Accessibility Services

No matter where you fall on the spectrum, the GSD Disability Resource Guide was developed to provide you with answers to frequently asked questions, direct you to available supports, and highlight campus and community resources.

Temporary illnesses or injuries are not considered disabilities, but you may still qualify for services or accommodations similar to those provided for permanent disabilities. If you are a student with a documented temporary illness or injury, contact [email protected] to discuss your case.

Harvard is committed to an open and accessible campus for all members of its community. This includes welcoming service animals that assist individuals with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other relevant state and federal laws. A service animal is defined as a dog or miniature horse that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. The work or tasks performed must be directly related to the individual’s disability. An individual assisted by a service animal is that animal’s handler, and service animals must remain under the handler’s control at all times.

Service animals are subject to state and local licensing, registration, and vaccination requirements. Handlers are responsible for ensuring compliance with all current Massachusetts regulations. In certain circumstances, service animals may be restricted from Harvard facilities, including when:

• Allowing the service animal would fundamentally alter the nature of a service or program; or
• The service animal behaves in a way that poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, has a history of such behavior, is not housebroken, or is not under the handler’s control.

Consistent with Massachusetts law, all dogs on campus must:

• have a current animal license.
• be properly immunized and vaccinated; and
• wear a valid license and rabies vaccination tag.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) — also called assistance, therapy, or comfort animals—are not classified as service animals and require specific approval for housing only. In Massachusetts, ESAs are generally not allowed in public places and, under both the ADA and state law, do not have the same access rights as service animals.

Pets are not allowed in Gund Hall or other academic spaces at Harvard University. Only approved Service Animals actively trained to assist individuals with disabilities are permitted in learning and living environments.

Harvard University prohibits pets in dorms, but permits ESAs as approved housing accommodations. Approval requires formal documentation of a disability and a verified need for the animal, managed through GSD’s Student Life.

Students who wish to live in Harvard University Housing (HUH) must contact the HUH Disability Coordinator as well as register for housing accommodations through GSD Accessibility Services. Housing accommodation requests must be reviewed and approved before housing accommodation requests are coordinated. Admitted GSD students should follow the instructions outlined for requesting HUH housing accommodations.

If you need accommodations for a studio trip, email [email protected].

The Harvard Shuttle is free, ADA-accessible, and available to all Harvard community members. It operates on the Cambridge and Allston campuses. The daytime shuttle is complemented by the Evening Van, which runs after hours along the shuttle route. The M2 shuttle runs between the Longwood and Cambridge campuses.

The Daytime Van Service is a year-round service for Harvard students, faculty, and staff who, because of disability or temporary injury, have difficulty using the accessible Harvard Shuttle. To request access to the Daytime Van Service, please follow the accommodation registration process outlined above to register with our office. 

For accessible transportation beyond campus, learn more about accessibility on the MBTA.

All students have access to the GSD Academic Coach. See the GSD Academic Coaching website to learn more.

Students across Harvard, who are dedicated to fostering an accessible, welcoming, and inclusive community, with their insights informing the work of the University Accessibility Committee. Want to learn more? Contact [email protected].

Your privacy matters to us. The information you share with us, including your disability documentation and the details of your Access Meeting, is kept strictly confidential and stored separately from your academic record.

Once you share diagnostic or medical information with us, it may be shared within Harvard only with school officials on a need-to-know basis. In practice, your information is not circulated broadly and is accessed only when there is a clear and appropriate reason to do so.

Please note, staff are mandatory reporters for sexual assault or recent suicidal attempts or plans. This means that any explicit references to these topics in documentation or discussions require us to connect students with confidential support resources on campus. If you have already reached out to these resources or prefer not to disclose certain details, we encourage you to discuss the relevant diagnosis and symptoms/impact without sharing specific events you wish to keep private. If in the future, you would to be referred to the resources available on campus, we can help connect you.

