More UC Berkeley Students Seeking Disability Accommodations
Recent data from the University of California, Berkeley indicates that a larger proportion of students are receiving disability accommodations for psychological and emotional conditions compared to other types of disabilities.
Specifically, around 42 percent of students in the Disability Students Program (DSP) are classified under psychological or emotional disabilities. This was emphasized in a report by various campus watchdog organizations.
For the fall 2025 semester, the numbers show that out of 5,959 students enrolled in DSP, 2,528 fall into this “psychological/emotional” category.
It’s interesting to note that this trend is not isolated. Nationally, there has been an increase in students seeking similar accommodations at many higher education institutions.
Those diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder (ADD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) represent the second-largest group of students receiving accommodations, followed by individuals with chronic health issues and learning disabilities. Overall, the number of students at Berkeley obtaining these accommodations has risen since 2020, reflecting a broader movement in higher education.
To qualify for these accommodations at UC Berkeley, students need to apply through the DSP and show documentation from a medical professional confirming their diagnosis. The university emphasizes that these accommodations are personalized and aim to ensure equitable access as per the regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Common supports provided by elite universities—which include institutions like Harvard and Princeton—typically feature longer exam durations, less distracting testing environments, assistive technology, and flexible deadlines. These measures are becoming standard in many places.
Recent analyses have noted sharp increases in the number of accommodations available at various colleges across the U.S. Some reports suggest that eligibility for such support has more than tripled in the last decade. Contributing factors include rising diagnoses of ADHD, anxiety, and depression, along with evolving evaluation processes for accommodation requests.
Legal frameworks are also adapting—following the 2008 amendment of the Americans with Disabilities Act that broadened disability definitions. Moreover, the Association for Higher Education and People with Disabilities (AHEAD) has advocated for schools to pay more attention to how students personally report the impact of their conditions on their studies, rather than relying solely on medical documents.
The University of California, Berkeley has been contacted for further comments on these trends.
