Published November 2, 2026
Planning campus housing in Texas for Spring 2027? UT Austin and Texas A&M use their own assistance-animal request processes. Check current forms, housing status and approval steps before move-in.
Sources checked November 2, 2026.
A campus request has more than one step
A clinician’s letter may support a request, but it does not itself approve an animal for campus housing. Universities review requests under their own policies and housing conditions. Start with the current instructions from your school and wait for its decision before bringing an animal into campus housing.
UT Austin: confirm your contract and forms
UT Austin Disability and Access accepts housing accommodation requests after admission, but says its review begins after University Housing and Dining confirms an active housing contract. The university asks students to submit residence-hall documentation as early as possible because accommodations depend on availability. For university apartments, UT asks for documentation at least 60 days before the preferred move-in date. Review its current Housing Verification or ESA Verification Form and instructions before submitting information.
A provider makes an independent clinical decision, and a housing provider makes its own accommodation decision.
Texas A&M: complete Disability Resources and housing review
Texas A&M describes a two-step process. Disability Resources reviews the request; then the student completes the housing process, which may include reviewing animal records and the assigned living space. Texas A&M says students must complete the required approval and registration steps before bringing an ESA into campus housing. Check the current FAQ and housing guidance because details can vary by campus and placement.
A short checklist before you apply
Confirm your campus housing application and contract status. Ask the disability-services office which form and submission channel is current. Check whether housing has a separate review, registration or animal-record step. Keep copies of what you submit and ask the university about current timing. Do not assume another campus or a prior housing decision uses the same rules.
Campus housing and public access are different
A campus housing accommodation concerns a student’s residence. It does not automatically allow an ESA in classrooms, dining areas or other campus spaces. ADA public-access rules for trained service dogs are separate.
Clinical and housing decisions remain independent
Texas Service Animals connects Texas residents with Texas-licensed clinicians for individualized evaluations. A clinician makes an independent clinical decision, and documentation is not guaranteed. A letter does not guarantee a university accommodation, housing assignment or timing; the school decides campus requests under its process.
General educational information only; not legal or medical advice. Rules and outcomes depend on the applicable law and individual facts.