Student Disabilty Services

Student disability services
UCSF is committed to ensuring access to graduate education for all students. Early communication with the relevant administrators is critical to successful partnership in arranging accommodations. SDS is the appropriate and confidential office for seeking accommodations, and will coordinate communications and procedures with you and the graduate faculty and programs. Please visit their website and look over the student disability services info sheet for more information.

 

Students seeking accommodations or support services at UCSF are required to register with Student Disability Services (SDS). The general registration process is as follows. A detailed description of the process for housing accommodations can be found on the UCSF Housing website.

  1. Contact SDS
    Current and prospective students should call 415/476-6595 or email SDS to schedule an intake appointment with the SDS Director. Appointments can take place even if you are not living locally!

     
  2. Provide documentation of your disability
    You are encouraged to send your disability documentation to SDS in advance of your intake appointment, but you can also bring documentation with you to the appointment.

    Guidance about the type of disability documentation needed for students with learning disabilities, AD/HD and psychological disabilities, is available in the Practices for Documentation established by the University of California system. SDS has also developed several Verification Forms to assist students with physical disabilities or chronic health conditions, psychological disabilities and AD/HD to request the necessary documentation from their treatment providers.

    You are encouraged to provide whatever documentation you have for evaluation, even if it does not meet the UC Practices. Guidance will be provided regarding the extent and type of documentation needed after your intake appointment.

    Students who do not have documentation of their condition, and/or who believe they have an undiagnosed condition, should contact SDS to discuss their circumstances further.

     

  3. Make a formal request for accommodations
    Complete the PDFRequest for Accommodations form to provide information about your disability, history of accommodations, and make requests for specific accommodations.

    You are encouraged to submit the completed form to SDS in advance of your intake appointment, but you can bring the completed form to your intake, or complete it during or after the meeting.
     

  4. Determine eligibility and accommodations
    The SDS Director will review your request for accommodations, taking into consideration the information provided during the intake meeting, your disability documentation, and the requirements of your academic program to determine your eligibility for services and, if appropriate, recommend specific accommodations.
     
  5. Orientation Session
    If you are found eligible for accommodations, you are required to meet with the SDS Director for an Orientation Session to review the policies and procedures regarding the provision of accommodations at UCSF, and in your School or program.
     
  6. Accessing recommended accommodations
    SDS has established procedures for the implementation of accommodations for eligible students with each school or program. Information on the process for your school/program will be provided during the Orientation session.