Accommodation Process: How to Request and Receive Academic Accommodations

OAS Registration Quick Guide PDF

ELIGIBILITY

Students must request to receive accommodations due to disability need by completing the following process:

  1. Apply and be accepted for admission to Florida State University through the standard admissions process.
  2. Students must have their FSU ID activated to apply, but they do NOT need to have gone through orientation.
  3. Provide current and comprehensive documentation of a diagnosed disability to the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS). Documentation criteria and forms can be found on our website at dsst.fsu.edu/oas.
  4. Register with the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS): 
    • Student must complete the initial intake meeting in order to receive Letters of Accommodation (LOA)
    • After the initial registration, students must renew their affiliation and request services at the beginning of each semester (through the completion of the online request for accommodation letters in AIM or in person in the OAS) to continue receiving services.

REGISTERING WITH THE OFFICE OF ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES

It is the student’s responsibility to make their accommodation needs known and to provide the appropriate documentation to support the need for the requested accommodations. Students are also responsible for renewing their affiliation and services with the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) each semester. It is important for students to remember that under ADA accommodations are provided to ensure equal access. A student has the right to succeed or fail in a course based on his/her academic performance. College accommodations in no way guarantee a student success in a course.


DOCUMENTATION

Documentation can be submitted for review at any time during the year as long as the documentation is for a student currently registered with Florida State or any incoming student that has accepted their offer of admission. However, all documentation provided to the OAS during the final two weeks of the semester (that is, after the start of the last week of classes) will be processed for the following semester. It is the student’s responsibility to apply for and obtain accommodations in a reasonable time frame within the semester.

Documentation submitted to the OAS is confidential and used solely for the purpose of assisting students in identifying and securing accommodations and services to support their full participation at Florida State University. Affiliation with the OAS is not reported on a student’s transcript.

For further information regarding documentation, documentation guidelines, and documentation forms, please visit the OAS website (dsst.fsu.edu/oas). Documentation can be mailed, emailed, faxed or delivered in person.

WHEN DOCUMENTATION IS RECEIVED

Once documentation is received, it will be processed through the main office. This process can take up to 10 business days, so it is essential that the student plans ahead. An Accessibility Specialist in the office will review the student’s application and documentation to determine if the documentation meets Florida State’s documentation guidelines and supports the need for accommodations.

AFTER DOCUMENTATION IS REVIEWED

Once a student’s application and documentation have been received by the OAS an initial intake meeting can be scheduled. An intake meeting must be scheduled at least three(3) working days after both the application and documentation are received by an OAS staff member. This allows the Accessibility Specialist sufficient time to review the submitted materials. It is the OAS’s policy that our students are responsible for their success. Therefore, students are required to contact the OAS to schedule their appointment. Parents are only permitted to attend the student’s initial intake meeting with the student’s expressed consent.

During a students’ initial intake meetings they will engage in conversation with the Accessibility Specialist regarding any academic accommodations for which they are eligible. During this meeting students have the opportunity to select which approved accommodations they would like to use for the upcoming semester. Appropriate accommodations are determined by the Accessibility Specialist and student based on the type of disability, documented needs, previous accommodations, and functional limitations of the student. Students may review these selections during the Letters of Accommodations request process each academic semester.

The OAS is also able to assist students with a temporary disabling conditions (i.e. broken hand).