Graduate Student FAQs
I am a student with a disability and would like to request academic accommodations. What is the process?
Graduate students with disabilities must register with DAS and request accommodations by submitting the Student Registration Form and submitting documentation early as possible. Registration information can be found here. For additional questions about the registration process, academic support, or additional services provided by DAS, please contact our offices via phone at
Do academic accommodations only apply to undergraduate students?
Academic accommodations apply to all students at Emory, including graduate students.
Will I receive the same academic accommodations as undergraduate students?
While that’s possible, academic accommodations are individualized for each student’s situation based on the demonstrated need that results from the impact of one’s disability.
What are some of the differences that may apply between academic accommodations for undergraduate and graduate students?
Academic accommodations are individualized to each student and their academic responsibilities. Graduate students often participate in a wide variety of assistantships and professional opportunities outside of the traditional classroom that are often unavailable to undergraduate and non-degree seeking students. More specifically, because graduate study can include such responsibilities as teaching, research in labs or the field, or could be connected with grants, some accommodations, like reduced courseload or adjusting the pace of the program, require careful planning and communication to assess and determine what is reasonable and to avoid fundamental alteration to a student’s academic progress.
What services/resources are available to graduate students with disabilities?
A wide variety of services and resources are available to all students including academic resources, health and wellness support, diversity, and inclusion, and many more. After registering with DAS, the student will be assigned to an Accommodation Specialist who will be happy to address specific questions and concerns about available resources and accommodation support.
Will future employers know that I had academic accommodations at Emory?
DAS does not disclose disability accommodation information to future employers, unless the student or former student has specifically requested and consented to DAS providing that information or DAS becomes legally required to disclose it, such as in response to court order or subpoena.
How do I talk to my advisor and committee about accommodations that I might need throughout my time at Emory?
DAS assesses workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their position. DAS will assess accommodation requests for individuals serving graduate assistantships, teaching assistantships, student employment, graduate part-time instructorships, and other types of graduate and student appointments (all referred to below as graduate appointment and for the purposes of this document collectively referred to along with employee context as the “workplace”). For more information, please visit our Workplace Access section or contact das_employee@emory.edu or via phone at
What are workplace accommodations?
Any modification or adjustment in the work environment or processes that provide equal access to the benefits and privileges of employment and enables an individual with a disability to perform the essential assigned duties of their position that otherwise would not be able to effectively perform without the presence of accommodations.
I identify as having a disability, but I do not have a need for workplace accommodations? Do I need to register with DAS?
Individuals with disabilities do not need to disclose to DAS that they have a disability unless they want to pursue requesting workplace accommodations.
How do I request workplace accommodations for my graduate appointment or student employment?
To start the process of requesting workplace accommodations through DAS, please complete The Employee Accommodation Request Form.
What is the process for assessing workplace accommodations?
The Associate Director for Faculty and Staff engages in an interactive process to be able to assess workplace accommodations. This process is detailed in the Workplace Access section.
Will my supervisor, Principal Investigator, Department Chair, Faculty Advisor,etc. know that I requested workplace accommodations?
Disability-related information is treated as private information, meaning that information will be shared only with a limited number of individuals who need to know in order to assist in the review of the accommodation request, the determination, and the implementation of accommodation(s) where applicable. Certain persons may need to be aware of requested accommodations, an individual’s limitations leading to the need for an accommodations, and/or the outcome of accommodation decisions. These persons can include, but are not limited to, a supervisor or manager, Principal Investigator, Department Chair, Faculty Advisor, Human Resources personnel, first aid and safety personnel, and those assisting with implementing accommodations. Your specific diagnosis or medical condition is not shared by DAS. Please connect with the Associate Director directly if you have specific questions.
Additionally, if you have concerns about confidentiality, we encourage you to connect with the following confidential campus resources available to graduate students for support in best navigating your options:
- Ombuds Office
- Counseling and Psychological Services
- Psychiatry
- Student Case Management and Information Services
If I have academic accommodations through DAS, will these accommodation transfer to my graduate assistantship, clinicals, or student employment?
No, academic accommodations do not automatically transfer to assistantships or employment. The Associate Director for Faculty and Staff assesses all requests for workplace accommodations on a case-by-case basis. The types of accommodations needed in the academic setting will often vary from what accommodations are needed in the workplace. Accommodations that are reasonable in the academic environment may not be considered reasonable in the workplace and vice versa.
Do I have to go through both processes?
Only if you have a disability-related need for both academic accommodations related to your graduate coursework and workplace accommodations related to your graduate appointment.
Do I need medical documentation to receive workplace accommodations?
DAS may ask for documentation of a medical condition from the treating physician for the purpose of determining whether an individual has a disability and their workplace limitations resulting from the disability. This may vary depending on the nature and extent of the disability and the accommodation requested.
Why are there two different processes for academic accommodations and workplace accommodations?
In short, the accommodations needed for students with disabilities in the academic learning environment are often different from the accommodations needed in the workplace. Academic accommodations are intended to ensure students have equal access to education. Workplace accommodations are intended to ensure individuals are able to perform the essential functions of their position and have equal access to employment and appointment opportunities.