Prospective Students
If you are in high school or have not yet been admitted to U-M, you can schedule a Prospective Student Appointment to learn more about the Services for Students with Disability (SSD) process, how accommodations work in higher education, and what disability-related documentation might be needed. To schedule a meeting, please call (734) 763-3000 or email ssdoffice@umich.edu.
Incoming or Current Students
If you are enrolled at U-M and need accommodations, we suggest you apply immediately. You don’t have to wait until you have documentation.
The application process is the same for long-term and temporary accommodations. Temporary accommodations are appropriate when there is a temporary disability, such as a broken limb, concussion, mental health needs, or other health conditions.
Step One: Fill out form & Get Accommodate Account
To apply for accommodations, fill out the Initial Information Form. (Parents or caregivers cannot complete this step for you.) When you fill out the form, we will automatically create your account in the Accommodate Platform. Once you have an Accommodate account, you can upload supporting documentation, if you have it. Providing supporting documentation is not required in this step.
Initial Information Form
Step Two: Welcome Meeting
A few days after your Initial Information Form is submitted, you will receive an email (to your U-M email account) from an accommodations coordinator who will invite you to set up an online or in-person meeting.
During your meeting, you will share the disability-related barriers you're experiencing and any history of accommodations. Your accommodations coordinator will explore reasonable accommodations and discuss next steps, and you may be asked to submit more supporting documentation through Accommodate.
Step Three: Establishing Accommodations
Your accommodations coordinator will review your documentation along with the details of the course, program, or activity, and determine reasonable accommodations for you. Sometimes your accommodations coordinator will consult with instructors about possible accommodations for their courses.
Reasonable accommodations are defined as accommodations that don’t change a program, course activity, or compromise the academic integrity of the course content.
Documentation
Documentation helps our office understand how your disability impacts your life and academic work. Our process follows the guidelines advised by the Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act of 2008.
Examples of different accommodation documentation
- The Third-Party Documentation Form completed by your medical provider
- Educational records, such as a high school accommodation plan (IEP, 504 plan, etc.)
- Medical records
- Letter from a healthcare professional, on letterhead, which confirms a diagnosis/impact of the disability
- Neuropsychological or educational evaluation
- Audiology report
- Vision assessment
- Proof of accommodations used on standardized exams (SAT, ACT, etc.)
This is not a complete list. In some cases, SSD may request additional documentation to help connect how the described barrier impacts the disability, and how the requested accommodation will help.
Material has been adopted from the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD).
Your Privacy
Any documentation information will become part of your academic record and is protected by The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
FERPA Consent
If you would like someone outside of the university (like a parent, guardian, or partner) to join an accommodation conversation, complete a FERPA Consent Form for Disclosure before making an appointment to meet with your accommodations coordinator.
Revoking FERPA Consent
You can revoke consent at any time by re-submitting the FERPA form with the bottom portion filled out. Or you can revoke your consent via email. Just send an email from your U-M email account to XXX.
To learn more about FERPA, visit the University of Michigan Office of the Registrar or the U.S. Department of Education.
What are some examples of accommodations?
- additional time to take tests
- a quiet, distraction-free space for exams
- help with note-taking
- ASL interpretation
- requesting a designated reader to read exam questions
- in-class instructions read out loud
- special lighting or acoustics
What is Accommodate?
Accommodate is an online platform where students can:
- request accommodations
- upload accommodations documentation
- schedule appointments with SAAS staff
- communicate with teachers and professors about accommodations
- request alternative text materials
- review the status of current requests
- check on approved accommodations
- see past accommodation transactions
- manage most accommodation processes