Disability accommodations for study abroad and international students
For outgoing students (studying abroad outside of the U.S.)
If you need helping navigating your host institution's accommodation process, Reed's Director of the International Programs Office (IPO) can help! Please do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with Alberto or email him at adelrio@reed.edu.
- You will need to request accommodations directly from your host institution. Follow their procedures for requesting accommodations. Keep in mind that each school determines the accommodations they can provide, and the accommodations your host school offers may differ from what Reed offers.
- Some schools may ask for a copy of the letter that shows the accommodations you are eligible to use at Reed. Upon your request, we can email you a copy of your Reed accommodation eligibility letter, which you can then submit to your host institution. You are also welcome to ask DAR to send you copies of any disability documentation you have submitted to our office in the past.
- Plan ahead!
- Ask your host institution what kind of support to expect, both in terms of accommodations and medical care. Ask them what their process is for requesting accommodations.
- Request your accommodations early.
- Get copies of your medical documentation before you go.
- If you will need access to medications or specialty care while abroad, make a plan for how you will access that care before you go. Get more tips about this on the IPO's webpage on Medical Considerations.
For incoming students (degree-seeking international students and short-term exchange students)
We invite you to email us or schedule a general information meeting with us if you have questions about how to start Reed's accommodation process or what documentation you will need to provide. We can explain our process step-by-step and answer any questions you might have. We look forward to working with you!
- Plan ahead. If you plan to request accommodations while at Reed, contact our office as soon as you know you will be attending Reed. As one of the first steps in our accommodation process, we will ask you to fill out an accommodation request form.
- Keep Reed’s documentation guidelines in mind. You are welcome to provide us with a letter showing the accommodations you have used at your home institution. However, we will also need original medical documentation prepared by your health or mental health provider.
- The documentation must be in English. If your documentation is in a language other than English, you are welcome to hire a translator or translate your documents yourself. We will need a literal, word-for-word translation, following the same formatting of the original document.
- Reed will do an individual assessment of your accommodations needs. The accommodations offered at Reed may at times differ from those offered at your home institution.