Required Medical Documentation

Colleges differ from high schools regarding the first step of providing academic accommodations. When a person with a disability needs an academic accommodation in high school, a team of people is assigned to discuss that student’s classroom instructional accommodations. This is not the case with colleges and universities. The legislation states that in order to receive services from a university, a person with a disability must first disclose his/her disability to the institution. In most cases, the person would disclose this to Disability Services on campus. The person must bring the appropriate documentation (as required by Section 504) regarding his/her disability. The name, title, the professional credentials of the evaluator (including license or certification as well as the area of specialization), place of employment, and state in which the individual practices, should clearly be stated on the documentation for all disabilities.

A student seeking accommodations is required to provide medical documentation that will substantiate the claim of a disability.

  • Documentation must be provided on letterhead stationery by a licensed medical professional qualified in the area of the disability.
  • Documentation must have been completed no more than three years prior to the date that the student submits a request for special services.
  • The documentation should address the recommended accommodations and should describe the specific disability in behavioral terms in relation to the specific accommodations sought.
  • The documentation should also address the specific diagnosis, the test used in making the diagnosis, and scores when appropriate.

Updated medical documentation is needed for any disability that can change, whether the disability improves or worsens.

Disability Specific Documentation Requirements