If you had an IEP or a 504 plan in high school, you already know that support exists for students who need it. What you may not know is that college works differently, and that difference can catch a lot of students off guard.

If you're coming to college without any prior formal support, but you feel like you may need additional help or you have recently been diagnosed with a disability such as ADHD or dyslexia - this guide is for you, too.

In higher education, accommodations don't automatically follow you. There's no file that transfers, no teacher who flags your needs on your behalf, no system that finds you. The process is yours to initiate, and for a lot of students, that's the hardest part. Not because it's complicated, but because it requires you to ask for something, and asking can feel vulnerable.

This guide walks you through every step, from making your first appointment to talking with your professors, so you know exactly what to expect and how to advocate for yourself with confidence.

First, Know This: You Are Allowed to Request Support

Before we get into the steps, let's address something that stops a lot of students before they even start.

If you received support in K–12, it was largely arranged around you—you may have participated, but you probably weren't running the process. College is different. Now you're being asked to navigate an unfamiliar system, explain needs you may not have words for yet, and initiate that conversation with a new instructor for every course, every semester. That is a lot to ask, and it makes sense if it feels overwhelming.

Know this: requesting accommodations does not mean you don't belong in college. It does not mean you are less capable than your peers. It means you are legally entitled to the support that lets you fully access and succeed in your education.

The Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act both protect your right to equal access in higher education. Accommodations are not special treatment. They are a legal right - and using them is something you should utilize to level the playing field.

Step 1: Contact Your Institution's Disability/Accessibility Services Office

Every college and university has an office that handles disability-related accommodations. It may be called Disability Services, Student Accessibility Services, the Office of Accessibility, or something similar. If you're not sure where to find it, your institution's website or your academic advisor can point you in the right direction.

Your first step is simply to reach out and make an appointment. You don't need to have everything figured out before you call or email. You don't need to know exactly what accommodations you need. You just need to start the conversation.

If making that first contact feels daunting, a simple email is perfectly fine:

"Hi, I'm a student at [institution name] and I'd like to make an appointment to discuss academic accommodations. Could you let me know what the process looks like and how to get started? Thank you."

That's it. You don't need to explain your entire history in the first message.

Step 2: Gather Your Documentation

When you meet with disability services, they will likely ask you to provide documentation of your disability or condition. The specific requirements vary by institution, so your disability services office will tell you exactly what they need, but it helps to go in prepared.

Depending on your situation, you may be asked to provide things like:

  • A letter or report from a licensed medical professional, psychologist, or psychiatrist
  • Results from a psychoeducational evaluation (this is the kind of testing that diagnoses conditions like ADHD or dyslexia)
  • Documentation from a previous IEP or 504 plan
  • Medical records related to a chronic illness, physical disability, or mental health condition
  • A letter from a treating therapist or counselor

If you don't have documentation, or if your documentation is outdated, don't let that stop you from making the appointment. Disability services offices work with students in a variety of situations, and they can often help you figure out how to get what you need. Some institutions also have low-cost or no-cost evaluation resources available to students.

If you're a student who has always struggled but never been formally diagnosed, you are still entitled to a conversation with disability services. They can help you understand your options.

Step 3: Meet with Disability Services

Your intake appointment with disability services is a conversation, not an interrogation. The coordinator you meet with is there to help you, and their job is to understand your needs and determine what accommodations are appropriate for your situation.

You can expect to talk about how your disability or condition affects your academic experience, what kinds of barriers you run into in a typical course, and what kinds of support have helped you in the past, if any. You don't need to have polished answers to any of these questions. Honesty is more useful than perfection.

At the end of the process, if you are approved for accommodations, you will receive an accommodation letter that lists what you’ve been approved for. This is the document you will share with your instructors.

Step 4: Share Your Accommodation Letter with Your Instructors

This is the step that makes a lot of students nervous, and it's worth talking through carefully.

