OVERVIEW OF PROCESS
Berkeley Study Abroad is committed to facilitating the participation of students with impairments and disabilities in study abroad. If you have a physical, mental, or learning disability, or other condition which may impact you while completing a Study Abroad program, please discuss your plans with your healthcare provider.
If you and your health care provider determine you need accommodations, please also discuss your plans with a Disabled Students’ Program (DSP) Specialist. The request for accommodations on your program must come via a letter from DSP. Please ensure the letter includes all academic and/or internship accommodation(s) needed. The sooner you start this process, the more likely we can arrange for suitable accommodations.
For UC Berkeley students, instructions for obtaining DSP Letters of Accommodation (LOA) can be found on the Disabled Students’ Program website. If you are a non-Berkeley student and are requesting accommodations, you must provide a letter from your home campus.
Please upload your letter from DSP with accommodation(s) requested abroad to your applicant portal as soon as possible, but no later than March 15, 2025 for Global Internships participants and April 4, 2025 for Summer Abroad participants.
WHAT TO CONSIDER FOR AN ACCOMMODATIONS REQUEST
COURSE ACCOMMODATIONS (Will I need any accommodations for the academic component of my program?)
Some examples of academic or course accommodations include:
- Reduced course load
- Note-taking services
- Ability to record lectures, if not already being recorded via Zoom
- Exam accommodations (e.g. additional time)
- Access to academic support services (e.g. writing assistance, tutoring)
INTERNSHIP & WORKPLACE ACCOMMODATIONS (Will I need specific accommodations in the virtual or on-site work place?)
Some examples of internship or workplace accommodations include:
- ASL interpreting/CART captioning or alternative media formats
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON REQUESTING A LETTER FROM YOUR DISABILITY SPECIALIST
The letter must:
- Be specific to your internship program and summer term
- Include ALL accommodations requests, including course specific and work-place specific requests (if applicable)
- Be on letterhead and signed by the Disability Specialist
- List the accommodation(s) you may need to facilitate a successful virtual summer abroad program or internship
- State whether the campus will provide funding for any potential costs for your accommodations
Remember that accessibility and levels of accommodation will vary by country, type of program, and host institution.