Where should you start?
ETS offers accommodations to test takers with disabilities or health-related needs who meet its criteria. The 2026–27 Bulletin is explicit: requested accommodations must be approved before the test. Details about forms and procedures are in a separate document, the Bulletin Supplement for Test Takers with Disabilities or Health-related Needs, which should be read alongside the Bulletin.
Health-related needs also qualify: the supplement cites diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and chronic pain, which may require breaks for medication, a snack, a drink, or blood-glucose monitoring equipment. At a test center, some items—such as hearing aids without Bluetooth or a service animal—are allowed without prior approval; the supplement links to the full list of pre-approved items.
The supplement also notes that a test taker can ask their program whether it will waive the test requirement. That is up to the school, not ETS: it may save you from applying for accommodations, or confirm that you should start the process right away.
Which forms and supporting documents are required?
Complete the accommodations request in your ETS account or use the Testing Accommodations Request Form, which has an “Other” field for needs not listed. If submitting by email or mail, also include the Test Authorization Request Form. Supporting documents depend on your situation. Do not send documents the supplement does not request: ETS warns that they can delay review.
The table follows the situations described in the supplement. It does not predict ETS’s decision in your case: ETS reserves the final decision on each accommodation.
| Your situation | What you need to provide |
|---|---|
| Current ETS accommodations (TOEFL, Praxis) | Requesting the same accommodations, without medical documentation; a new application is required, and approval is renewed if the accommodations are appropriate for the GRE |
| Accommodations approved for another standardized test (the supplement names ACT, SAT, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT) | A copy of the approval letter, without supporting documents; approved if they do not conflict with test design or security |
| Learning disability, ADHD, traumatic brain injury, autism, psychological or physical disability; 50% extra time or less, or breaks | No supporting documents if you include a valid Part III form (accommodations history) completed by the appropriate official |
| Health-related need | A support letter from a physician or another qualified professional describing the need and why the accommodation is required; a handwritten note or prescription is not enough |
| Blindness or legal blindness; accommodations from the supplement’s designated list | A valid Part III form instead of supporting documents; this includes 100% extra time when braille, a human reader, audio, or a screen reader is also requested |
| Deafness or hearing loss; 50% extra time or less, breaks, or an interpreter for check-in and instructions | A valid Part III form instead of supporting documents |
| Another situation not covered by the exemptions above | Supporting documents under ETS guidelines; required, for example, for 100% extra time when no exemption applies |
Where and how do you submit the request?
You can submit in three ways. Online, through your ETS account: under the section for test takers with disabilities, the account home page offers “Accommodation Status/New Request”; you will receive an email confirming submission. By email, send both forms and the required supporting documents to disability.reg@ets.org. By mail, use the address in the supplement. For courier delivery, confirm the address with ETS Disability Services: the page and supplement show different addresses. ETS recommends submitting online and notes that incomplete applications delay processing.
ETS Disability Services will reply by email, regardless of how you submit. Never include payment card details in an email or letter: payment is made when you book, after approval. If your request is approved, an email will explain how to register; ETS asks you to wait for that message before registering.
If you are approved for extra time, breaks, screen magnification, or color choices, you can book through your account. For other accommodations, you cannot book online; follow the instructions in your approval letter.
What categories of accommodations does ETS list?
The table lists the categories named on ETS’s page and in the supplement. Some are limited to specific situations, noted in the second column. It describes what you can request; it does not promise that every request will be approved or to what extent.
All GRE sections are timed, and the test has no scheduled break. Extra time and untimed breaks address different needs: the supplement says the clock stops during additional breaks, which may be more appropriate than extra time when the need is related to fatigue or restroom breaks.
| Category | Examples listed | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Extra time | 25% (one-quarter extra), 50% (half again as much), or 100% (double time) | Supporting documents depend on the situation (see above) |
| Breaks | Additional or extended breaks | Untimed; for medication, a snack, or restroom use |
| Computer tools | Screen magnification, customizable background and text colors, JAWS screen reader | JAWS: for blind or visually impaired test takers |
| Human assistance | Reader, scribe, oral interpreter, or sign language interpreter | Interpreters: check-in and instructions, for deaf or hard-of-hearing test takers |
| Alternative formats | Braille, large print, recorded audio | Braille and audio with figures: blindness or low vision; large print and audio only: no such condition required |
How do you plan backward from an application deadline?
Start with the date your program must receive your score, then work backward one step at a time. This Upsilar example uses fictional dates: ETS’s timelines (eight to ten days for official scores and six weeks for review) come from its pages; the two-week school buffer and one week to find a test slot are assumptions to adjust.
ETS does not give timelines for two steps: how long it takes to obtain a letter or form from the professional who prepares it, and how soon test slots are available after approval. Allow time for both before starting the application. ETS’s two documents give different review estimates: the page says about six weeks, plus six more if documents are missing; the supplement says four to six weeks, plus two to four more. This example uses the more conservative estimate on the page. Scores from a test in an alternative format may also take longer: the supplement says up to about six weeks, compared with eight to ten days for a computer-delivered test.
| Step | Timeline or buffer | Example deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Score received by the program | Set by the program | January 15 |
| School processing time | Two-week personal buffer | Score sent on January 1 |
| Official results, computer-delivered test | 8 to 10 days | Test taken on December 22 |
| Test slot after approval | One-week personal buffer | Approval received on December 15 |
| Review of a complete application | About six weeks | Complete application submitted on November 3 |
| Additional documents requested | Up to six additional weeks (ETS page) | Submit by September 22 to allow for this scenario |
The pitfall
Booking first and requesting accommodations later
Booking a regular test slot while waiting for ETS may seem prudent, but the supplement says otherwise. Accommodations cannot be applied to a test that has already been scheduled, and ETS asks you to wait for the approval email before registering. Booking too early is not a safety net.
If you have already booked, do not assume the appointment can be changed. Contact ETS Disability Services, explain your situation, and follow its instructions; neither the ETS page nor the supplement promises a transfer.
Are accommodations available for the GRE at home?
ETS’s page explicitly lists JAWS, with or without a braille device, at test centers, but does not provide a complete list of accommodations available at home. The application form asks whether the test taker plans to test at home or at a center, and the supplement says to contact ETS Disability Services to change or cancel an at-home test. The Bulletin also directs test takers with a physical disability who need help completing the 360-degree room scan to the same service.
You can request accommodations, but the available information does not establish that every accommodation is available in every format. State your preference in the application and, if it matters to you, confirm it in writing before planning around an at-home test. The article on testing at home or at a center covers other constraints of each format.
Key takeaways
- Submit your request before booking and wait for the approval email.
- Allow about six weeks to review a complete application, and longer if ETS requests additional documents.
- Include only the supporting documents the supplement requires for your situation.
- Ask ETS to confirm that each accommodation is available in your chosen format, whether at home or at a test center.