Credit: Beth Larranaga

Welcome to Caltech Accessibility Services for Students!

Caltech is committed to maintaining a diverse academic community, and welcoming individuals with a broad spectrum of talents and experiences to its campus and programs. Students with disabilities, actively participating in all aspects of the Caltech experience, are an essential part of that diversity.

CASS will make every reasonable effort to provide academic adjustments and other reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified students with known disabilities, consistent with Caltech's obligations under applicable law; including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Our goal is to provide students with disabilities equal access to all Institute programs, activities and services. To that end, we seek to balance the student's right to access with our obligation to protect the integrity of Institute programs, activities and services.

Email: cass@caltech.edu

Accommodation Process:

1. Complete the CASS Registration Form (fillable)

2. Submit supporting documentation completed by a qualified licensed health care provider. You may have your provider complete the relevant CASS documentation form(s) (see Documentation Forms section below), and/or provide a detailed evaluation or letter discussing diagnoses, functional limitations, and recommendations for accommodations within the higher education setting.

3. Request a meeting with CASS to facilitate interactive process for evaluating reasonable accommodations.

4. Students will be notified by CASS of decision and right to appeal if an accommodation request is denied.

• Documentation Form for Disability Accommodations (fillable)

• Documentation Form for Allergy, Asthma, and/or Dietary-Based Disabilities (fillable)

• Documentation Form for Emotional Support Animal Requests (fillable)

Documentation Guidelines:

• Guidelines for Documentation of Learning Disabilities

• Guidelines for Documentation of Temporary Medical Conditions

• Guidelines for Emotional Support Animal Requests (see CASS Service and Emotional Support Animal page)

Other Forms:

• Emotional Support Animal Agreement

• Lecture Audio Recording Agreement

Please allow up to 30 days for reviewing your accommodation request, once the completed CASS Registration Form, AND all other relevant documentation have been submitted. Incomplete or insufficient documentation may delay this process. CASS will prioritize requests for injuries or sudden onset of conditions that may require urgent accommodations, and medical documentation may not be required in some cases when a student's condition is physically visible, depending on the nature of the accommodation request.

Housing accommodation requests: Returning students seeking housing accommodations for the upcoming school year are strongly encouraged to submit their CASS registration materials by the beginning of spring term. Authorization for a service or emotional support animal in Caltech housing must be renewed every year.

Incoming undergraduates: Please visit the Welcome New Undergraduates page for more information on upcoming deadlines.

Additional Resources:

• Interactive Campus Map with ADA Information
• Printable Campus Accessibility Map
  
• Caltech Disability and Reasonable Accommodation Policy
  
• Alternate Media Conversion Tool