To email a professor about an accommodation request, first register with your college’s disability or accessibility services office, then send your professor the official accommodation letter with a short note asking to meet or confirm how the accommodations will work in their course. You do not have to disclose your diagnosis to the professor; the letter lists the approved accommodations, such as extended test time or a reduced-distraction exam room, and that is what they need.
Below is the email template most students use, examples for exams and for a mid-semester request, and the steps to take before you email.
Before You Email: Get the Letter
- Contact the accessibility or disability services office. They handle requests under disability law and college policy, and they review your documentation privately.
- Get your approved accommodations. The office typically issues a letter or online notification for each course.
- Send it early in the term. Accommodations usually apply from the date the professor is notified, not retroactively, so earlier is better.
Professors generally cannot approve disability accommodations on their own; they implement the ones the office approves. If you do not yet have a letter, your email to the professor can simply say you are in the process.
Accommodation Email Template
Subject: Accommodation Letter – [Course Name], [Section]
Dear Professor [Last Name],
I am a student in your [course name] class. I am registered with [office name], and I have attached my accommodation letter for this semester (it has also been sent through the office’s system).
I would like to make sure the accommodations work smoothly for exams and assignments in your course. Could we meet briefly during your office hours, or would you prefer to confirm the arrangements by email?
Thank you,
[Full Name]
[Student ID]
Sample Emails
1. Confirming exam arrangements
Subject: Extended Time for Midterm – Biology
Dear Dr. Morales,
My accommodation letter includes extended time on exams. Our midterm is in two weeks, and the testing center asks students to book their slot in advance. Could you confirm whether I should take the exam at the testing center, and whether you will send them the exam?
Thank you,
Jesse Brooks
2. Accommodations approved mid-semester
Subject: New Accommodation Letter – Statistics
Dear Professor Allen,
I recently registered with the accessibility services office, and my accommodations were approved this week. I have attached the letter. I understand they apply from now on, and I would appreciate a few minutes to discuss how they will work for the remaining quizzes.
Best regards,
Dana Wright
3. Temporary condition (for example, an injury)
Subject: Temporary Accommodation – Writing Assignments
Dear Professor Singh,
I injured my hand and will be unable to write by hand for several weeks. I am working with the accessibility services office on temporary accommodations, and I will forward their letter when it is ready. In the meantime, could I submit in-class responses by typing them on a laptop?
Thank you,
Robin Hayes
What Not to Include
- Your diagnosis or medical history. The office keeps that confidential.
- Requests the office has not approved. Ask the office to update your letter instead.
- Last-minute notice before an exam if you can avoid it. Testing centers often need advance booking.
Writing to a professor for another reason? Use our templates for an absence email, a sick email, a death in the family, or emails about zoom link, withdrawing from class and incomplete grade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to tell my professor my disability?
No. The accommodation letter tells them what to provide. Your documentation stays with the accessibility services office.
Can a professor refuse an approved accommodation?
If a professor believes an accommodation would change an essential part of the course, the usual step is for them to talk with the accessibility office. If you have a problem, contact that office rather than arguing it out by email.
When should I send my accommodation letter?
At the start of the term, or as soon as accommodations are approved. Accommodations usually are not applied to work completed before the professor was notified.