Arkansas · College students · Campus housing

ESA Letters for Arkansas College Students

Campuses decide ESA requests their own way, and some reject the shortcuts students find online: the University of Central Arkansas says outright that an ESA certificate is not accepted. If your animal is a dog, Arkansas law also sets a 30-day lead time. Start the free screening early, and a clinician licensed in Arkansas decides whether a letter fits.

Free for UCA students
AR-licensed pros
Genuine evaluations

UCA's ESA Request in Brief

  1. Submit the OARS Student Application.
  2. A qualified professional completes the UCA ESA Request Form.
  3. Add evaluation reports if they help.
ESA certificates are not accepted
Free for Arkansas students

Start a Free Screening Before Move-In

The screening is free and fits between classes. An Arkansas-licensed clinician reviews it, and if your ESA is a dog, Arkansas requires a client-provider relationship of at least 30 days before the letter, so start well before move-in day.

  1. Screen between classes

    Between classes, answer questions on your health, your animal and your plans for housing in Conway.

  2. Meet a clinician

    An Arkansas-licensed clinician reviews the answers and meets you by video around your schedule when appropriate.

  3. Paperwork for your school

    If your need is supported and you choose a plan, your letter is emailed. Ask your school whether it also needs its own form completed.

  • Free for every student
  • Plans around move-in
  • UCA form friendly
Harding Plaza at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, looking toward Thompson Hall
Arraz, CC BY-SA 3.0

Studying in the City of Colleges

Conway, the Faulkner County seat with 64,134 residents in 2020, is home to three colleges, which earned it the nickname the City of Colleges. At UCA, the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services weighs each emotional support animal request for on-campus housing case by case under the Fair Housing Act. What counts is documentation from a qualified professional on UCA's own form, not a certificate bought online.

3
Colleges in Conway
Case by case
How OARS decides
30 days
Lead time for dog letters

ESA and PSD Pricing for Arkansas College Students

Clear pricing for emotional support animal and psychiatric service dog letters written by a licensed mental health professional. Your screening is free, and you pay only if a clinician supports a letter and you decide to continue.

ESA Housing Letter For One Pet

$149

Best option for most renters with one emotional support animal

  • Free online screening with a licensed psychotherapist
  • Telehealth evaluation when clinically indicated
  • Letter written for ESA housing requests
  • Digital delivery after approval
  • Follow up clarification for landlords included
Get Started

Psychiatric Service Dog Evaluation

$199

For people who may qualify for a task-trained psychiatric service dog

  • Free initial screening with a licensed psychotherapist
  • Telehealth evaluation focused on symptoms and the tasks the dog is trained to do
  • Letter describing the disability-related need and task support
  • Clinically grounded documentation, not a generic certificate
  • Follow up clarification for housing providers included

Bundle Packages

Save more with combined document bundles

BUNDLE

ESA Letter + Certificate Bundle

$199

ESA letter and certificate in one package

  • ESA letter from a licensed professional
  • ESA certificate with QR code verification
  • Digital delivery after approval
  • Valid for 1 year with renewal reminders
Get This Bundle
BEST VALUE

PSD Letter + Certificate + ID Card

$225

Complete PSD documentation: letter, certificate and ID card

  • PSD letter from a licensed professional
  • PSD certificate with QR code verification
  • PSD ID card with photo and barcode
  • Digital delivery after approval
Get This Bundle
Clinically reviewed Secure payment No hidden fees
American Service Animals does not sell ESA registrations. All letters are based on real clinical evaluations.

Arkansas law: documentation for an emotional support dog may be provided only after a client-provider relationship of at least 30 days, except for students verified as homeless (Ark. Code 20-14-1003).

Free Screening

What Arkansas Students Usually Need

Four items an Arkansas student can order, each on its own card.

ESA housing letter

For a UCA residence hall or a lease off campus.

Several animals

Names each animal your clinician supports.

Psychiatric service dog letter

For a task-trained dog, which campuses treat as a service animal, not an ESA.

Card and certificate

A summary only; UCA does not accept certificates as documentation.

Sharing a Residence Hall With an Animal

Three things to settle before the first night in the hall.

Galloway Hall at Hendrix College in Conway
Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
The College of Business building at the University of Central Arkansas
Ronny2756, CC BY-SA 4.0

Talk to roommates

Allergies and schedules are easier to sort out before move-in day.

Break plans

Decide early where your animal stays over holidays and summer.

Rules Behind a Campus Request in Arkansas

Three rules that decide how a campus request and a dog letter work in Arkansas.

Fair Housing Act

UCA reviews ESA requests for campus housing under it; since May 2026 HUD no longer presumes untrained-animal requests reasonable.

Ark. Code 20-14-1003

Dog letters need an Arkansas-licensed provider, license details on the letter and 30 days of relationship first.

Ark. Code 20-14-1004

Fraudulently passing off an emotional support dog as a service animal carries civil penalties up to $2,500.

Arkansas Student Questions From the Front Row

Six questions students ask, one at each desk.

How do I request an ESA at the University of Central Arkansas?

Through the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services, known as OARS. Submit the OARS Student Application, and have a qualified professional complete UCA's ESA Request Form.

Can I add more documentation to my UCA request?

Yes. The ESA Request Form may be supplemented by evaluation reports.

How does UCA decide on an ESA?

OARS approves emotional support animals for on-campus housing case by case under the Fair Housing Act.

How do I reach OARS?

Call 501-450-3613 or fax 501-450-5664; students who are deaf or hard of hearing can text 501-269-8038. The office is at 201 Donaghey Avenue, Student Health Suite 212, in Conway.

My ESA is a dog. Does Arkansas's 30-day rule affect my timing?

Yes. A provider may document the need for an emotional support dog only after a client-provider relationship of at least 30 days, so start early if you want the paperwork in place before move-in.

Keep Exploring Arkansas

Four more Arkansas pages, from the home of the UCA Bears outward.

General information for Arkansas students, current as of October 2026, and not legal advice. Colleges set and change their own procedures, so confirm with your school's accessibility or housing office before you rely on a step or deadline. Screening does not guarantee a letter. In a crisis, call or text 988.

Start Before the Semester Bell

Screen now, and a clinician licensed in Arkansas can tell you whether your animal's support is a need a letter can document, in time for your housing request.

Pay if supported only
Fits exam weeks
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