Frequently Asked Questions

Below are frequently asked questions about our Student Accessibility Services.

For a dyslexia friendly font PDF version of the FAQs, click here.

1. Am I eligible for accommodation with Student Accessibility Services (SAS)?

If you are unsure whether you qualify for accommodation, please book an appointment with our office to discuss your needs. To qualify, you will need to provide documentation of a disability from a licensed health or mental health professional.

2. How do I register with Student Accessibility Services?

To apply for accommodations at St. Thomas University, please click here and complete our Accommodation Request Form. 

3. How soon in the semester should I register with Student Accessibility Services?

If you are not registered with SAS, please register as soon as you can in the semester. If you are planning to attend STU in September, please contact us well before your arrival.

Once you have registered with SAS, we will work with you to develop an Accommodation Plan and you will have final approval of the plan.

Once an Accommodation Plan is approved, you will be expected to communicate with our office at the beginning of each semester to determine which professors need to be informed of your plan.

4. How can I book an appointment?

STU student or Faculty: please login to your Accommodation portal and select the Appointments tab to schedule a day/time that works best for you.  

If you do not have a STU login, please feel free to email accessibility@stu.ca and we will be happy to set up a meeting with our services.  

5. Do I have to disclose my diagnosis(es) to my professor, peers, and/or parents?

No. All information provided to SAS remains confidential. Your professors will be made aware of your accommodation plan, but at no time will any student be required to disclose their diagnosis(es) to anyone outside of SAS office.

6. Can my parents/guardians make changes to my accommodation plan for me?

Your parents/guardians are unable to make changes to your plan unless you have provided SAS with written permission for our office to discuss your accommodation plan with them. The student will always have final approval of an accommodation plan and who it is shared with.

7. What are the hours of the SAS office?

Monday-Friday, 8:30AM-4:30PM.

8. Where is the SAS office located?

Our office is located at Room 104, George Martin Hall. Our Manager of Accessibility Services is located in GMH 306.

1. How do I ensure my accommodations are in place?  

Make sure to register with our services as early in the semester as possible. When doing so, you will complete our Accommodation Request form and give consent to automatically renew your accommodation plan for each semester of your degree program. Once your Accommodation Request Form has been accepted, we will request an intake meeting with you to discuss your learning needs, review your documentation, and develop a comprehensive accommodation plan.

If you would like to request changes to your accommodation plan or to request that your accommodation plan not be distributed to faculty, please feel free to schedule an “Update Accommodation Plan” appointment through your Accommodate Portal. We are always happy to help!

2. How do I schedule my tests or exams with my accommodations?

Once you are registered with our services and approved for testing accommodations, you will have access to the test booking tab in your Accommodate portal. We recommend scheduling any quizzes, tests, midterms and exams that you would like to write with our services as soon as possible. It is best to schedule them at the beginning of each semester when you get your course syllabus.  Please note that you MUST schedule your test, quiz, or exam with our services AT LEAST 1 week before the test date.

If you would like any assistance with scheduling your tests, please feel free to schedule a Semester Planning appointment through your Accommodate portal and we are happy to help!

Please remember, we will never assume you need an accommodation for all of your tests or exams, so it is important to schedule everything that you will require to write with our services.

2. How do I request an extension?

If your Accommodation Plan outlines a need for extensions, simply reach out to your professor via email and explain that you are requesting an extension for an assignment and clearly outline the date you plan to submit it by.

3. I am afraid to speak with my professor, what do I do?

We encourage students to be involved in the accommodation process as much as possible. If you require support to craft an email or to speak with a professor, please book an appointment with us and we can help to find the best way to support communication between you and your professor(s).

4. Can I make changes to my accommodation plan after it's been completed?

Yes. If you need to adjust your accommodation plan, book an appointment with our office and we will go over options to best fit your needs.

5. I’m struggling to organize my courses and due dates, can SAS help?

Absolutely. If you notice yourself becoming overwhelmed with deadlines or know that this is your tendency, you may benefit from regular check-ins with our office to track progress on your courses and manage due dates.

1. If I had a note-taker last semester, would I automatically get one this semester?

No. We aim to provide all our students with the best resources possible, however, we are only able to provide as many note-takers as we have available. If there are no note-takers for a specific course, we will try our best to accommodate and find one.

2. I have been assigned a note-taker, when will my notes be uploaded Moodle?

Please allow at least 24-48 hours for notes to be uploaded for your access.

3. When do I get paid for taking notes?

At the end of the semester. You will receive an email to pick up your cheque or, if you are enrolled in direct deposit with STU, the money will be deposited to your account.