Documentation requirements

In order to register with the Access Resource Centre (ARC) students with disabilities are required to provide appropriate and current documentation as specifically referenced in Article 1.0 Documentation Requirements:

  1. For new students who have a stable condition, documentation will normally be no older than five years between the time of the assessment and the date of the student’s initial semester of accommodation(s).
  2. For returning students whose condition has remained stable since the time of submission of original supporting documents, no further documentation will be required.
  3. When a student’s functional abilities or limitations have shown significant change and require a concurrent change to accommodation, the ARC may request new or updated documentation.

Documentation must be completed by an appropriate professional (physician, nurse practitioner, psychologist, psychiatrist, audiologist, optometrist/ophthalmologist/orthoptist) as determined by the ARC. The professional assessment must not be done by a member of the person's immediate or extended family. If you have a family practitioner, it is strongly recommended that you acquire documentation from them as they know your medical history.

The documentation should indicate:

  1. Nature and severity of disability or health condition;
  2. A detailed description of the functional impacts resulting from disability or health condition in a post-secondary setting;
  3. Any recommendations for reasonable academic accommodations to reduce or minimize disability-related barriers.

If you do not have current documentation that fulfills our documentation requirements, please print off the Appendix 8 form below and have a medical professional complete Section 4. If you have any questions about our documentation requirements or filling out this form please contact us.

The Access Resource Centre reserves the right to review and make recommendations to the student and the University regarding the appropriateness and reasonableness of the recommendations within the context of the University environment and available resources. A diagnosis alone is not sufficient to support a request for accommodation.