How can students with disabilities get accommodations for taking the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and Advanced Placement exams?

Date Updated
05/24/22

National testing services are required by law to provide reasonable accommodations, and most have information on their websites about how to document a disability and request accommodations. However, students and their advocates must get all documentation prepared well in advance. The review of required forms and notification of approval or denial of accommodations for national exams can take several months. For example, the College Board’s request process can take up to seven weeks after they receive the required forms and documentation. For Advanced Placement exams, documentation may need to be submitted three months before the exam.

The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), the SAT Subject Tests, the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), and Advanced Placement Program (AP) exams are given by the College Board and are part of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) exams. To get accommodations for any College Board exam, a student must contact the College Board well in advance of the exam and complete their procedure for requesting disability accommodations. For more details on the procedure for requesting accommodations and for information on deadlines, visit the College Board Services for Students with Disabilities website, or contact the College Board at

College Board Services for Students with Disabilities
P.O. Box 8060
Mt. Vernon, IL 62864-0060
(609) 771-7137 (Voice)
(609) 882-4118 (TTY)
(609) 771-7944

For disability accommodation information on other ETS exams, see the ETS Disabilities & Health-related Needs website.

ACT is an organization that provides the American College Testing Assessment (ACT), which is, like the SAT, a widely accepted national college entrance exam. To request accommodations for the ACT Assessment, students should consult the ACT Accommodations and English Learner Supports website, since the procedures vary according to the kinds of accommodations needed.