Students

In order to provide reasonable accommodations, the Disability Access Center must first verify your status as a student with a disability. To do this, we rely on the student self-report to understand the impact and third-party documentation to verify the condition/diagnosis.

Students should complete the Purdue University Fort Wayne Accommodation Request Form, which provides an opportunity to describe their condition and barriers they may experience at the university. Students may supplement the Accommodation Request Form with additional information. Students may consider including information about their experiences related to their disability, the challenges or barriers encountered, and/or previous accommodations.

Disability-related documentation should provide information on the impact of the condition, in order to determine appropriate accommodations. Documentation may include assessments, reports, and/or letters from qualified evaluators, professionals, or institutions. Common sources of documentation may include healthcare providers, psychologists, diagnosticians, and/or information from K–12 (e.g., 504 plan or IEP). 

Recommended Third-Party Documentation Elements 

• Typed on letterhead, dated, and completed by a qualified professional 
• Identifies any disabilities or conditions
• Describes the impact of symptoms of the identified condition(s) 
• Relevant information regarding severity or prognosis 
• Includes frequency and duration of active symptoms (if cyclical in nature) 
• Lists any relevant side effects of medication and/or treatment 
• Recommended accommodations

If you need to request an emotional support animal accommodation, please refer to the Request for Emotional Support Animal in University Housing downloadable document.

You may submit an Accommodation Request Form at any point during your college experience. Accommodations are not retroactive, so we encourage students to submit a request prior to needing access. Documentation may be uploaded with the Accommodation Request Form. It may also be emailed ([email protected]), faxed (260-481-6018), or hand-delivered to the Disability Access Center (Walb Union, Room 113). 

You may schedule a meeting with staff at any point during the process, regardless of any documentation they may currently have available. If you have any questions about these documentation guidelines, please contact the Disability Access Center.

Required Forms
Disability Documentation Guidelines
Request for an Emotional Support Animal in University Housing

Optional Form
Third-Party Disability Documentation Form

Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Disability Access Center (DAC) and Student Housing offer reasonable accommodations for students with verifiable disabilities who need an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) in Student Housing. A reasonable accommodation allows a student with a disability to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy Student Housing by making exceptions to the University’s rules, policies, practices, or services.

To request an emotional support animal accommodation, students with mental health disabilities should refer to the Request for an Emotional Support Animal in University Housing and follow these steps:

1. The student must have a Student Housing contract.
2. The student must complete an Accommodation Request Form with the Disability Access Center (DAC).
3. The student must submit documentation that meets the Emotional Support Animal Documentation Elements (Page 3) and the Emotional Support Animal Intake Form (Pages 4-5) to the DAC before scheduling a Welcome Meeting.
4. The student will participate in a Welcome Meeting with a DAC staff member to discuss the barriers they experience related to their condition/impairment and how an emotional support animal is part of their treatment plan.