At the University of West Florida (UWF), all First-Time-In-College (FTIC) Students living in University Housing are required to participate in the mandatory meal plan during their first two semesters on campus. Dining Services provides well-balanced meal plans offering a variety of food options to students at each meal. By making wise choices, students can maintain a well-balanced and healthy diet. Requests to be waived from mandatory meal plans can be made by students with documented medical conditions or disabilities if their dietary needs cannot be reasonably accommodated by Dining Services. Please note that meal plan waiver requests will only be considered for those who demonstrate that a meal plan cannot, in any way, satisfy their dietary needs, and provide appropriate supporting documentation as set forth below. It is the responsibility of the student to provide all of the required documentation, meet with designated staff members and obtain all required approvals.

Requesting a Waiver Based on Disability, Medical Condition or Special Dietary Needs

Important things for students to keep in mind:


Required Information:


Review Process:

Step 1: All of the information detailed above is provided to the Director of Dining Services for review. Please allow up to 10 business days for the information to be reviewed. The student will then be asked to meet with the Director of Dining Services to discuss the dining options currently available to accommodate specific dietary needs. Recommendations regarding the student's request will then be shared with the University.


Step 2: After meeting with the Director of Dining Services, and if a reasonable accommodation is not possible, the student may ask the SAR office to review the request for a waiver from the mandatory meal plan. The student should email the SAR office (sar@uwf.edu) all of the information provided to Dining Services. In the email, the student should confirm that they met with the Director of Dining Services, explain the details of the meeting, and explain why a reasonable accommodation was not possible.


Step 3: SAR staff will review the documentation to determine if the student's disability/medical condition warrants a waiver from the mandatory meal plan. Please note that SAR staff may need to meet with the student and may request additional information prior to the decision.


Step 4: It usually takes approximately 10 business days from receipt of the waiver request to obtain a final decision. The student will receive notification of the decision (approved or denied) via the UWF email. If approved, SAR staff will write a letter of support to the Director of Dining Services regarding the Meal Plan Waiver. Any student who does not agree with the decision from SAR should follow the SAR Formal Complaint Procedure.