Students in the College of Law, College of Dentistry, and Carver College of Medicine MD Program need to contact their respective colleges for accommodations. If you are seeking Housing Accommodations, including Dining and Assistance Animals apply on the Medical (ADA) Accommodations webpage through University Housing and Dining.
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Apply for accommodations.
Applying for accommodations is a two-part process:
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Gather your Documentation from a Health Care Provider
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Complete the online application form (opens a new window with Workflow Form)
Student Disability Services staff review the recommendations in the professional report submitted on the students’ behalf and determines eligibility for services.
Please allow 10 business days from the time all materials have been received for this review to be completed, and four weeks for accommodations related to final exams.
The Documentation:
Provide us with documentation (guidelines) from your health care provider. Student Disability Services will review your documentation and contact you regarding your eligibility status. For us to review your documentation, you must be a current University of Iowa student, or a prospective student who has accepted an offer of admission by paying the acceptance fee. Some disability categories require recent testing.
See Documentation Guidelines for more information.
The Application:
When you enter the application, you will be asked to enter your student information and answer two questions:
- Please describe your disability and how it affects you academically.
- What types of accommodation would help for your disability?
These questions provide Student Disability Services staff with information about your experience and accommodations you have either used in the past or think might be helpful reducing the impact of your disability on your education. At your initial meeting you will have a chance to share more about your answer to both questions if you choose.
View our Common Accommodations Description webpage for more information on what types of accommodations are common on our campus.
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Check your University of Iowa email account for SDS communications regarding your application status.
Once your eligibility status has been confirmed you will be assigned an Access Consultant in our office and invited to schedule an initial meeting to discuss our services.
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Once approved, schedule an initial meeting through MyUI.
Once your receive an email regarding the status of your application, you can schedule your initial meeting with your Access Consultant through MyUI. Our Schedule a Meeting with your Access Consultant webpage provides directions on setting up this meeting.
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Attend an initial meeting with your SDS Access Consultant.
During the Initial Meeting, your approved accommodations will be outlined and letters requesting these accommodations for specific classes can be completed by you and your Access Consultant.
For more information about what to expect during this meeting visit our webpage that describes the initial meeting.
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Each semester, generate your Letter(s) of Accommodations.
Each semester you will need to generate your Letter(s) of Accommodations (LOA), which you can access through MyUI.
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Share your Letter(s) of Accommodations with your instructors and meet to discuss how the accommodations will be implemented in their course.
You will take this letter to the instructor for each class for which you will use accommodations and work with the instructor to determine how the accommodation will be provided. You do not need to reapply each semester for accommodations.
Many accommodations work best when there is an explicit plan and agreement between the Instructor and student. It is ideal to have this plan in writing so that it can be referenced throughout the semester by both the student and instructor. Access Consultants use an interactive process to support students in advocating for their accommodations and developing plans with instructors.
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Your accommodations are now set up! Reach out to your instructor and Access Consultant if you have questions throughout the semester.
Contact your Access Consultant if you are having difficulty receiving an academic accommodation or would like to talk about your accommodations.
Accommodation decision review process
To appeal a decision regarding an accommodation you are seeking, please feel free to contact the SDS Director at 319-335-1462. If you remain unsatisfied with the response please contact the Office of Institutional Equity at 319-335-0705 (voice) or by email at oie-equity@uiowa.edu.
Accommodation implementation grievance process
If you believe that an accommodation approved by SDS is not being implemented fairly please consult first with your Access Consultant so we may intervene on your behalf. If this does not resolve the situation you may file a grievance with the Office of Institutional Equity at 319-335-0705 (voice) or by email at oie-equity@uiowa.edu.