Students with qualifying conditions should begin the registration process as soon as possible. Registering before the start of the semester is best so that accommodations are in place from the beginning of the semester; however, students can register with SAS at any time. Gathering sufficient documentation may take time; please plan accordingly.
Students who submitted testing, an IEP or 504 plan as part of their application to WSU must still self identify and register with SAS.
Registering
Students should provide documentation that demonstrates limitations to one or more major life activities as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In general, the documentation must be on letter head from a licensed professional and include the diagnosis and the impact of the diagnosis both in everyday life and the academic environment.
For students who had accommodations in high school:
An IEP and 504 plan is not sufficient documentation unless accompanied by the relevant testing associated with the student’s diagnosis. Testing may include one or more of the following documents: Psychoeducational Assessment, Psychological Assessment, Educational Achievement testing, Neuropsychological assessment, Speech/Language Assessment, Occupational Therapy evaluation, other Sensory Evaluations, etc.
For students with mental health or chronic health conditions:
Please provide a letter from a licensed professional (therapist, doctor, nurse, practitioner, etc.) that meets the documentation guidelines. When asking for a letter, we suggest you share the documentation guidelines with your provider and discuss the appropriate accommodations. The letter from your licensed professional must meet all of the requirements on the checklist.
For students transferring from another college who had accommodations:
Include a letter from your previous college documenting the accommodations you received there, along with other documentation, such as IEP and testing (see above) or letter from a licensed professional.
To help ensure students submit appropriate documentation, a check list and guidelines are provided below.
Documentation checklist and guidelines
Abbreviated Documentation Guidelines for student requesting Dietary Accommodations: Dietary Accommodations
Abbreviated Documentation Guidelines for students requesting Temporary Accommodations: Temporary Accommodations
Documentation can be emailed to sas@worcester.edu (this email is only viewed by SAS staff), or faxed to SAS at 508-929-8214.
Submitting Documentation
The Intake Meeting may be scheduled up to two weeks after receiving sufficient documentation. During the Intake Meeting, the student and specialist will discuss the symptoms of the student’s disability(ies) and how they impact the student’s experience at WSU. Parents/legal guardians are welcome to attend the meeting with the student’s verbal consent at the time of meeting. The specialist will also provide a brief orientation as to how to access relevant accommodations.
The student should fill out the Registration Form, and can do so with the help of a parent or guardian.
Yes, after you submit your Registration Form you will receive confirmation and next steps for submitting documentation from sas@worcester.edu within 24 hours, Monday- Friday.
If you can submit your documentation and Registration Form promptly, we will do our best to review the documentation and set up an intake as quickly as we can, but it can take up to two weeks to schedule an intake appointment during busy times of the year. SAS also needs five business days of advanced notice in order to schedule exam accommodations.
Yes, we encourage you to include your IEP as part of your documentation. The IEP or 504 plan must include relevant testing. Accommodations from IEP’s and 504 plans are not automatically transferred to WSU. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on an individual’s documentation and an interactive intake.
Once sufficient documentation is received, it may take up to two weeks for the documentation to be reviewed and to schedule an intake appointment. We may need to ask for additional documentation, and the time students spend gathering their documentation varies. It is best to begin the registration process as soon as possible.
Your registration form and documentation are confidential and not shared outside of SAS. If you grant permission on the Student Registration Form, SAS may discuss information related to your disability with faculty in order to meet your accommodations.
You can submit your documentation by email (sas@worcester.edu) or fax (508-929-8214).
