Documentation requirements
If you are seeking accommodations, you are required to provide Access & Diversity with current documentation of your medical condition/disability.
Documentation can be obtained from medical doctors, psychologists, special education/rehabilitation personnel, and/or other health professionals who have specific training, expertise, and experience in the diagnosis of conditions for which accommodation is being requested. Any practitioner submitting documentation must be appropriately certified and/or licensed to practise.
Any information you provide to Access & Diversity will be treated as confidential in accordance with BC's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy guidelines.
Documentation requirements
The documentation that is provided by practitioners must:
- be typed and submitted on letterhead
- include the practitioner's name, title, phone/fax numbers, mailing address, email address, and signature
- indicate the length of time that you have been under the practitioner's care
- describe the nature of your medical condition/disability, along with a detailed explanation of the functional impact of the disability (a diagnosis alone is not sufficient to support a request for an accommodation)
- provide sufficient detail so our staff can determine appropriate accommodations
- describe the symptoms that formed the basis for the practitioner's diagnosis
- include relevant test results
- include supporting documentation, if the practitioner is verifying an existing diagnosis
- describe the timelines for rehabilitation and recovery, if the diagnosis is temporary
- identify side effects of medications that may adversely affect academic performance
Specific requirements
Certain disabilities have specific requirements.
- A neuropsychological assessment is required for a traumatic brain injury.
- An audiology report is required for a hearing disability.
- An ophthalmology report is required for a visual disability.
- A complete psycho-educational assessment is required for a learning disability. For more information about these documentation guidelines, download:
Any expenses related to obtaining documentation of disability are your responsibility.
Applying for government funding
If you are applying for government funding, it is helpful to have documentation using a Verification of Permanent Disability Form (download below).
