Requesting Student Academic Accommodations

The Disability Services Office (DSO) is committed to providing accommodations to individuals with disabilities to ensure equal access to university programs, services, and facilities. The DSO engages in an interactive process with each student and reviews requests for accommodations on a case-by-case basis. Please do not hesitate to contact the Disability Services Office at 610-683-4108 or DSO@kutztown.edu with any questions or concerns about this process.

To start the process for requesting accommodations at KU, you must have:

  • Been accepted as a student at KU
  • Paid the Advanced Registration Deposit (ARD) to commit to attending KU
  • Have set up your KU email account
    Please note: all communication about accommodations will be through KU email

Keep the following in mind:

  • Accommodations may be approved for present and future needs, but they may not be approved/applied retroactively.
  • DSO may need to ask you to provide additional information if the submitted documentation is incomplete or does not support your accommodation request.
  • You are encouraged to keep a copy of the documentation that you submit to DSO for your personal records.
  • Documentation and disability files are destroyed six years after a student leaves the University.  DSO will keep records for seven years and will shred paper files/destroy the electronic file after that time.
  • KU DSO documentation requirements may differ from other educational institutions and may not be accepted by testing agencies, licensure exams, and certification programs. When seeking accommodations from outside organizations, such as Pearson VUE, please check with the specific program to determine their documentation guidelines.

Process for Requesting Accommodations

  1. Disclose your Disability
    Complete and submit the online Accommodations Request Form (see link below). Supporting documentation can be submitted simultaneously as part of the request form. 
  2. Submit Documentation of your Disability
    Submit documentation of your disability to verify your eligibility for accommodations under the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Review the documentation guidelines below. Familiarity and adherence to these guidelines will help to prevent unnecessary delays in the accommodation process. Documentation can be submitted on Accommodate once you have submitted your Request Form; or uploaded via the link below. 
  3. Schedule an Accommodation Plan Meeting
    Once your documents are received and accepted by the DSO, you will be notified to schedule an accommodation plan meeting. Please follow the instructions in the email to schedule virtually with a staff member via your Accommodate site, or by calling the office during our business hours. Through an interactive process, an individualized accommodation plan will be developed.

Please Note:  If you are requesting housing and/or dining accommodations only, an accommodation plan meeting with the DSO is not necessary. However, you will still need to submit the appropriate documentation.

Documentation Guidelines

The following guidelines are provided to assist individuals with disabilities, family members, physicians, or other medical professionals in identifying the type of information and documentation needed to determine reasonable and appropriate accommodations for the college setting. 

Please Note:  All documentation must be typewritten on letterhead, dated, and signed by an evaluator who has the training and appropriate licensure to conduct evaluations and render diagnoses. The documentation must be recent and include the name, title, professional credentials, and contact information of the evaluator.

If you are disclosing more than one disability and/or diagnosis, please follow specific guidelines and submit appropriate documentation for each disability and/or diagnosis being disclosed. 

  • ADHD and ADD

    Submit a copy of the evaluation report in which your diagnosis of ADHD or ADD was made, as well as a copy of your most recent 504 Plan or IEP and most recent Evaluation/Reevaluation Report from your high school. The above documentation should include:

    • all aptitude/cognitive functioning and achievement test scores,
    • information regarding information processing/cognitive abilities including speed of processing, cognitive efficiency, visual-auditory processing, perceptual-motor processing, executive functioning including memory, concentration, and attention and language abilities including expressive-receptive language and speech.

    If you were diagnosed by a physician, submit a letter from your medical provider that includes:

    • a statement of diagnosis
    • description of the symptoms/impact
    • current treatment methods
    • description and impact of the diagnosis on your ability to function in the college environment
    • any care provider recommendations for accommodations.


    Also submit a copy of your most recent 504 Plan or IEP and most recent Evaluation/Reevaluation Report from your high school, if applicable.

