Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD)
The College Board is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities receive appropriate accommodations on its tests. These tests are:
- SAT® and SAT Subject Tests™
- Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) Exams
- PSAT/NMSQT®
This web page includes general information for parents and students regarding:
- Eligibility
- Applying for accommodations
- Use of accommodations after approval
For more detailed information about applying for accommodations and documentation requirements, see Services for Students with Disabilities in the education professionals' area of our website.
Eligibility
In order to use accommodations on College Board tests, accommodations must be approved by the College Board's Services for Students with Disabilities. Use of accommodations without prior approval will result in the cancellation of test scores.
With limited exceptions, once approved for accommodations, students remain approved and do not have to apply again when they apply for another College Board test. This includes the SAT, AP and PSAT/NMSQT programs.
Note that the use of accommodations in school, or inclusion on an Individual Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan, does not qualify a student for accommodations on College Board tests.
For more information regarding eligibility for accommodations on College Board tests, see Eligibility and Review.
Applying for Accommodations
Most students apply for accommodations with the assistance of their school. Parents and guardians must complete a consent form (.pdf/204k). The school's SSD Coordinator will then be able to request accommodations online.
Parents can request accommodations without the assistance of their school, by using a Student Eligibility Form (.pdf/608k). These can be obtained from your school, or by contacting SSD. A sample Student Eligibility Form, for informational purposes only is available on our website for your review.
In some cases, additional documentation of a disability is required to be submitted for the College Board's review. See Documentation Requirements for more information. Documentation review is required in all cases where a student is applying for accommodations directly from the College Board, without the participation of their school.
Important Dates
Apply for accommodations early! Review can take approximately seven weeks, from the receipt of complete documentation. See Important SSD Dates for specific deadlines.
Documentation
Some, but not all, requests for test accommodations require students to submit supporting documentation, such as psychoeducational reports or results from an eye exam.
- Documentation is always required when a student requests accommodations directly from the College Board, without the participation of the school.
- SSD Online and the Student Eligibility Form indicate other situations where documentation is required.
The College Board has established Documentation Guidelines that list the general information fundamental in determining whether accommodations are needed. There are seven Guidelines for Documentation. However, the requested documentation depends on the student's specific disability, as well as on the accommodations being requested. Documentation should show that the:
- Student has a disability;
- Disability causes a functional limitation that affects participation in College Board tests; and
- Requested accommodations are appropriate.
The documentation should be detailed. In most cases, a medical note is not sufficient to support the need for accommodations.
For more information regarding documentation, see:
After Approval
After your request for accommodations has been reviewed, you will receive a letter called Eligibility Letter notifying you of the approved accommodations. Your school will also be notified of the College Board's decision. The letters will include an SSD Eligibility Code for you.
- If you are taking the SAT, be sure to include your SSD Eligibility Code on your registration. Bring your eligibility letter to the test with you. Some accommodations cannot be given at national test centers. Be sure to review the eligibility letter and speak to your school prior to the test, as your school may need to administer the test to you.
- If you are taking an AP Exam or the PSAT/NMSQT, be sure to inform your school that you have been approved for accommodations, so that they may make arrangements and order appropriate materials.
If you have been approved for accommodations just before a test, contact the College Board to ensure that you will be able to use the accommodations on the test.
If you transfer to a new school, in most cases you will still be eligible for the approved accommodations. Inform your new school that you were approved for accommodations, and give the school your SSD Eligibility Code.
For more information about implementing or changing accommodations, see:
Contact Us
If you need more information, you can Contact Us directly.
