Student Accessibility Services


Please be aware that the alternate test and exam centre at the Keele campus is currently managing a high volume of requests for accommodated tests and exams. We are working as quickly as possible to process requests for accommodated tests and exams and respond to all inquiries in a timely manner, however you may experience longer than usual wait times. Check our FAQs for the most up-to-date information.

Student Accessibility Services

In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s (OHRC) Policy on accessible education for students with disabilities and York University Senate policy on Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities, we provide individualized academic accommodation planning to students with temporary and permanent disabilities.

This could be:

  • a Learning Disability/Disorder;
  • a chronic health or mental health condition;
  • a physical disability or impairment; 
  • an Acquired Brain Injury, post-concussive syndrome;
  • a sensory disability or impairment such as blindness or deafness;
  • a neurodiversity, ADD, ADHD or autism.

We use the term “disability” when we talk about registration with our office to be consistent with the language in the OHRC and York Senate policies. We offer expertise in disability related supports and what academic accommodations are appropriate, necessary and reasonable.

How can we help?

Register

To explore your eligibility for academic accommodations at York and/or the Bursary for Students with Disabilities, you must register with us as soon as you accept your admissions offer and set up your Passport York account.

Visit the New to our Office page to learn how to register with us.

You can register with us throughout an academic term, however, access to academic accommodations (such as accommodated tests and exams) might be limited and/or unavailable. 

You will then need to request your letter of accommodation (the document that lists the accommodations you require in a course).  

To receive exam or test accommodations, find out the deadline by which you must make your request.

What are Academic Accommodations?

Academic accommodations are put in place by our office to provide equitable access to education for students with disabilities.  Academic accommodations address disability related barriers that prohibit accessing materials in a course and the demonstration of knowledge and skills.

Academic accommodations help to mitigate specific learning barriers that may occur in:

  • lectures, labs, tutorials and placements
  • quizzes, tests, exams and other assessments
  • assignments and other course work

Services

Exam or Test Accommodations

To receive exam or test accommodations, you must submit the request form three weeks before your exam or test date.

Assistive Technology Lab

The Assistive Technology (AT Lab) is a quiet workspace with internet and printing. You have access to word processing and various kinds of assistive technology, on which AT Lab specialists can train and support you.

Van GO

Your accommodation plan may include access to a wheelchair-accessible van and priority to help you get around campus.

Student Accessibility Services FAQ

It is a document that lists the accommodations you require in a course. It does not include medical information. You must share it on the portal with each of your instructors for each course in which you need accommodations. 

The top of your letter includes the date until which your accommodations are valid. The bottom shows the contact information of your Accessibility Counsellor.

You must request a letter of accommodation at the start of every term during which you will need accommodations. If you are new to our services, you must first register with us.

After your share it on the portal with each of your instructors for each course in which you need accommodations, they will receive an email and instructions on how to access it. They must confirm that they received your letter. You will get an email saying they have confirmed receiving it.

Contact your Accessibility Counsellor, whose coordinates are at the bottom of your letter of accommodation. You may also submit another request for a letter of accommodation, choosing the options “I need additional accommodations” or “I need to change or remove an accommodation.” Your Accessibility Counsellor will respond within five business days.

If it is missing from the table of your courses, your accommodations may have expired. Contact your Accessibility Counsellor, whose coordinates are at the bottom of your letter of accommodation.

If you received an email saying that a course you are taking is missing instructor information, check the portal in a couple of business days. If it is still missing after that time, please contact your Accessibility Counsellor.

Your account may not be properly configured. Please contact your Accessibility Counsellor. Their coordinates are at the bottom of your letter of accommodation.

We advise that you confirm all test and exam dates for which you will need accommodation when you first receive your course syllabus.

You can then register for accommodated tests and exams. The earlier you book your test, the less you will need to scramble come test time.

We love hearing from you!

Contact us

416-736-5755

Weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.*

Keele Campus: N108 Ross Building
Glendon Campus: Student Success Centre, York Hall B108
Markham Campus: Student Success Centre, 2nd floor, Room 2010

Our office is closed on statutory holidays and all other times when York is not open. We do not monitor emails outside our office hours.

*We're also closed at 3 p.m. on Fridays from Victoria Day weekend in May until the start of classes in September.