If you are an incoming student, visit our incoming student information page!
The deadline to apply for Spring 2024 disability accommodations is Friday, April 5, 2024 at 5 p.m. EST. If you need to request an exception to the deadline, please submit your reason for needing an exception to disability-svcs@jmu.edu.
Academic Accommodation Request Process
- First, submit the JMU Accommodate Application*. Have your documentation ready to upload and allow for about 30 minutes to fully complete the application. If you have any questions, e-mail disability-svcs@jmu.edu or call 540-568-6705 and we will answer your question during business hours.
*If you are applying for accommodations related to housing, please see the Housing Accommodation Request Process. Requests for housing and academic accommodations can be made in one application.
*You will need your EID and password to access the application. Additionally, your 9-digit student ID number is required as part of the application. If you are a prospective student, visit our How to Find your Student ID Number webpage to ensure that you enter the correct 9-digit number.
- After you submit the application and your documentation, ODS will review it. Please, allow 15 business days for this review from the day that both the application and documentation were submitted.
- After the review period, ODS will contact you via phone or e-mail to your @dukes.jmu.edu account to schedule your initial meeting.
During your initial meeting, the practitioner will ask you if you would like to register to vote so that the Commonwealth of Virginia Voter Registration Agency Certification form can be completed. It is required by the state of Virginia that Designated Voter Registration Agencies, such as our office, complete this with our students. It is used to check and make sure that we are offering students the opportunity to vote if they check the second box on the form. During your registration meeting, if you checked the second box on this form, you will be given the opportunity to register to vote if you are 18 years of age or older. If you would like to register to vote, please have your Social Security number ready.
Virginia Voter Registration Information
National Voter Registration Information
Eligibility for Disability Services
Disability Services are available to currently enrolled students who have a documented disability that substantially limits them in one or more of life's major activities.
Individuals eligible for services include, but are not limited to, students with Learning and Psychological Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, Mobility, Orthopedic, Hearing, Visual, and Speech Impairments as well some Medical Conditions. Please see our Documentation Guidelines to clarify what needs to be submitted.
Prospective Students
ODS is not involved in the JMU admission process unless we are contacted by the Office of Admissions. There is no prescribed formula for gaining admission. JMU works to select the strongest candidates from a high-quality pool. Check out the Admissions site to get an idea of what the admission committee is looking for. Disclosing a disability is voluntary and applicants are not required to discuss or disclose disability information during the admission process. However, many applicants with disabilities choose to discuss this aspect of their lives in an optional personal statement as a way to explain one's identity and life experiences, or to shed light on skills and aptitudes. Disclosing a disability will not negatively impact a student's standing in the applicant pool.
Newly Admitted Students
Congratulations on your acceptance to JMU! We are excited about the possibility of you joining the JMU community. In order to answer any questions you might have, The Office of Admissions sponsors CHOICES, a program for admitted first-year students and their families to learn more about JMU. During CHOICES, ODS professional and student staff are available to provide you and your family information on documentation guidelines, transitioning, accommodations, services, and resources.
Getting Oriented to JMU and ODS
Welcome to the beginning of your transition to JMU. For more information on Orientation, visit the Orientation website. Getting started with ODS during the summer months gives you time to meet the ODS staff, get questions answered and set up accommodations for the upcoming semester. Since your Summer Orientation day will be tightly scheduled, it is recommended that you schedule an appointment with ODS (either virtually or in person) on a different day than your Summer Orientation day. Prior to your appointment, you will need follow the registration process listed above.
Current Students
Please engage in the registration process above prior to or as early in the semester as possible.
