Student Accommodation Request Process

Purdue University, through policy and practice, is committed to being an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming environment for all students. The Disability Resource Center engages in an interactive process with students to determine appropriate and reasonable accommodations within the entirety of the Purdue experience.  

Applying for Accommodations

At Purdue University, we are committed to supporting students with all different types of disabilities and diagnoses including, but not limited to, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, autism, physical and sensory disabilities, medical and mental health conditions, and temporary disabilities.

Step 1: Complete the online Accommodation Request Form

Completing this form provides the Disability Resource Center with the following information:

• the types of support you may have received previously
• what you are requesting at Purdue University
• what potential barriers may impact your experience
• information about you and your diagnosis

Please note, students are required to complete the Accommodation Request Form. We are unable to consider accommodations that are not submitted by the student. 

Accommodation requests are reviewed in the order they are received, and we are unable to guarantee immediate review of a request.

Please select the form that coincides with the first semester you are requesting accommodations for:

• Summer 2025 Request for Accommodations
• Fall 2025 Request for Accommodations

Step 2: Submit Documentation

The Disability Resource Center recognizes and supports different types of documentation, including student’s personal narratives, high school records regarding accommodations, and information directly from a healthcare provider. Documentation can be uploaded in your Accommodation Request form, faxed to 765-496-3759, or emailed to drc@purdue.edu, There may be times in which documentation submitted does not provide the DRC with enough information to be able to approve a requested accommodation. This may result in the DRC requesting additional documentation information from your health care provider. 

• DRC Documentation Criteria

Step 3: Schedule Meeting

Once your Accommodation Request Form and documentation have been received, an Access Consultant (AC) at the DRC will reach out to schedule a time to meet with you. During this meeting, your AC will ask several questions to learn more about, determine what types of barriers may exist, learn about your personal experiences with your diagnosis and identity if accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Please note, communication from the Disability Resource Center will be sent directly to a student's Purdue University email address.

Request an Accommodation

Accelerated Consideration

Don't want to wait for a meeting, or don't feel that is necessary to meet with someone in DRC? 

• Accelerated Consideration is an option for students who want the DRC to consider specific accommodations without scheduling a meeting.
• At this time, Accelerated Consideration can only be considered for the following types of accommodations:
  • Time-and-half for Exams
  • Distraction-Reduced Environment for Exams
  • Text-to-Speech
  • Accessible Furniture
• DRC will only consider approving accommodations on the list above through the Accelerated Consideration option. If the student requests any of the above accommodations PLUS any accommodations not on this list, the DRC will inform the student of a need to schedule a meeting to discuss their accommodation requests. The student will receive next steps communication via their Purdue email after the Accelerated Review is complete.
• While you may miss the opportunity to talk with a DRC Access Consultant about the accommodation process and other possible resources at Purdue, the Accelerated Consideration option may allow you to avoid wait times for meetings and potentially allow you to receive certain accommodations more quickly. 
• After you submit your Accommodation Request Form, you are responsible for reading your Purdue emails and following all steps listed.
• If approved for Accelerated Consideration accommodations, you may still choose to meet with an Access Consultant at a later time to discuss the request process, or other DRC resources. Students may also choose to request other accommodations at any point, which would require a meeting with an Access Consultant, and may require additional documentation and review. 
• You must submit your Accommodation Request Form AND documentation at the same time to use this option.

Accelerated Consideration Process 

• Students must complete the Student Accommodation Request Form AND must provide documentation at the time of application submission to receive Accelerated Consideration. If documentation is not provided when the application is submitted, the student will be processed through our primary review.
  • Application Requirements: Students pursuing the Accelerated Consideration option should provide thorough responses to the questions within the application to help the DRC understand why the requested accommodations are academically necessary due to disability.
  • Documentation Requirements: Documentation reviewed within the Accelerated Consideration process must include the following components:
    • Specific reference to a disability or diagnosis
    • Specific recommendation only for accommodations listed within the Accommodation Consideration accommodation option list
    • Details from the documentation author as to why the recommended accommodations are necessary to address functional impacts related to the disability/diagnosis (The documentation cannot only state that the accommodation is necessary because of ‘X’ disability/diagnosis. The DRC needs to understand the purpose behind the accommodation.)
  • DRC Review: DRC Senior Access Consultants will review your application and documentation upon submission. Within three business days, you will be notified if any accommodations are approved through Accelerated Consideration or if an Initial Meeting needs to be scheduled.
• When Accommodations are Approved: If accommodations are determined to be reasonable through Accelerated Consideration, the student will receive an email with instructions and the next steps. Students may still choose to schedule a meeting to discuss the process for using approved accommodations. Students may also choose to request other accommodations after approval, which would require a meeting with a DRC Access Consultant.
• When More Information is Needed: If the application or documentation does not provide the necessary information to determine reasonable accommodations through Accelerated Consideration, the student will receive an email with steps to schedule a Initial Meeting.

 

Alternative Formats

Prior to purchasing your textbooks and/or sending a request for alternative formats, please search Purdue's online databases for accessible formats. Contact Alternative Formats to register for a free Bookshare subscription.

Finding Accessible Textbooks Steps to Request E-Text

Other Accommodations

If you receive other accommodations that will be impacted by being in an online learning environment, please communicate with your instructor immediately to discuss options. Access barriers cannot be addressed if we do not know about them. The DRC is always available to assist as needed in conversations regarding the implementation of accommodations.

• Read Purdue's Procedures for Requesting and Implementing Curricular Accommodations
• Read Purdue's Procedures for Requesting and Implementing Student Life Accommodations
• Learn about Purdue’s operating procedures for service animals in University Residences and Dining Halls