Testing Accommodations

Last reviewed: 5/17/2024

Students with disabilities may be eligible for accommodations related to the administration of exams and quizzes. Testing accommodations are provided for students whose disabilities impact their ability to complete exams and quizzes under standard conditions in the classroom.

Students must register with Disability Services (DS) so staff can determine eligibility for these accommodations. Once registered, students should follow the instructions below to access their testing accommodations for specific courses.

To Schedule In Person Exams at DS with accommodations

Please must submit a Testing Accommodation Request.

To Schedule In Person Quizzes at DS with accommodations

Please submit a Quiz Accommodation Request.

Please note: students are no longer required to submit Testing Accommodation Request Forms (TARFs) with professor signatures or Master TARFS. These forms are discontinued, effective Fall 2023 term. Instead, please submit a Testing Accommodation Request.

Deadlines to submit requests for exam and quiz accommodations

  • Session A: Wednesday, May 29
  • Session X: Wednesday, May 29
  • Session B: Wednesday, July 10

The form will not accept requests for quizzes or exams with less than 1 week notice.

All requests submitted after the deadlines above are subject to availability in exam rooms and proctor schedules.

If you have an urgent last-minute request and the webform has closed for your quiz/exam date, please email [email protected] with the subject line “Last-Minute Testing Accommodation Request” and include your name, UNI, phone number, course name, professor name and quiz/exam date in your email.

If you have a conflict with the time that your exam or quiz is scheduled, please email [email protected] immediately with the subject line “exam conflict.”

For any questions about exam or quiz accommodations, email [email protected].

Timed Online Exams and Quizzes (not proctored in person)

For online exams and quizzes that are taken remotely and not proctored by your faculty, students do not need to request proctoring from DS.

Instead, request an accommodation letter to inform your instructor of your testing accommodations so your instructor can apply them to the online exams and/or quizzes.

Take Home (1+ Day) Exams

Generally, extended time accommodations do not apply to take-home exams spanning 1+ days.

If you believe you need accommodations for a take-home, please email [email protected] immediately with information salient to your need for an extended deadline.

Please contact us at least 5 business days in advance of the due date so we can work with your coordinator to make a determination and time to arrange with your professor, if appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions

DS will use the information submitted on this form to schedule your exams and/or quizzes, and you will receive an email notification within a week confirming the dates and times of your exams and quizzes at DS.

Please review your email notification carefully, as the time and/or date of your exam/quiz at DS may differ from that of the in-class exam/quiz in order to resolve an academic conflict or (for evening classes) schedule your exam/quiz within our testing center’s operating hours (8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Friday).

DS cannot schedule your quizzes or exams without dates. Please ask your professor to provide quiz/exam dates (even if those dates are tentative) so that DS can schedule your quiz/exam. If those dates, change please email [email protected] immediately with the subject line “exam date change” and attach the email or Courseworks announcement that communicates the change.

Students must inform Disability Services prior to an exam/quiz that they will be unable to take it due to illness; student must also contact professors to ask for permission to reschedule. Students should be aware that the professor’s make up/missed exam/quiz policy may apply. If permission is granted, Disability Services will coordinate an alternate exam/quiz date and time per the professor’s instructions.

If a student informs Disability Services during an exam/quiz that they cannot continue due to illness, Disability Services will contact the professor to ask whether it is permissible to reschedule. Disability Services may not be permitted to reschedule the exam/quiz, and students should consider the professor’s make up/missed exam/quiz policy when deciding if they are well enough to complete the exam/quiz.

Your quizzes and exams will be scheduled according to the dates and times confirmed by your professor. If the dates on the form you submitted contradict those provided by your professor we will defer to the professor’s schedule unless we receive a conflict email from you explaining the discrepancy.

If your professor ever reschedules a quiz or exam you have scheduled with DS please email [email protected] immediately with the subject line “exam date change” and attach the email or Courseworks announcement that communicates the change.

If your professor prefers to administer your exam/quiz with accommodations and has the resources to do so, your exam will not be scheduled at DS Testing Center and you will receive an email with alternate instructions.

Columbia students taking classes at Barnard should follow the same instructions for scheduling an exam/quiz with Columbia's Disability Services by completing an online Testing Accommodation Request.