How to connect with your campus disability services office, request accommodations, and build a plan that fits your needs. Covers documentation, the intake process, and what to expect.
Every college and university that receives federal funding has a disability services office, though it may be called Disability Resource Center, Student Accessibility Services, or something similar. Search your school's website or ask your academic advisor. This office is the gateway to formal accommodations, and connecting with them early — ideally before the semester starts — gives you the most flexibility.
Most offices ask for documentation from a licensed medical professional that describes your diagnosis, its impact on major life activities, and recommended accommodations. This might be a letter from your neurologist or epileptologist. Some schools have their own forms. If your documentation is older, they may ask for an update — but you should not be required to disclose more than what's necessary to support the accommodations you're requesting.
Accommodations are determined through an interactive process between you and the disability services office. Common accommodations for students with epilepsy include flexibility with attendance, extended time on exams, a note-taker, permission to record lectures, and priority registration to schedule classes at times when seizure risk is lower. Your needs may change over time — you can request to update your accommodation plan at any point, not just at the start of the year.
Once approved, you'll receive an accommodation letter (sometimes called a faculty notification letter) listing the accommodations you're entitled to. You are responsible for sharing this letter with your professors each semester. The letter typically does not disclose your diagnosis — it states the accommodations, not the condition. You decide what, if anything, to share beyond that.
If a professor is not implementing an approved accommodation, start by following up in writing. If the issue continues, contact your disability services office — they are there to advocate for you and can intervene on your behalf. If the problem persists at an institutional level, you can file a grievance through the office or contact the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.
These resources are general and educational, not medical advice. For decisions about your care, talk with your healthcare provider — and for accommodations, your campus disability services office.
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