How to Register

For confidentiality purposes, we no longer accept physical documentation.  All documentation must be attached to your new student application.  

Any current and admitted NKU student with a disability and those who have reason to believe they may need accommodations, is asked to initiate contact and self-identify to NKU Office for Student Accessibility preferably prior to the start of the semester or as soon as the disability becomes known.

Steps for requesting accommodations with the Office for Student Accessibility are as follows:

• Complete the online Office for Student Accessibility New Student Application.   
• At the end of the application, upload current and appropriate disability-related documentation.
• Once an application has been submitted, an Office for Student Accessibility staff member will contact you via your NKU student email to schedule an intake appointment or to request additional information. 

The Office for Student Accessibility (OSA) employs an interactive process with each student who chooses to register with our office.  The process involves student self-report, an OSA professional's observation and interaction, and information from external sources (e.g. documentation from a treating provider). All of the aforementioned help us determine a student's eligibility for accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Students can register with varying disabilities.  We work collaboratively with each student on a case-by-case basis in order to determine eligibility and provide reasonable accommodations. NKU follows guidance from the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) best practices for documenting disabilities, documentation review and accommodation approval.

• Information from Third Parties- Documentation from external sources may consist of educational and/or medical records as well as assessments and reports from health care professionals, school psychologists, and other educational providers.  The relevance and value of this documentation will be based on the credentials of the provider, level of detail in the report, the context in which it was written, and comprehensiveness of the narrative.  For further instructions on documentation requirements, the documents below can be used to help guide you through the process.

NOTE: Emotional support animal requests generally require a specific form to be completed by the student's treating provider. The form can be found below.

Our disability professionals typically ask that if you have documentation you submit it as a first step so that we can be more equipped for our interview with you.  Once the application and documentation have been received and reviewed by the Office for Student Accessibility, generally within 5 business days of receipt, the student is invited to participate in an intake interview with an OSA staff member. Whenever possible, the intake interview should be in person.  However, alternative arrangements can be made to establish contact with the OSA as soon as possible after you make the decision to enroll at NKU.  If you do not have documentation, please email the Office of Student Accessibility to set up a time to have an interactive conversation together.  

Planning for reasonable accommodations is an important step for a smooth transition to college.  Reasonable accommodations are provided at no expense to the student and are based upon the individual student’s need and provided documentation.  Reasonable accommodations will be discussed with an Office for Student Accessibility staff member.

Other universities and companies that administer entrance/qualifying exams (e.g. ETS, GRE, LSAT) may require more extensive documentation if you are seeking accommodations similar to those you have in place at NKU. We suggest that you research their requirements well in advance of requesting accommodations.

For more information on testing offered at NKU and associated costs, please visit Counseling Services.