If you disagree with the approved accommodation, promptly provide a written statement of your concern, with recent clinical documentation, to the Director of Student Life. All grievances must be filed within 30 days of the alleged act of discrimination. If Student Life cannot resolve the grievance independently and promptly, they will convene a committee to review the matter. The committee will be comprised of the Registrar, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, and, as a nonvoting member, the Director of Student Life. The committee may contact the Associate Director of Student Life, the instructor, program managers, or other appropriate personnel to discuss the requested accommodations, as needed. The committee may also request additional supporting documentation or an independent medical evaluation on the request for accommodation. In cases where timeliness of an accommodation is important, every reasonable effort is made to complete each stage of the process within 10 working days, unless the circumstances require a more rapid response. In some situations, we may provide the requested accommodation on a provisional basis, without obligation to continue the accommodation if it is found to be unreasonable or inappropriate.

If you are dissatisfied with a decision of the committee, you may appeal in writing to University Disability Resources, by e-mail at [email protected]. Call (617) 495-1859 or (617) 495-4801 (TDD) if you have any questions. Read about the University grievance process for more information. In most circumstances, the University disability coordinator will not overturn the decision of the committee unless presented with new information or other grounds that warrant a different outcome.

What is defined as a “reasonable accommodation”?

Harvard University makes changes to, alters, or modifies its policies, practices and/or procedures, when necessary for students to have an equal opportunity to participate in its programs and activities. These changes are commonly referred to as “reasonable accommodations.” An accommodation is not reasonable if it would: lower or substantially modify academic requirements (e.g. a request to change the content of an exam, or a request to be exempt from assigned work); impose an undue administrative burden (e.g. reminders of deadlines); be provided for personal use or study (e.g. hearing aids, personal care attendants, or tutor or coaches); or require a fundamental alteration of the nature of Harvard’s programs or activities. If a requested accommodation would fundamentally alter the nature of a Harvard program or activity, other accommodations will be considered to permit participation in the program or activity to the maximum extent possible.

When should I request accommodations?

You should contact us as soon as possible, preferably before the semester begins.  Early contact allows us the time we need to put your accommodations in place, some of which may take several days or weeks to complete.

Should I wait until I have my documentation?

You shouldn’t delay meeting with us because of difficulties/delays in obtaining documentation.  Students are encouraged to continue working closely with their service providers to ensure our office receives appropriate documentation in a timely manner.

Who determines what kind of accommodations I’m elegible for?

Although we recognize that you are the expert on your own disability, the need for accommodations and/or aids must be supported by documentation. Your physician, therapist or counselor may provide the university with recommendations based on specific functional limitations.  Your accommodations will ultimately be determined by an interactive process between you and the LDR.

Is there a list of accommodations I can pick from?

Academic accommodations are determined case by case based on each student’s specific needs and disability, so there is no single, standard list. Below are some examples of accommodations that students may be eligible to receive.

•  Accessible Shuttle Services
• Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART)
• Oral or ASL Interpreters
• Note Taking Support
• Assistive Technology
• Alternate Format Texts
• Exam Accommodations
• Accommodations for Studio Desk Placements
• Housing Accommodations

Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and students should contact [email protected] to discuss their specific circumstances.

I am nervous about asking my course instructor for accommodations. What can I do?

Students are responsible for delivering the GSD Accommodation Letter to their professors and to discuss their individual needs with their instructors. The GSD Accommodation Letter outlines what you are entitled to, but it does not include your diagnosis, medical history, or any details about your disability. If you feel you need additional support in approaching an instructor, the LDR can help, by providing coaching on how to talk with your instructors.

How is an IEP or a 504 Plan in high school different from an Accommodation Agreement in college?

Accommodations in K-12 are covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Act, which ends when you graduate from high school. Only the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act apply to college.  Students with disabilities must self-identify by initiating contact with Student Life. Colleges are required to provide reasonable accommodation that may be necessary for equal access to the college’s programs and services. They are not required to design special programs for students with disabilities or have Individualized Educational Plans (IEP’s).

What if I don’t have documentation but I think I might have a disability?

Set up an appointment with us to discuss your concerns and we’ll determine the next course of action during the intake meeting and connect you with appropriate resources.

I sprained my ankle and have to use crutches for the next 4 weeks. What resources are available for me to get around campus?

Harvard’s shuttle buses are fully accessible and are available to everyone with a valid Harvard ID. If you would like to explore further services beyond the accessible shuttle, please contact us for more information.

I received accommodations in my high school/undergraduate program. Will I get the same accommodations at Harvard?

Your previous accommodations may or may not be applicable your current course of study. Contact us to explore possible reasonable accommodations.