Request Accommodations

Letters of Accommodation (LOA) are the formal communication of approved accommodations from the Office of Disability Services to the instructor of the course. 

Each semester, students must request their LOA for each course, which will be emailed to your Rutgers email. It is your responsibility to provide the LOA to your instructor and discuss how the accommodations will work in their course.  

The request for accommodation is not complete until the LOA is provided to the course instructor and the conversation occurs with the faculty member. If you have questions or concerns, raise them immediately with your ODS coordinator. 

Request your Letter of Accommodation 

Students who have been approved for exam accommodations need to discuss their accommodations with the instructor to discuss how exam/quiz accommodations will be provided.

All exam or quizzes with accommodations, including online exams, should be submitted using the form below in advance of the exam date. ODS staff will help coordinate and provide support for the exam and accommodations.

If needed, ODS is available to proctor the exam if the instructor is not able to provide an appropriate testing environment with accommodations.

To allow for ODS staff to make necessary arrangements; the following deadlines are in place for exam requests:

During Fall and Spring Semester, exam requests must be submitted for each exam/quiz at least 1 week (5 business days) in advance and two weeks prior to start of finals.

During Winter and Summer semesters, requests must be submitted at least 3 days in advance of the test date.

Exams requests submitted after the deadline may not be able to be provided with accommodations and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Students taking an exam with ODS must report to the ODS office (Paul Robeson Campus Center, room 219) before the exam begins in order to ensure complete use of their time. Students who arrive late will not have time added to the end of their scheduled end time.

Changes to the exam start time or date are at the discretion of the instructor.   If seeking a different start time or to change the date, you must work with the instructor and, if approved, communicate the changes to ODS. Any changes must be communicated to ODS by the faculty member.

Schedule an Exam with Accommodations

Students approved for note-taking accommodations have a variety of options to choose from, depending on their accommodation. Students should choose the most appropriate note-taking service based on their needs and the course design. 

Submit a Note-taking request 

Students approved for Accessible Classrooms or Furniture and need to utilize the accommodation should email ods@newark.rutgers.edu with the following information so we can make appropriate arrangements: course name and section, date and time, location (building and room number), a description of the issue, and what are you requesting. 

Students who are approved for Alternate Format Text materials are responsible for identifying what books and other materials are needed in alternate format and sharing them with the Rutgers Access and Disability Resources AFT Team in a timely fashion. 

Request Alternate Format Text from Rutgers. 

Assistive technology is available for students to utilize to ensure access. Computer labs at Rutgers Newark feature JAWS and Kurzweil 3000. We have software and hardware available for loan.

Videos and resources for Assistive Technology are available from Rutgers Access and Disability Resources. Learn more at the Getting Started with Assistive Technology page.

Contact your coordinator if you would like to discuss specific assistive technology.

Services for students who are approved for American Sign Language (ASL) / Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) are managed centrally and can be arranged through ASL/CART Services. 

All requests for housing accommodations are reviewed by representatives from Office of Disability Services (ODS) and the Office of Housing and Residence Life. They will determine the reasonableness of your request and an appropriate accommodation. If you are seeking a housing accommodation, you must submit a Registration Form and have an appropriate healthcare provider fill out the Documentation Guidelines. 

Visit the Newark Office of Housing and Residence Life to find the latest information about living on campus and relevant costs and deadlines. 

If you need accessible parking, either temporarily or permanently, you must obtain a valid Rutgers parking permit. 

Individuals with permanent disabilities must present or email a copy (front and back) of a state-issued Permanently Disabled ID and placard to the Rutgers Department of Transportation Services info_dots@ipo.rutgers.edu. 

If you have a temporary disability, you must present or email a copy (front and back) of a state-issued Temporary Disabled ID to the Rutgers Department of Transportation Services info_dots@ipo.rutgers.edu. Disability parking privileges will coincide with the expiration date of the placard OR the treating physician must submit a Certification for Medical Need Form to continue past the expiration date. 

If you do not have a permanent or temporary state-issued placard, you must: 

• Ask your physician to complete and submit a Certification for Medical Need form. 

• Complete and submit an Additional Parking Request form to obtain approval for accessible parking. 

Once approved, you will be able to use your valid Rutgers ID to park in accessible parking spots or non-reserved parking spots close to your destination.