ADHD accommodations at CUNY: Policy 7.10, documentation and deadlines

The City University of New York has more than 10,000 students with disabilities across its 25 campuses, according to CUNY. Since 2024, CUNY has had one written policy, with deadlines, that applies to every one of its colleges; no comparable SUNY-wide policy was found for this guide. This article explains that policy, the documentation CUNY colleges ask for, and what to do if a request stalls or is denied. It reflects documents read in October 2026.

For the general federal rules that apply to all colleges, and a comparison with SUNY and private campuses, see ADHD accommodations at New York colleges. SUNY's campus-by-campus approach is covered in ADHD accommodations at SUNY.

Policy 7.10: one set of rules for every CUNY college

In February 2024 CUNY's Board of Trustees adopted Policy 7.10, titled "Effecting Reasonable Accommodations and Academic Adjustments Procedures Relating to Accommodations and Accessibility for Students." It covers requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and New York state law. Its definition of disability also refers to the New York State and New York City Human Rights Laws.

Key terms in the policy:

• Disability Services Office (DSO). Every CUNY college or unit has one, with a director or designee who verifies a student's needs "after engaging in the interactive process." Names vary by campus: Office of Accessibility Services at the College of Staten Island, Center for Students with Disabilities at York, Center for Student Accessibility at City Tech, Office of Special Services at Queens College.
• 504/ADA Coordinator. Every college, and CUNY's Central Office, has one. The coordinator handles appeals and monitors compliance.
• Interactive process. A campus decision-maker works with the student to identify barriers and find an adjustment.
• Academic adjustments. Under Section 504, CUNY must modify academic requirements unless they are essential to the instruction or a directly related licensing requirement, and must make sure exams reflect what the student has learned rather than the disability.

The deadlines

The ten-day decision clock starts after you are confirmed as a qualified individual with a disability, not when you first contact the office. Getting complete documentation in early is what moves that first step along. The policy also says consultation should begin as soon as practicable before a course starts.

If you cannot get prompt help, the policy says you may submit a complaint through CUNY's Accessibility Complaint Form, separate from an appeal.

What CUNY asks for when the disability is ADHD

CUNY's documentation guidelines, as posted by Borough of Manhattan Community College and York College, ask that ADHD documentation:

• come from a qualified professional with training and experience in the full range of psychiatric disorders, giving name, title, credentials and license number;
• be dated within the past three years and updated as required;
• summarize relevant history, including onset, diagnosis and medication, and evidence of ADHD through adolescence or adulthood;
• state the diagnosis;
• identify functional limitations in the educational setting;
• give a rationale for each recommended accommodation;
• be signed and dated by the evaluator.

The ADHD section does not require test scores; the guideline asks for scores only for learning disability documentation. An IEP from high school does not by itself establish the need for services, but it can be attached to current documentation. Insufficient documentation may delay accommodations. The posted guideline still names DSM-IV or ICD-10 for the diagnosis, wording older than the current DSM-5-TR, so ask your campus office if you are unsure what format it wants.

A psychiatric evaluation report can cover these points when it is written with them in mind. What a useful report contains is explained in ADHD documentation for work, school and exams. A report from a clinician who diagnosed you years ago may be outside the three-year window; restarting care after a childhood diagnosis covers that situation.

How a request moves through CUNY Accommodate

York College's page shows the typical steps. Complete the application, register in the CUNY Accommodate system with your CUNY login, and upload documentation there. York asks students not to email documents. Each semester you then make a Semester Request confirming which courses you want accommodations in, and professors are notified of the accommodations, not your diagnosis. Policy 7.10 says faculty with questions should contact the disability office, not the student.

Examples of accommodations named in Policy 7.10 and CUNY's 2024 announcement include extra time for tests or assignments, testing in a less distracting location, assistive technology such as screen readers or voice-to-text, class notes, and qualified learning assistants such as note takers or scribes.

If a request is denied or delayed

1. Ask for the decision in writing if you have not received it. Policy 7.10 requires one, with reasons for a denial.
2. Talk to the disability office director. City Tech's appeal page lists this as the first step.
3. File a written appeal with your college's 504/ADA Coordinator within ten business days. The coordinator tries to resolve it, then makes a recommendation to the College President.
4. Outside complaints. Policy 7.10 notes that you may also file with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, which ordinarily requires filing within 180 days of the act complained of.

CUNY prohibits retaliation for requesting accommodations, appealing or reporting discrimination. Complaint routes beyond the school, including the state and city human rights agencies, are covered in filing a disability discrimination complaint in New York.

Privacy

Policy 7.10 says all requests and supporting documentation, including medical information, are confidential, shared with college officials only on a need-to-know basis, and kept secure in the disability services office or the Office of Student Affairs. Who else can see an ADHD diagnosis is covered in ADHD privacy in New York.

After graduation: CUNY LEADS

CUNY LEADS has an advisor on each campus to help students with disabilities move into work. Queens College's page lists career counseling, resume and interview help, training on disclosure and workplace accommodations, and referrals to ACCES-VR, the state vocational rehabilitation agency described in ACCES-VR for adults with ADHD. Queens says students should be registered with its disability office to use the program.

Medication is a separate track

The disability office handles academic adjustments, not prescriptions. No CUNY campus page stating an ADHD medication policy was found for this guide. Students who need an evaluation or ongoing treatment can read ADHD in college and graduate students in New York or adult ADHD care for college and graduate students. Dr. Shershow sees adults 18 and older for evaluation and treatment; the office can tell you the current fees and how insurance works with the practice.