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Documentation Guidelines

Student Disability Services (SDS) at UTSA is committed to ensuring equal access for all students with disabilities. To determine eligibility for services and reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and University policy, students are required to submit documentation from a qualified professional.

All documentation must include the following core elements (outlined below) and be clear and legible. Documentation that is incomplete, blurry, or otherwise unreadable may delay the review process until a corrected copy is provided. These guidelines apply to all disability types. In some cases, additional condition-specific information may be requested to clarify functional impact and accommodation needs.

Please Note: SDS reserves the right to request additional information if the documentation provided is incomplete, unclear, or does not adequately support the student’s request for accommodations.

Required Core Elements of Documentation (Required for All Disabilities)

Required Documentation

  1. Diagnosis
    • A clear statement of the disability/condition by a qualified professional.
    • Diagnostic codes (e.g. DSM or ICD) may be helpful.
  2. Evaluator Credentials
    • Documentation must be provided from a licensed/credentialed professional qualified to diagnose the disability (e.g., physician, psychologist, audiologist).
  3. Date of Evaluation
    • Include when the evaluation was conducted and, if applicable, when the diagnosis was confirmed.
  4. Current Functional Impact
    • Documentation should describe how the disability substantially limits one or more major life activities (e.g., learning, concentrating, seeing, hearing, walking).
    • An explanation of the functional impact of the disability in the academic or campus settings, with attention to barriers that may affect equal access to classrooms, activities in the academic environment, or housing.
    • Information about the duration, frequency, or variability of these limitations (if relevant) is helpful.
  5. History & Background
    • Relevant medical, educational, or psychosocial history related to disability.
    • Previous accommodations or services used, if applicable.
  6. Treatment/Medications (if relevant): List current treatments/medications and their impact (including possible side effects that may affect academics).
  7. Date & Signature
    • Documentation should be signed and dated by the qualified evaluator.

Recency of Documentation

  • Permanent/Unchanging conditions: Documentation may not need to be updated if originally comprehensive.
  • Fluctuating/Progressive conditions: Updated documentation may be requested (typically within the past 3–5 years).
  • Learning Disabilities/ADHD: Documentation should generally include adult-relevant assessments; childhood records alone may not be sufficient.