You are here: American University Provost Academic Access Registering for Accommodations

Back to top

Getting Started with Disability Accommodations

To receive disability accommodations for the first time at American University, you must register with the Academic Support and Access Center by submitting documentation and completing the three-step process outlined below.

The Three-Step Process

  1. Complete and return the Student Accommodations Questionnaire (SAQ).
  2. Submit documentation of your disability. See guidelines below. (Documentation may be uploaded as part of Step 1.)
  3. You will be assigned a Disability Access Advisor who will review your documentation and contact you at your AU student email when it is time to schedule your intake appointment or additional materials are needed. Documentation review typically takes 1-2 weeks; however, review may be longer during high volume times, such as the summer months. For fall admits, typically review of accommodations begins after the spring semester has concluded. 

Steps 1 & 2 should be completed by the respective priority deadlines. A confirmation email will be sent to the student upon successful submission of Steps 1 & 2. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact our office ASAP. Documentation submitted after the priority deadlines will be reviewed in a timely fashion, but accommodation decision-making and implementation cannot be guaranteed by the beginning of the semester.

Once Steps 1 & 2 have been completed, the student will be notified by an ASAC Disability Access Advisor regarding the decision. If accommodations are approved, the decision is provisional pending completion of Step 3. Step 3 should be completed during the first few weeks of the semester. Please note, if additional documentation/information is needed students will be contacted by a Disability Access Advisor at their AU student email.

Review of documentation typically takes 1-2 weeks; however, review may be longer during high volume times, such as the summer months.

If you have a disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities, you may be eligible for disability-related accommodations. To determine eligibility, we will need, from an appropriate, licensed health care professional, comprehensive and relevant documentation that explains the impact of your disability and makes a recommendation for accommodation.

Which form do I submit?

Documentation Guidelines and Fillable Form for Severe and Chronic Medical Conditions
Example Diagnoses: Autoimmune Diseases (Celiac Disease, Crohn’s Disease), Concussions, Migraines, Post-Concussive Syndrome, Physical and Orthopedic Disabilities, etc.

Documentation Guidelines and Fillable Form for Sensory Conditions
Example Diagnoses: Deafness, Blindness, Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment 

Documentation Guidelines and Fillable Form for Psychological Disabilities
Example Diagnoses: Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Sleep Disorders, Developmental Disabilities (Autism Spectrum Disorder), etc.

Documentation Guidelines for Learning Disabilities
Example Diagnoses: Learning Disabilities, Auditory Processing Disorder, Specific Learning Disorder in Reading, etc.
 
Documentation Guidelines and Fillable Form for Allergies
Example Diagnoses: Environmental Allergies (Dust, Mold, Pollen etc.), Food Allergies (Peanuts, Shellfish, etc.)

Documentation Guidelines and Fillable Form for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Example Diagnosis: ADHD

To request accommodations for a temporary injury, such as a broken limb, please schedule an appointment with a Disability Access Advisor.

If you wish to request disability-related housing accommodations, you must:

  1. Submit the Student Accommodations Questionnaire, and
  2. Submit documentation that specifically addresses the disability-related housing accommodation being requested (please use the form listed above under Documentation Guidelines),
  3. Meet with a member of the ASAC Disability team. You will be contacted by the ASAC when you are ready for this step.
  4. Participate in the general housing application process through Housing and Residence Life (HRL) and meet all HRL deadlines.

For returning students who previously were approved for a housing accommodation, please submit the following form to request a housing accommodation for the 2020-2021 academic year: https://american.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eEyrlOD4eDTBkYl

If you wish to request disability-related dining accommodations, you must:

  1. Submit the disability-related dining accommodation request form
  2. Submit documentation that specifically addresses the disability-related dining accommodation being requested (please use the form listed above under Documentation Guidelines)
  3. Meet with a member of the ASAC Disability team. You will be contacted by the ASAC when you are ready for this step.

Emotional Support Animals may be approved as a disability-related housing accommodation with appropriate documentation, specifically a letter from a licensed professional who is familiar with your disability and explains why the animal is necessary for you to live in a residence hall. Detailed information about this process and guidelines for the documentation needed to support your request can be found at: Animals on Campus. Documents certifying the animal as an Emotional Support Animal are not sufficient to support such requests.

If you use a service animal (a dog or miniature horse trained to perform specific tasks related to your disability), we encourage you to register the presence of your animal, but registering a service animal is not required.

If you are an incoming undergraduate, either freshman or transfer, you must take the math placement test. You will not be eligible to register for classes until you have taken the math placement test.

 

To request disability accommodations, such as extended time, for this test, see Requesting Accommodations on the Math Placement Test.

General information about the Math Placement Test can be found here on the Math & Stat Department website.

Priority Deadlines

Academic Priority Deadlines*:
For Spring 2024 – December 1, 2023
For Summer 2024 – April 1, 2024
For Fall 2024 – July 1, 2024

Housing Priority Deadlines for Fall 2024**
Continuing Students – February 25, 2024
First-Year Students – May 7, 2024
Transfer Students – July 3, 2024

Housing Priority Deadlines for Summer 2024**:
Main Campus Continuing Students – April 10, 2024
Programs Living in University Housing for Summer 2024 – Eight Weeks Prior to Move-In Date

Housing Priority Deadlines for Spring 2024**:
Continuing Students - November 3, 2023
New First Year Students and New Transfer Students (Spring 2024 admits) - December 4, 2023

*Deadlines associated with traditional academic calendar. Students enrolling in programs with alternate calendars should submit their documentation for review upon paying enrollment deposit. As these are priority deadlines, missing the deadline does not make you ineligible for receiving accommodations; the ASAC will make every effort to review and implement accommodations outside of the priority deadlines, however accommodation implementation cannot be guaranteed until the subsequent semester.

**Students must deposit to AU before consideration of a housing accommodation request.