Student AffairsThe Queen’s Student Accessibility Services (QSAS) Intake Guide outlines steps to register for academic accommodations. New students can register starting in June and we recommend starting this process early to ensure your accommodation plan is in place for the first day of fall term classes. Waiting to register until classes begin will delay application of accommodations.
Before starting the registration process, students are strongly encouraged to read the QSAS statement of confidentiality to review how we collect, use and store information in our service delivery to you.
How to Register
- Login to the Ventus Student Portal using your Queen's netID and password.
- Complete the intake form when prompted.
- Submit documentation that meets QSAS documentation criteria. If you do not have documentation that meets our criteria at the time of registration, please upload the documentation you currently have which indicates the need for accommodations.
- You will receive an email from the Intake Coordinator team with next steps.
- When you receive an email with the name of your Accessibility Advisor, book your intake appointment as soon as possible. Your Advisor will help you create an accommodation plan during your first appointment.
If you experience technical difficulties, please email us directly.
Students experiencing barriers related to a disability or impairment, whether currently documented or awaiting documentation, may receive either permanent or interim accommodations.
If you are a returning student to QSAS, please upload documentation into the Ventus Student Portal and email your Accessibility Advisor.
Prospective Students
We can answer questions about the general types of supports and accommodations available at Queen’s, such as Read & Write and Student Academic Success Services (SASS). Prospective students can see some types of academic accommodations we may provide.
However, we cannot review your medical documentation or guarantee any accommodation before you accept your offer of admission. To begin the intake process, documentation must be uploaded to the Ventus Student Portal. Students require a Queen's netID and password to access this portal, which is provided once they are registered for academic courses.
Students are encouraged to review the QSAS Intake Guide for more information on documentation criteria.
We will review a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) in the accommodation process. However, accommodations you received in high school are not automatically transferred over to university.
Approved accommodations are informed primarily by the functional impacts a student may experience in their university courses. This information is obtained from your first-person experience, a review of your medical documentation, and an understanding of how your specific barriers may present themselves in the courses you are taking at Queen’s.
Considering academic requirements and standards, we grant accommodations that remove barriers and permit equitable access to learning in the specific courses that the student is taking.
We take medical documentation into account when providing accommodations. However, accommodations are based on a combination of your first-person experience, a review of your medical documentation, and an understanding of how your specific barriers may present themselves in the specific Queen’s courses that you are taking.
The medical documentation provided by your healthcare provider may not take into account the structure of your academics at university and as such some of the recommendations may not be required for your specific classes.
Visit the Residence Life website for information about accessibility and accommodations when living in Residence.
Visit the Accessibility Hub for helpful information about accessibility for people with disabilities at Queen’s.
If you have additional questions, please email qsas.intake@queensu.ca
Student Rights and Responsibilities
- Equal access and equal opportunity to participate in the academic experience.
- Be treated with dignity and respect.
- Appropriate, individualized accommodation.
- Protection and security of their confidential information.
- Timely service provision, consistent with notice provided by the student.
- Prompt, equitable investigation and resolution of concerns.
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Notify the university, through QSAS, of any changes to medical diagnosis or changes to program of study that may require a review of your accommodations.
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Provide this notification as early as possible, respecting any administrative deadlines (e.g., semester-specific deadlines to register for accommodated exams).
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If receiving interim accommodations, and you wish for the accommodations to continue, provide QSAS with documentation meeting the QSAS documentation criteria.
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Collaborate with QSAS staff, instructors or graduate supervisors, Faculty/School office staff, SGS or others, as necessary, to develop, implement and update your academic accommodation plan.
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Communicate your accommodation plan to your instructors, graduate research supervisors, faculty administration, the Exams Office and others as appropriate and where classroom learning/evaluation accommodations are needed, with as much advance notice as possible.
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QSAS cannot retroactively provide accommodations to any in course deliverable (i.e., test, exam, assignment) if this step is not completed.
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Review accommodation status in Ventus and optout if required.