Harvard Law School is committed to the full inclusion of students with disabilities in the life of the University. In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), HLS provides accommodations and support to students with documented disabilities on an individual, case-by-case basis.
Accessibility Requests
Students interested in applying for accommodations may submit a request electronically through the student portal.
Students will need to use their Harvard key and password to access the student portal. Contact ITS Service Desk with questions.
Please note that materials are reviewed in order of receipt. The process, from the time you submit a completed request and participate in an intake appointment to the implementation of your approved accommodations, can take up to two weeks. Further delays may occur during busy times, including the first two weeks of the semester and the weeks leading up to final exams. Accommodations are not implemented retroactively.
As part of the accommodations request process, we may ask for additional documentation to better understand your needs and how we can best assist you.
Students are encouraged to review the HLS Resource Guide for Students with Disabilities (PDF) for additional information regarding accommodations and University resources. Students may also view a Word version of the Resource Guide for Students with Disabilities if needed.
Accessibility Services Resources
Documentation
We request that the documentation submitted in support of accommodation requests meet the following guidelines:
- Be typewritten and legible in English and on letterhead with the signature of the licensed treating qualified care provider.
- Identify current impairment(s) and history of diagnosis.
- Describe the current impact of the student’s impairment, including how the impairment substantially limits one or more major life activities (walking, learning, seeing, concentrating, etc.).
- Describe current treatment plan (if relevant to accommodation planning).
- Provide recommendations or strategies that will mitigate the impact of described limitations.
In addition:
- Qualified care providers should have an established relationship with the student beyond an initial consultation and understand the history and impact of the health condition and be unrelated to the student.
- Personal narratives from other third parties, including IEPs/504 plans, accommodation plans from previous academic institutions, and LSAT accommodation approval letters may be included in conjunction with medical documentation.
- Documentation should be relevant and address the current impact of the disability. Students may be asked to provide updated information if the condition may change, and/or previous documentation does not address the current condition and its impact.
- A release form with complete provider information is required. The release allows the HLS Accessibility Services team to contact a provider if additional information is needed to understand the current functional limitations and how those limitations may be impacted in the law school environment.
- All accommodation requests made by the student and/or their clinicians will be taken into consideration; however, HLS Accessibility Services makes the final determination on reasonable accommodations for the law school environment. Requests from medical professionals do not guarantee implementation or approval by HLS Accessibility Services.
Please note that the above are meant as general guidelines. Specific documentation requirements can vary depending on the nature of the accommodation request and the associated condition or disability. Students with questions about their current documentation should contact accessibility@law.harvard.edu.
Campus Map and Directions
The campus map highlights accessible features of the HLS campus and contains links to the Harvard campus.