Disability Services in College: How Accommodations Work

An IEP or 504 plan does not automatically carry over to college. In college, the student must contact the disability services office, request accommodations and usually provide documentation. Approved accommodations are shared with professors through accommodation letters, but only when the student asks. The protections still exist under federal disability law; what changes is that the student, not the school or the parent, starts the process.

What changes after high school

In K-12 public schools, special education law requires the school to find, evaluate and serve eligible students, and parents are part of every decision. That law ends at high school graduation. In college, other federal disability laws require equal access, not special education.

• The student self-identifies. No one at college will know about a disability unless the student tells the disability services office.
• Access, not modification. Colleges provide accommodations such as extended test time, but they are not required to change what a course teaches or how it is graded. Many IEP modifications do not carry over.
• Privacy shifts to the student. Parents generally need the student’s written permission to see records or speak with staff.
• No case manager. The student tracks their own accommodations and follows up when something is not working. Our guide to how college differs from high school covers the wider shift.

How to register with the disability services office

Offices go by different names: disability services, accessibility services, student access. The steps are similar.

1. Find the office on the college website and read its process. Registration is separate from admission and is not part of the application.
2. Apply early. The summer before the first term is ideal. Approval can take time, and accommodations generally are not applied retroactively to tests already taken.
3. Submit the request and documentation through the office’s form or portal.
4. Attend an intake meeting. A staff member talks through how the disability affects learning, housing or testing and what has helped before.
5. Receive the approved accommodations and learn how to request letters each term.

What documentation is usually needed

Requirements vary by college, so check the office’s guidelines before scheduling new testing.

• A recent IEP or 504 plan, which many colleges accept as part of the picture, though not always on its own.
• An evaluation or letter from a qualified professional describing the diagnosis and how it affects learning or daily functioning.
• The high school summary of performance, if the student had an IEP.
• The student’s own account of what has helped and what has not.
• Records of accommodations on past standardized tests, if any.

If documentation is out of date, ask the office what it will accept before paying for a full evaluation. Our IEP and 504 plan guide explains the high school side.

Using accommodation letters with professors

At many colleges, approved accommodations must be requested each term. The office then sends letters to the professors the student chooses.

• Request letters in the first week or two of every term.
• Follow up with each professor by email or in office hours to agree on how it will work, especially for exams. See talking to professors and office hours.
• Book test accommodations by the testing center’s deadlines, which can be days in advance.
• Students do not have to disclose a diagnosis to professors; the letter lists accommodations, not medical details.
• If an accommodation is not honored, contact the disability services office promptly.

Where a mentor helps

A mentor is not a disability services counselor or an advocate, and does not request accommodations for the student. What a mentor does is help a new college student actually use the system: putting the registration steps on a calendar the summer before, practicing the professor email, tracking testing center deadlines, and building weekly study routines. With the student’s permission, the mentor shares progress with family. Learn more about college transition mentoring and browse our learning differences guides.

Related

• Learning differences in high school
• Twice-exceptional (2e) teens
• Using the college advising office
• College success guides
• Elite Athletes in Training Academies: Balancing Sport and School
• Academic Eligibility for College Sports: What Athletes Must Track

Common questions

Does an IEP carry over to college?

No. The IEP ends at high school graduation. It can serve as part of the documentation for college accommodations, but the student must register with the disability services office and request them.

When should a student register with disability services?

As soon as they commit to a college, ideally the summer before classes start. Approval takes time and accommodations usually do not apply to tests taken before approval.

Can parents contact the disability services office?

Parents can ask general questions, but the office usually works directly with the student and needs written permission to share records. Encourage the student to lead.

Do accommodations show up on a transcript?

Generally no. Disability records are kept confidential and separate from academic records. Ask the college about its specific policy.

Get started

Want a steady plan for a strong first college semester? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.