Student Accessibility Support

Home / Academic Accommodations / Providing Documentation

Providing Documentation

An important step in the accommodations process is providing documentation of your condition.

Documentation helps establish the need for accommodations and provides information about the functional impact of your disability. For most conditions, "documentation" can just be a letter from a provider that clearly answers the above points. In some situations we ask for more detailed information in order to determine appropriate accommodations. We will always try to work with what you are readily able to send us, and will only ask for more information if we need it to determine appropriate accommodations or eligibility. Once you submit documentation, an Accessibility Specialist will review your submission and invite you to schedule an appointment to discuss next steps.

Of course, if you have any questions about documentation or the documentation process, we are always here to help, so feel free to reach out at any time to access@brandeis.edu.

Documentation Criteria

Generally, documentation should:

Be from a licensed provider who has treated you recently and is qualified to provide information about your condition(s). What we consider to be "recent" will depend on what you are documenting with us, and whether it is something that might be likely to change over time. Documentation cannot be provided by an immediate family member.
Confirm a diagnosis that you may be eligible for accommodations for.
Describe the impact of the diagnosis in your daily life.
Describe what might be helpful for you at Brandeis given the impacts of the diagnosis.
Be written in or translated into English.

Submitting Documentation

We currently accept documentation via a secure link where you will be able to upload scanned copies of your documentation from your device. To get the link where you can submit documentation, please email us at access@brandeis.edu. For the security of your medical information, please do not submit any documentation by email.

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand All

What if I don't have documentation yet?

Sometimes this happens when you are seeking care from a provider but have not had your appointment yet, or are waiting for a provider to send you documentation for care you have already received. You may contact SAS at access@brandeis.edu and let us know that you would like to begin the accommodations process pending documentation. We can often provide "Provisional" accommodations to support you in the interim.

What kinds of documentation do you accept?

We accept a wide range of documentation depending on your particular condition. For some conditions, a detailed letter from a provider can be sufficient, while other conditions require a neuropsychological evaluation. If you already have some type of documentation that meets our general criteria, begin by submitting that, and we will be in contact to ask you for additional information if necessary.

Can I just submit an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan?

IEPs or 504 plans from a student's high school may be included, as they provide information about how the student was viewed in his or her high school context. To determine accommodation needs that are appropriate to the university, we may need additional information. The more recent your IEP or 504 is, the more likely it is to sufficiently meet our documentation criteria.

What should I do if my documentation is not current?

We will always try our best to work with whatever documentation you already have, but if it is not current, you may need to talk with your provider(s) about re-evaluation. Current documentation is important as it helps us understand the functional impact of your condition and how it might impact your experience at Brandeis. If you are unsure about your documentation, you are welcome to reach out to us at access@brandeis.edu.