How to Apply for Accommodations for the ACT Successfully in 3 Easy Steps

How to Apply for Accommodations for the ACT

So many of our students get stuck on questions like “What accommodations are available?” “How do I know if I qualify?” “How do I apply?” and often aren’t sure where to even start.

Here is the complete guide to how to apply for accommodations for the ACT. If you’re looking for the how-to guide for the SAT and/or PSAT, click here for our full guide on those test accommodations. 

First: Make a Plan NOW

The ACT organization requires that: “All requests, including appeals, must be submitted by the late registration deadline for your preferred test date. If your request is not properly submitted, it may not be approved in time for your preferred test date.”

This means you need to start out AT LEAST 6-8 weeks ahead of that deadline, if not sooner. You don’t want deadlines to catch up to you. 

Identify Your School Contact

Every school should have a counselor or administrator who handles any testing accommodation requests. If you’re not sure who at your school is in charge, make sure you start talking with your school to find out and make contact. They may also have a process that they’ll want you to follow for how to apply for accommodations for the ACT through their office.

Homeschool students will need to submit the Exceptions Statement form and will need to provide all of the disability or English proficiency documentation to the ACT organization themselves.

Become Familiar with Accommodations Offered for the ACT

Choose from the available disability accommodations and English language learner supports offered by the ACT.

Disability accommodations for both paper and digital versions include: 

• ASL translation
• Magnification
• Color overlays
• Human or screen reader
• Speech-to-text or scribe
• Medical supports or devices
• Hearing assistive technology
• Extended time
• Alternative/individual location
• Wheelchair accessibility
• Alternative breaks
• Stim toys
• Braille tests and responses
• Service animal

English language supports include: 

• Bilingual dictionary
• Translated test directions, printed
• Personal reader or dictation

Double check whether you can be accommodated by a National (Saturday) ACT test center, or whether you need special testing.

Students will need special testing arrangements if they need…

• Extended time over multiple days
• Braille editions of any kind
• Auditory supports such as human or screen reader, pre-recorded audio, or white-noise background
• ASL Interpreter or personal aid
• Alternative testing location or environmental adaptations

If you need special testing, speak with your school to arrange a tentative time and place.

How to Apply for Accommodations for the ACT

1. Register for an official ACT

Create an account and start a regular test registration

After selecting “In the US” for your testing country, select “Yes, Accoms/Supports Needed” when asked if you need accommodations.

Then select National Testing or a special testing location (review which is the best fit here)

• For national (Saturday) testing, you’ll choose a specific test date and location where accommodations will be available.

• For special testing, you’ll choose a general range of dates based on what you’ve arranged with your school.

2. Submit documentation

• After you register, you will receive an email about accommodations, which you must immediately forward to your school official who is handling accommodation requests.

• Fill out the consent to release information form to give your school permission to send documentation.

• In your application, work with your school to include documentation that follows these guidelines.
  • Either submit a current IEP or 504…
  • OR documentation from a physician of diagnosis of a disability AND proof of receiving accommodations in school (or an exception form)

• Your school official submits your documentation by the “late registration” deadline for the test date you chose, so follow up to double check it was submitted!

3. Prepare for Test Day

Review ACT’s decision and make plans with your school, especially if you need to schedule special testing.

Prepare to take the test with an accommodation by taking a practice test! You can find editions of practice tests with…

• Pre-recorded audio
• Screen-reader compatible software
• Extended time
• Or order an alternative print version for free here.

And be sure to imitate your requested testing conditions as closely as possible!

When you print out your admission ticket before test day, make sure it shows your accommodations so you know for sure it will be provided.

Good luck on your tests!

If at any time, you’d like more guidance on how to navigate accommodations in testing or test prep, contact us here so we can help!

You can also review the entire accommodations process for enrolled high school students and homeschool students from the ACT organization on how to apply for accommodations for the ACT.