College Accommodations 101: Your Student’s Rights and How to Register - The Diabetes Link

College vs. K-12 accommodations: so, what’s changed?

The short answer: a lot. If your student had a 504 plan in high school, that chapter has closed. Colleges, universities, community colleges, and trade programs don’t use 504 plans. In fact, schools aren’t required to reach out or follow up. So now (deep breath here), the responsibility shifts to your student. Which means if you’re not there already, welcome to the “Did you email disability services yet?” era.

In practice, this means:

• Your student registers for accommodations themselves through the school’s disability services office
• As a parent or caregiver, you’re not automatically part of that process unless your student brings you in
• Documentation requirements can vary, so your student will need to confirm with their school 

That’s a real shift. But the system is designed to help — your student just has to initiate it (with a nudge from you, maybe).

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): how is your student protected?

The ADA helps protect college students living with diabetes by ensuring they have equal access to education, programs, campus activities, and housing. While colleges don’t acknowledge IEPs and 504 plans under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act like K–12 schools do, college students are still eligible for accommodations under the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. This looks like:

• Permission to eat, drink, or treat low blood glucose during class, labs, or exams
• Breaks to check blood glucose levels, inject insulin, or perform a site change 
• Access to diabetes supplies, devices, and medication at all times
• Extended testing time or breaks during exams if blood glucose levels impact performance
• Housing accommodations such as access to a refrigerator for insulin storage
• Ability to carry a phone or diabetes technology, even in settings where electronics are otherwise restricted

This is not an exhaustive list, so it’s important to check with your student’s school and be informed on what additional protections they may have. Nonetheless, having accommodations is something your student should have in place.

You’re probably thinking, “How can I learn more?” or “Where do I start?” That’s where we come in and we’ve got you covered!

Registering for accommodations in college: let’s begin!

The first step is reaching out to disability services. Pro tip: this can be done before courses begin, don’t wait! Remember, accommodations will need documentation and verification from your student’s doctor (and we all know how slowly that can move), so plan accordingly.

A few handy resources to walk you both through this process:

1. Registering For Accommodations — a step-by-step guide to navigating the process
2. Standardized Testing Accommodations — being high or low can affect academic performance, plan before an emergency!
3. Sample Accommodations on Campus — real examples of what students have requested and received: in the classroom, during exams, missing class, makeup work, etc.
4. Off to College Webinar with American Diabetes Association — our recorded session on student rights (worth watching together!) for the webinar guide, click here

TLDR: accommodations for your student are available, but they don’t happen automatically in college. A little preparation now can go a long way in helping your student start the semester feeling confident, supported, and ready to advocate for themselves.