Additional information for Graduate Students

Graduate Students – We’re here for you!

We’re here to meet your unique needs

We understand that accommodations at the graduate level can be complex and that your accommodation plan needs to take into consideration:

your disability/condition
the essential requirements of your program
your academic progression
your relationships you have with your supervisor
your funding sources and agreements
the environments where you are engaging in learning and research

We are here to ensure you receive the right accommodation at the right time.

We respect your need for privacy

When receiving accommodation, you’re in control of:

Which of your eligible accommodations you would like to use
when you would like to use your eligible accommodations
who is informed about your accommodations

We respect your privacy and confidentiality by:

Never sharing information about your specific diagnosis, condition or symptoms
Seeking your consent before communicating to your academic unit about your accommodations

We are here to ensure you are comfortable with your accommodation plan and that your privacy is protected.

Sometimes the difference between meeting a challenge, and being sunk by it, is one visit.

Graduate Student registered with AccessAbility Services

My experience with AccessAbility services taught me that it is possible to change anything from the way you approach your whole degree to the way that you approach each day.

stephanie, Graduate Student Alumnus

We can support all graduate courses, milestones, and activities

We can design an accommodation plan for all aspects of your graduate academic career, including:

Participating in graduate courses
Researching, writing, and defending your thesis
Research, writing, and defending your comprehensive exam
Presenting at conferences or in seminars
Engaging in work-integrated learning, such as co-op, practicums, or clinics
Enabling the supervisor/student relationship

For more information about requesting and managing your accommodations, click here.

We’re here to design an accommodation plan tailored specifically to you and your graduate activities.

We offer supports specifically for graduate students

Graduate students often require learning strategy and assistive technology support as part of their accommodation plan. These resources are offered through online workshops, one-on-one support, and through a new AccessAbility Services course offered in LEARN.

AccessAbility Services course in LEARN includes a Graduate Student Resource Module that provides tools and strategies to support researching, planning, writing and presenting. It offers support in:

Identifying an effective methodology to engage in the research process
Developing your organization, long-range planning and time management skills
Improving your writing skills with greater effect
Learning strategies that promote confidence in the preparation and delivery of presentations

Click the link to register and view the AccessAbility Services LEARN Course

I would encourage students to contact AccessAbility as soon as possible in the school year. I was able to secure support right at the beginning of the term and so had an already existing connection with someone who could help me when I needed it later on.

We can help get you started

Complete our online application and select that you are a graduate student.
Once your supporting medical documentation has been reviewed, you will be invited to attend a Graduate Student Registration Appointment.
Meet with your Accommodation Consultant to discuss your eligibility for accommodations during your graduate career.

Contact our office if you have any questions or need help with the application process: 519-888-4567, ext. 45231 or 47922, or by emailing: access@uwaterloo.ca.

Please note: You are still able to register even If you do not have any documentation supporting your disability (for example, you may suspect you have a disability, but were never diagnosed). We will walk you through next steps and explore an interim accommodation plan.

Graduate Student testimonals

"Self-care is so important during student life. Talking to others about what might help when you feel overwhelmed by assignments or stuck in unhelpful patterns is as important as eating a healthy diet and making time for exercise."

"As a student with an invisible disability, I was hesitant to talk to anyone about the trouble I was having with my assignments because I was worried no one would believe me. Once I connected with the accessibility office, I immediately felt understood, welcomed, and wondered why I hadn’t made the effort sooner."

"Think of connecting with the AccessAbility office??? No commitments! No obligations! No problem too big or too small!! One size does not fit all!! No one has the same exact combination of strengths and struggles you do. There are creative and unique ways to help YOU."

"The most important thing to know is that everyone struggles at different points when they are completing a degree. It’s just not very obvious. But really, you are not alone. There are people who can help so you can have a successful school year and don’t have to prolong your suffering or suffer in silence."

"Deserve. Right. Education. Everyone. Support. Help. Available. Go Get It. AccessAbility."

"As a student with an invisible disability, I was always concerned about the word “disability”. To me it meant “different”. Then I thought about it like a tightrope. With attention, I could balance like most people in the centre and not fall. But sometimes I could feel myself losing my balance and trying harder to regain it. I was flailing and did not want to fall completely. I just needed help to get back to the middle. That’s what AccessAbility S"ervices did for me."

"Following a concussion that I suffered just prior to my PhD comprehensive exams, I was concerned about my ability to navigate my PhD work as I recovered from my injury, especially when it became apparent that my sensitivity to electronic screens was still a problem after a year. I knew that AccessAbility Services offered accommodations for undergraduate students, however graduate programs function very differently from undergraduate programs. I was unsure of how to go about seeking accommodations as a PhD student looking for accommodations with the milestone PhD exam, given that the exam format varies so differently by department. After reaching out to AAS, however, and working with Mitch, we were able to develop a tailored set of accommodations that would ultimately allow me to get through the Comprehensive Exam, even when COVID-19 required me to defend via WebEx!"

"My advice for graduate students unsure about whether or not AAS can assist you is first, and foremost YES! Reaching out to Mitch was a big step in my return to work after a year of medical leave, and the accommodation plan that we developed in conjunction with my senior supervisor and the department has been important not only for the PhD Comprehensive Exam, but as I continue with my Dissertation research!"

"Come by the AccessAbility office, introduce yourself and collect some information while you are there! It’s always nice to have accommodation information before you need it and not have to make your first visit during a really tough time."

"AccessAbility means getting the Access to support and accommodation so you can improve your Ability."

"The rule of seven: Did you know a person needs to "hear" a message at least 7 times before they take action to buy that product or use that service? What number are you on? Don’t waste any more time. AccessAbility is waiting for your call!!"

"Overwhelmed. Call. Help. Support. Success. AccessAbility."