  • Asthma and/or Allergies

    Submit a letter from your treating physician/specialist that includes the following:

    • a statement of diagnosis
    • description of the asthma/allergy symptoms (e.g. frequency of attacks and triggers),
    • description of specific allergens (e.g. food, environmental)
    • description of current treatment methods
    • impact of the diagnosis on your ability to function in the college environment
    • any care provider recommendations for accommodations.


    If applicable, submit a copy of your most recent 504 Plan or IEP and most recent Evaluation/Re-Evaluation Report from high school.

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder

    Submit a copy of the evaluation report in which your diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder was made, as well as a copy of your most recent 504 Plan or IEP and most recent Evaluation/Re-Evaluation Report from high school.

    The above documentation should include a description of communication or language skills, social interaction, restricted, repetitive, or other patterns of behavior, sensory functioning, and sensitivity to environmental conditions.

  • Deaf or Hard of Hearing

    Submit a letter from your treating physician/specialist that includes:

    • a statement of diagnosis
    • description of type, degree, and configuration of hearing loss, including frequency and intensity
    • a description of any audiological technologies currently used (e.g., hearing aids, assistive listening devices, cochlear implant, sign language interpreters, real-time captioning. Please include specific brand names, model numbers, if applicable.


    Also submit a copy of your most recent 504 Plan or IEP and most recent Evaluation/Re-Evaluation Report from your high school, if applicable.

  • Learning Disabilities

    Submit a copy of your most recent 504 Plan or IEP and Evaluation/Re-Evaluation Report from high school including:

    • aptitude/cognitive functioning and achievement test scores
    • any information about information processing/cognitive abilities including speed of processing, cognitive efficiency, visual-auditory processing, perceptual-motor processing, executive functioning including memory, concentration, and attention and language abilities including expressive-receptive language and speech.

    If you were diagnosed by a private evaluator (i.e., outside the school setting) submit a copy of the evaluation report in which your diagnosis was made, as well as the most recent 504 Plan or IEP and Evaluation/Re-Evaluation report from your high school.  

  • Psychological Disorders

    Submit a letter from your treating mental health provider that includes:

    • a statement of diagnosis
    • description of symptoms/impact
    • current treatment methods
    • description of the impact of the diagnosis on your ability to function in the college environment
    • any care provider recommendations for accommodations.


    Also submit a copy of your most recent 504 Plan or IEP and most recent Evaluation/Re-Evaluation Report from high school, if applicable.

  • Health, Medical or Mobility Impairment

    Submit a letter from your treating physician that includes:

    • a statement of diagnosis
    • description of the symptoms/impact
    • current treatment methods
    • description of the impact of the diagnosis on your ability to function in the college environment
    • any care provider recommendations for accommodations.


    Also submit a copy of your most recent 504 Plan or IEP and most recent Evaluation/Re-Evaluation Report from high school, if applicable.

  • Traumatic Brain Injury/Head Injury

    Submit a letter from your treating physician/specialist that includes:

    • a statement of diagnosis
    • description of the symptoms/impact, current treatment methods
    • description of the impact of the diagnosis on your ability to function in the college environment
    • any care provider recommendations for accommodations


    When available, the above documentation should include information and test results regarding intellectual and cognitive competence, motor, visual, auditory, and tactile functioning, speech, language, and communication ability, executive functioning including memory, concentration, and attention and academic achievement including reading, writing, math, and oral language.

    Also submit a copy of your most recent 504 Plan or IEP and most recent Evaluation/Re-Evaluation Report from high school, if applicable.

  • Visual Impairment

    Submit a letter from your treating physician/specialist that includes:

    • a statement of diagnosis
    • description of visual acuity and any visual aids currently used (e.g. glasses, large print type) including visual acuity with these aids
    • any care provider recommendations for accommodations


    Also submit a copy of your most recent 504 Plan or IEP and most recent Evaluation/Re-Evaluation Report from high school, if applicable.

Click Here to Submit an Accommodation Request