Applying for Services

Application Process

Following acceptance for admission to UTSA, the process of obtaining services and accommodations through Student Disability Services starts with submitting an online application and documentation of a disability.  

Students who receive disability accommodations at UTSA must have a documented condition, which constitutes a disability under the guidelines of the ADAAA.   Students are required to provide appropriate documentation of the disability and related functional limitations for accommodations which they are requesting.   Please see information on specific disabilities to determine what  documentation is required for any specific disability/ies.

Application for Services

1. After being accepted for admission to UTSA, complete the SDS online application. Written documentation of your disability from a licensed and qualified professional, in accordance with the documentation guidelines, should be submitted with the online application.  
2. Your application and documentation will be reviewed by the Documentation Review Committee (DRC) where eligibility for services is determined.
3. After documentation has been reviewed by the DRC, an email will be sent to the student’s assigned UTSA email in order to schedule an intake appointment with a Disability Specialist.
4. Students MUST attend this appointment in order to complete the registration process. Intake meeting must be complete prior to receiving academic accommodations.  
   • An interactive personal history interview with student and Disability Specialist is necessary in order to provide proper accommodations or assess what type of documentation may be needed in order to proceed with determining eligibility.
   • Once the intake meeting and registration process have been completed, students are ready to request accommodations for the current semester.
5. Students must request accommodations on a semester basis in order for letters to be sent to their instructors (this may take up to 48 business hours).   Students should follow the accommodation notification procedures in order to complete this process.   If you need assistance with this process, please   contact SDS at 210-458-4157 or reach out to your disability specialist via email for assistance.  
6. If an instructor has not been assigned to the course or an email address cannot be identified for the assigned instructor, SDS will send the accommodation letter via email directly to the student who will then be responsible to notify their instructor/s directly.
7. Once email notifications are received, student and instructor should establish a time to discuss the implementation of approved accommodations in the course.   Students can reach out to their assigned disability specialist if they would like assistance in navigating accommodation dialogues with their instructors.   It is imperative that a “plan of action” be put in place for each of the student’s courses and that student and instructor agree on the implementation of accommodations.  
8. Repeat steps 4-7 at the beginning of each semester to request your accommodations while you are enrolled at UTSA.