Student Disability Services
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The Office of Disability Services is the University office designated to determine reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the ADA Amendments Act.
Mission
The University is committed to supporting the matriculation of all students without regard to sex, race, religion, or disability. The university continues to the identify possible barriers for students with disabilities in attempts to reduce these barriers while increasing accessibility through the provision of reasonable accommodations.
Welcome
Welcome to Student Disability Services (SDS)! We are committed to creating an inclusive learning environment where all students have equitable access to their education. Our team works diligently to review, process, and support accommodation requests for the entire campus community.
All details of our process are provided step by step on the SDS Department webpage. Additionally, we have included a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) tab that reiterates the information available on our website. Please review both carefully and follow the instructions provided.
Please note that our office handles all FSU SDS related questions, concerns, requests, implementations and processes for the entire university. Due to the high volume of calls and emails, please understand that multiple calls/emails may delay the process. Our standard response time ranges from immediate up to 48 business hours. If your issue has not been resolved within that timeframe and still requires our support or expertise, please follow up courteously, knowing that we are working as quickly as possible to assist you.
What Are Reasonable Accommodations?
Reasonable accommodations are adjustments or supports that allow students with documented disabilities equal access to courses, programs, and campus activities — without altering the essential requirements of a class or degree program. Examples may include extended time for testing, note-taking support, accessible course materials, or assistive technology.
Disclaimer
Having a diagnosis alone does not automatically qualify a student for accommodations. The eligibility review process focuses on whether the condition results in substantial functional limitations in one or more major life activities (such as learning, reading, walking, eating, or other daily tasks). These limitations are considered in terms of their severity, frequency, and duration.
Preparation Stage
The Preparation Stage is when you complete a self-assessment to help determine whether you may be eligible for SDS accommodations.
To qualify, you should have documented evidence of a diagnosis that causes substantial functional limitations in daily life, such as in reading, walking, eating, or other major life activities. Thus, just having a diagnosis doesn’t automatically qualify a student for SDS accommodations; the items below will be carefully reviewed. These limitations must be significant in severity, frequency, and duration.
Before submitting your request:
- Carefully review the university’s Documentation Guidelines, which serve as a standards rubric.
- Make sure your documentation meets those criteria to avoid unnecessary delays in review.
- Once you have gathered sufficient documentation as outlined, please complete the SDS Registration online, upload your documentation and submit.
- Please note that high school 504/IEPs, MyChart screenshots, and similar records are not considered sufficient documentation. Yet, they are welcomed and accepted for historical reference only. This type of documentation does not meet the Documentation Guidelines required for college level eligibility review and process determination.
See the Documentation Guidelines page for the required forms to be completed by you and your licensed provider.