Documentation guidelines

Overview

If you are seeking accommodations, you are required to provide the Centre for Accessibility with current documentation of your medical condition or disability.

It is your responsibility to cover any expenses related to obtaining documentation of disability.

Documentation copies

Medical documentation does not have to be created specifically for UBC. If you have medical documentation that was obtained for another purpose (e.g., for another institution), the Centre can accept a copy if it contains sufficient information and meets the requirements outlined on this page.

If you have applied or are in the process of applying for government funding based on disability, the Centre can accept a copy of your Verification of Disability form specific to your home province. For example, students in British Columbia who are eligible for permanent disability programs under StudentAid BC can provide a copy of the Verification of Disability form in the StudentAid BC Appendix 8 form (pdf) as their medical documentation.

Types of documentation

You can provide documentation from certified and licensed medical doctors, psychologists, or other health professionals who have specific training, expertise, and experience in the diagnosis of conditions for which accommodation is being requested.

The Centre for Accessibility treats documentation as confidential in accordance with Freedom of Information Guidelines.

Documentation requirements

Medical documentation must meet all of the following requirements:

  • It should be up to date and recent, preferably created within the last 3 years.
  • It is legible and preferably typed and submitted on letterhead
  • Includes the practitioner's name, license number, title, phone or fax, mailing and email addresses, and signature
  • Indicates the length of time you have been under the practitioner's care
  • Describes the nature of your medical condition or 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.
  • Provides sufficient detail so the Centre can determine appropriate accommodations
  • Describes the symptoms that formed the basis for the practitioner's diagnosis
  • Includes relevant test results and supporting documentation if the practitioner is verifying an existing diagnosis
  • Describes the timelines for rehabilitation and recovery if the diagnosis is of a temporary nature
  • Identifies side effects of medications that may adversely affect academics

Informational requirements

Certain disabilities have specific informational requirements, including the following:

  • Completion of a psycho-educational assessment for a learning disability. View documentation standards for psycho education assessments.
  • Neuropsychological assessment for a traumatic brain injury
  • Audiology report for a hearing disability
  • Ophthalmology report for a visual disability

If you have questions

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