Student Accessibility Services (SAS) offers services to qualified students with documented physical, medical, visual, hearing, learning, or psychiatric disabilities. All student requests for accommodations must be directed to and evaluated by the sas [at] emerson.edu (SAS staff).

Please make your requests in a timely manner to give us time to arrange the necessary accommodations. To request a test accommodation, contact SAS early in the semester, well in advance of any exams.

Students with disabilities are not required to register with SAS. However, to receive accommodations, you must register with SAS and request them. Accommodations may or may not be different than previous disability services you may have received (e.g., in high school).


Academic Accommodations

To request an academic accommodation:

  1.  Fill out the Initial Accommodation Request form. Documentation may be uploaded when completing the form or at a later date.
  2. Submit documentation from a qualified impartial professional (psychologist, psychiatrist, or other relevant treatment provider) with experience and expertise in relation to the accommodations requested.
  3. A SAS staff member will reach out to schedule an interview to discuss the disclosed diagnosis, treatment history, learning challenges, and requested accommodations. This interview can take place in person, on the phone, or via video chat.
  4. After reviewing your request and supporting documentation, SAS will determine whether you are eligible to receive the requested accommodation or a reasonable alternative accommodation, and will inform you of the decision. In most cases, you will be eligible for the approved academic accommodations throughout your time at Emerson.
  5. To implement approved accommodations in your classes, you will request semester letters in the Accommodate portal. Once the request is verified by SAS, the letter will be sent to your professors. You will receive instructions prior to the semester on how to do this.

Housing Accommodations

To request a housing accommodation:

  1. Review the Housing Accommodation Request Process.
  2. Log in to SAS Portal with Emerson credentials. Students who are not yet registered in the SAS Portal must complete an Initial Accommodation Request form to proceed with Step 3.
  3. Once logged in, navigate to Accommodation on the left sidebar and click Housing Requests. Click “Add New” and fill out the form as directed.
  4. Provide documentation of the disability that meets the areas outlined in the Documentation Guidelines for Housing Accommodation Requests (see page 4 of the packet).
  5. Once the above materials have been submitted, a SAS staff member will invite the student to schedule an interview as part of the interactive process.

Temporary or Unconfirmed Disabilities

SAS is not required under law to assist students with temporary disabilities such as injury, psychological trauma, or short-term illness. However, on a case-by-case basis, we sometimes provide accommodations to such students. Documentation is still required. SAS will evaluate the documentation to determine whether the condition qualifies for accommodations and what accommodations can be arranged.

SAS can only provide services to students who have disabilities documented by a professional in a field related to the disability. If you think you may have a disability, sas [at] emerson.edu (contact us), the Counseling Center, or the Health and Wellness Center to discuss your concerns and find out how to receive evaluation.