite, adapted bathroom/toilet (shower seat, grab rails, height adjusted facilities), alarm pull cords 
• Kitchen with height adjusted facilities 
• Catering: catered or self-catered residence
• A carer’s 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 

If you incur additional costs for en-suite or studio accommodation as a direct result of a disability or long-term health condition, you 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 living in University accommodation (i.e. private residences nominated by the University are not covered by this subsidy).

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.

How to apply 

The subsidy isn’t automatically awarded; you need to apply annually. Please complete this Accommodation Subsidy (Health and Disability) Application form and return it to Wellbeing Services via email (accessability@exeter.ac.uk) or post (Reed Mews Wellbeing Centre, University of Exeter, Streatham Drive, Exeter, EX4 4QP) with relevant supporting evidence of your disability.  

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 and be in touch to confirm the rent subsidy agreement, then will apply a credit to your University account. 

The subsidy is calculated annually and will be credited to your account on a termly basis. For 2024/25 the subsidy will be a maximum of £1,660 (in 2023/24 the subsidy was 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. 

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. 

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 backdate any subsidy if you 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. 

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.