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REACH · The Survival Kit

Ask for what you need.Accommodations are a right, not a favor.

About 21% of undergraduates report a disability, but only 8% register with their school. Your college can't help with what it doesn't know. Here's how to tell them.

How it works

  1. Your professors aren’t told unless you register. Accommodations go through your school’s disability services office (it may be called Accessibility Services or Student Access). High school IEPs and 504 plans don’t carry over by themselves.
  2. You reach out and share documentation. The office meets with you, reads what you have, and decides on accommodations with you.
  3. They give you a letter for your professors. It lists your accommodations, not your diagnosis. You send it each term.
  4. Start early. Accommodations usually aren’t backdated, so a test you already took won’t be redone. Ask now, even mid-semester.

What counts

More than most students think. If a condition makes learning, testing or getting to class harder, ask. For example:

  • ADHD
  • Anxiety, depression or PTSD
  • Chronic illness (asthma, diabetes, sickle cell, lupus, migraines)
  • Learning disabilities, like dyslexia
  • Autism
  • Hearing or vision loss
  • Temporary injuries, like a broken arm or a concussion
  • Pregnancy complications

What documentation usually looks like

A recent letter from a doctor, therapist, psychologist or other provider that says what the condition is and how it affects you at school. A past evaluation, an IEP or a 504 plan often helps too. Each school sets its own rules, and many will meet with you before your paperwork is complete, so don’t wait to reach out.

Common accommodations

Extended time on tests, a reduced-distraction testing room, note-taking help, permission to record lectures, flexible attendance or deadlines when a condition flares, breaks, and textbooks in accessible formats.

Your letter to disability services

Accommodations to ask about

Documentation you have

Subject: Request to register for accommodations

Dear Disability Services Office, My name is [Your name], and I'm a student at [Your school]. I'd like to register with your office and request academic accommodations. I have a condition that affects my learning, and I'd rather discuss the details with someone in your office in person. I don't have documentation yet. Could you tell me what you need and whether I can begin the process while I get it? Could you tell me the next steps, what forms to fill out, and how soon I can meet with someone? I'd like accommodations in place as soon as possible this term. Thank you, [Your name]
Open in my email

After you’re approved: email your professor

This never names your condition. Your professor needs to know your accommodations, not your diagnosis.

Subject: your class: my accommodation letter

Dear Professor, My name is [Your name], and I'm in your class. I'm registered with our school's disability services office, and I've attached (or the office has sent) my accommodation letter for this term. Could we find a few minutes, in office hours or by email, to talk about how these will work in your class, especially for upcoming exams and deadlines? Thank you for your help. Sincerely, [Your name]
Open in my email

Send it in the first week, and again before each exam if you need a testing room booked.

Your rights

The Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act protect college students with disabilities. In general, your school must give reasonable accommodations so you have equal access, can’t punish you for asking, and must keep your disability information confidential. A school doesn’t have to change what a course fundamentally requires, so if something is turned down, ask why in writing and what else could work.

  1. A professor won’t follow your letter? Tell disability services first. They step in.
  2. Still stuck? Ask for your school’s 504/ADA coordinator and grievance process.
  3. Beyond your school, you can file a complaint with the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights. Learn more at ada.gov.

General information, not legal advice. Nothing is sent from this page; what you type stays in this browser.