Request for disability-based graduate admission accommodation

The University of Waterloo is committed to ensuring you can access, and meaningfully participate in, your education. AccessAbility Services is the University’s centralized office for the management of academic accommodations for all students with disabilities. At any point in the application process, or when you are a registered student, we encourage you to reach out to Accessibility Services for advice, information, and support.

Purpose

This assessment process is for you to request an accommodation for:

  • An unaccommodated/suspected disability or medical condition (physical or mental): You were unaware that you had a disability or medical condition while completing post-secondary studies at your previous institution and/or were not accommodated for your disability or medical condition.

And/or

  • A specific component of the admission process: You require an accommodation for a specific part of the University of Waterloo graduate admission process (e.g., supplementary assessments such as interviews or entrance assessments). 

Conditions

  • You will be required to submit a University of Waterloo disability verification form (links provided below) to have your request considered. Applications without an approved form will not be considered.

  • All completed applications must be submitted as soon as possible to ensure that the admission assessment process can assess your application for the term you have applied for. 

  • This form is not to be used for students with disabilities that were already accommodated (e.g., you were registered and received accommodations through a disability support office at a previous education institution).

Admission into our graduate programs at the University of Waterloo is a highly competitive process. Meeting minimum admission requirements, and/or submission of additional information does not guarantee admission. Our process is governed by Policy 58 - Accessibility.

Process

Step 1:

Select the disability verification form most appropriate for your situation. You will need to download this form, and have it completed by a regulated health care practitioner. This is required for your request to be considered.

  • Retroactive Disability Verification Form (PDF)

    • Select this form if you were unaware that you had a disability while completing the last two years of your studies and/or were not accommodated for your disability or medical condition. In this case, you may have been diagnosed with an unaccommodated disability or medical condition (mental or physical) that affected your previous performance/academic record after graduation, or mid-study.  

  • Disability Verification Forms

    • Select the disability verification form most appropriate for your disability type if you have a disability which requires an accommodation for a faculty-specific part of the University of Waterloo admission process (e.g., supplementary assessments such as interviews or entrance assessments).

Step 2:

Complete the application form below. Be sure to upload your completed disability verification form.

Step 3:

The University of Waterloo will assess all your submitted medical documentation and review each request on its individual merits. If you are submitting this application to request an accommodation for an unaccommodated/suspected disability, a summary will be shared with Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) and you will be notified via the regular admission decision channels. If you are submitting this application to request an accommodation for a specific component of the admission process, GSPA will communicate results and next steps with you prior to your supplementary assessments.  

Note:

  • If your academic record is below our competitive threshold for admission, the additional information you provide will be taken into consideration along with your overall academic record.

  • If you have any questions about the contents within this web form, or, if you experienced any barriers in completing this form, please contact gradadmissions@uwaterloo.ca.

Please indicate your reasons for requesting disability-based admission accommodation

Option A: In the last two years of my studies at my previous educational institution, I had an unaccommodated disability or medical condition (mental or physical) which affected my performance/academic record
Please describe the impact of your suspected/unaccommodated disability or medical condition on your academic performance/record. Please note the specific semester(s)/course(s) that were impacted, as well as the weighting of any graded course component that were affected. Please include timelines and any other relevant information.
Did you receive academic accommodations through the disability support office at your previous education institution (e.g., additional writing time)?
Please describe the type of academic accommodations received through the disability support office at your previous education institution.
Option B: I require an accommodation for a specific aspect of the admission process (e.g., interview)
Please describe the specific admission process that requires an accommodation (e.g., a timed written test, an oral interview, etc.)
Please describe the ways in which you were accommodated in your previous educational institution for similar situations.
Upload your Retroactive Disability Verification Form or Disability Verification Form, which is required for your request to be reviewed. You may also upload any other medical documentation, if applicable.
One file only.
25 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, pdf, zip.

Privacy Statement

In accordance with Section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information Act, 1990 ("FIPPA"), the information within the form is collected under the authority of the University of Waterloo for the purpose of admission consideration. All personal information collected will be used, stored, and destroyed in accordance with the University's Information Protection and Access Policy. Medical documentation will only be viewed and stored by the University of Waterloo’s AccessAbility Services, who will share with the Admission Committee the accommodations that are required to assess your application for admission to the University of Waterloo.

Student consent