Once you have your accommodation letter, it is your responsibility to share it with each of your instructors. Disability services does not do this for you. You choose when to share it, and you choose which instructors to share it with. Typically, your disability services office will explain how your accommodations are requested and letters shared. 

Most students share their letters early in the semester, ideally in the first week or two, so that accommodations are in place before they're needed. Waiting until the night before an exam to share your letter is not ideal for anyone, including you. Accommodations are not retroactive, so it’s best to share them and possibly not need them for a course. It’s better to have them and not need them, than to need them and not get them.

You can do this in person or by email. There is no requirement that you have this conversation face to face. If walking up to a professor after class feels too anxiety-inducing, an email is completely appropriate and widely used. Here's a simple template you can adapt:

"Dear Professor [Name], I am a student in your [course name] course this semester. I have an accommodation letter from the Office of Disability Services that I'd like to share with you. Please find it attached. I'm happy to answer any logistical questions you have. Thank you for your time."

You do not need to explain your diagnosis. You do not need to tell the story of how you came to need accommodations. The letter speaks for itself, and you are not obligated to go beyond it.

Understanding Your Rights in These Conversations

Most instructors will receive your letter warmly and take it from there. These conversations are usually straightforward, and knowing a little about your rights going in can help you feel confident rather than anxious, whatever direction the conversation takes.

Your diagnosis is your private information. Your accommodation letter describes what you're entitled to, not the medical details behind it. If an instructor asks questions about your condition that feel too personal, it's completely fine to keep that information to yourself. A simple, friendly response works well:

"I tend to keep the medical details private, but I'm happy to talk through how the accommodations will work in your course."

Most instructors ask out of genuine curiosity or a desire to be helpful, and a response like this keeps the conversation moving without anyone feeling put on the spot.

You don't need to re-argue your case. The disability services office has already reviewed your documentation and determined that your accommodations are appropriate. That work is done. If questions come up about how a specific accommodation applies in a particular course context, it can help to suggest that disability services is a good resource for those kinds of logistics, since they work through these details with instructors regularly and can be genuinely useful to both of you:

"That's a great question for disability services, they're really helpful with the course-specific details."

A quick follow-up email can be useful after any in-person conversation. It doesn't need to feel formal. It's just a helpful way to confirm what was discussed and make sure everyone is on the same page:

"Thanks for taking the time to chat today. Just wanted to confirm that my extended time accommodation will be in place for timed assessments this semester. Looking forward to the course!"

If you ever feel like something isn't working, your disability services office is there for you. They support both students and instructors in navigating the accommodation process, and reaching out to them is always the right move if you have questions or hit a snag. That's exactly what they're there for.

A Few Things Worth Knowing as You Go

You can request accommodations at any point in the semester. Earlier is better, but if you receive a diagnosis mid-semester, or if you've been managing without accommodations and realize you need them, it is not too late. Contact disability services as soon as you know.

Your accommodations don't follow you from semester to semester automatically at all institutions. Some schools require you to request your letter be renewed each semester and re-share it with your instructors. Check with your disability services office about how this works at your institution.

You don't have to use every accommodation you're approved for. Having extended time on your accommodation letter doesn't mean you have to use it for every assignment. You decide when and whether to invoke it. Approval gives you access. It doesn't obligate you.

Your privacy is protected. Disability services offices operate under strict confidentiality requirements. Your instructors will know what accommodations you're entitled to, but they will not receive information about your diagnosis or medical history from the institution.

You've Already Done the Hard Part

If you're reading this guide, you're probably already thinking about getting support, and that means you've already done something that a lot of students never manage: you've decided that you deserve to have your needs met.

The process has some steps to it, but none of them are beyond you. Disability services offices exist specifically to help students navigate this, and they are on your side. Your instructors want to support you, too.

You don't have to manage this alone, and you don't have to keep pushing through barriers that don't have to be there. The support exists. You're allowed to use it.

Resources for Further Reading

Your institution's Disability Services or Student Accessibility Services office: your most important first contact

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights: Know Your Rights as a Student with a Disability

AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability)