ADHD accommodations at New Jersey colleges: what disability offices ask for

College disability offices in New Jersey work under the same federal laws as campuses everywhere, plus New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination (LAD). What differs from campus to campus is the paperwork. Some offices accept a clinician's letter as one piece of the picture; others ask for a full report with objective testing done within the last three years. This page explains the legal framework and compares what four New Jersey offices publish, as of October 2026. Requirements change, so confirm with the office before you book any evaluation.

The laws that apply

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Colleges that receive federal funds must modify academic requirements as needed so they do not discriminate on the basis of disability. Examples in the regulation include more time to complete a degree, course substitutions and changes to how courses are conducted. Requirements a school shows are essential to the program or to a directly related licensing requirement do not have to be changed (34 CFR 104.44).
• The ADA. Most colleges are also covered by the ADA, and campus offices cite it alongside Section 504. Montclair State's Disability Resource Center, for example, says documentation must verify eligibility under Section 504 and the ADA Amendments Act.
• The New Jersey LAD. DCR's fact sheet says the LAD prohibits most schools and colleges from discriminating based on disability, with an exemption for schools operated by a bona fide religious institution, and that students may be entitled to reasonable accommodations in testing that do not impair the test's validity or impose undue hardship.

Why a high school IEP or 504 plan may not carry over

A high school plan is evidence, not an entitlement. TCNJ's Accessibility Resource Center says IEPs and previous 504 plans are helpful but not sufficient for ADHD. Montclair State says a prior IEP or 504 plan helps tell your story but does not guarantee the same services. Stevens lists IEPs and 504 plans among acceptable examples of documentation. The national professional association for campus disability offices, AHEAD, advises offices to review such plans and interview the student, and to move ahead when the information shows the current impact and the link to the accommodation.

What four New Jersey offices ask for

The spread is wide. AHEAD's guidance says documentation should be current and relevant but not necessarily recent, and that institutions should not set blanket limits on the age of acceptable external documentation, while TCNJ requires an evaluation within three years. Both positions are published; the office you are applying to sets the rule you must meet.

Psychiatric evaluation or testing?

This is the question to settle before booking anything. Montclair State asks for objective testing data beyond rating scales. Rutgers' ADHD guideline lists neuropsychological and achievement instruments that evaluators may use and asks for scores if instruments were used. TCNJ and Stevens describe requirements that a psychiatrist's report or letter can address. A psychiatric evaluation and neuropsychological testing are different services; the differences are explained in ADHD testing vs. a psychiatric evaluation in New Jersey.

Dr. Shershow performs adult psychiatric evaluations for ADHD and does not provide neuropsychological or psychological testing. If your college requires testing, ask the disability office which professionals it accepts before scheduling. Whether an evaluation results in a diagnosis, and whether any documentation is written, depends on what the evaluation finds.

The process, step by step

1. Register with the office. Montclair State manages accommodations through its online AIM system. TCNJ says students upload documentation to its Accommodate system once they are affiliated with the Accessibility Resource Center. Rutgers runs separate offices for New Brunswick, Newark, Camden and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences.
2. Submit documentation that meets that office's published guideline.
3. Meet with staff. Stevens says documentation supports the conversation rather than directing the outcome.
4. Receive an accommodation letter and share it with instructors each term, following the office's process.
5. Plan for exams. Exam accommodations follow the office's own procedures; Rutgers, for example, publishes student responsibilities for exam arrangements through its Offices of Disability Services.

If a request is denied

Ask for the reason in writing and what additional information would change the decision. Use the college's internal grievance process; Rutgers, for example, publishes an informal resolution and grievance process. External options include the federal Office for Civil Rights under Section 504, which has a 180-day filing deadline, and the NJ Division on Civil Rights under the LAD, which also has a 180-day deadline. Both are explained in filing a disability discrimination complaint in New Jersey.

Getting evaluated as a New Jersey student

Students 18 and older can see Dr. Shershow, who is licensed in New York and New Jersey. For a video visit the student must be physically located in New York or New Jersey at the time of the visit, which matters for students who go home to another state on breaks. Students on stimulant medication should also know New Jersey's 2026 in-person visit rules for telehealth patients, covered in out-of-state students and ADHD care in New Jersey. For broader campus life with ADHD, see ADHD in college students in New Jersey, and for New York campuses, ADHD accommodations at New York colleges. To ask about an evaluation, call the office or use the call-back form.