Top Disability Friendly Colleges in USA | 2023

Disability Friendly colleges in USA are sought after by many young people around the world, so if you are planning to study abroad, budgeting and having a number of options are very important aspects.

However, applying to different universities in order to increase your chances of being accepted can become ridiculously expensive. You could end up spending more than a thousand dollars on less than 10 college admissions in America.

Fortunately, applications to many universities in the USA and many institutions have fee waivers for those who do the process online.

Moving on to postsecondary education is a significant step for any incoming college student. However, it is a completely different story for disabled students.

There are certainly disability-friendly colleges for disabled students, such as Gallaudet University, which serves deaf and hard-of-hearing students; however, when seeking disability-friendly colleges, the majority of students with physical disabilities prefer immersion with their non-disabled peers.

In fact, statistics on disabled college students show that 11% of students have a documented disability, with the true number likely being much higher due to students who choose not to self-identify. Here’s a collection of the Best disability friendly colleges in the US:

Read more: The best online degrees for senior citizens in USA

What Are Disability Friendly colleges in USA?

If you are a student with special needs and you want to study in America or have been in contact with a student with a physical or mental handicap, you will undoubtedly be wondering about the opportunities or grants available to this group of society.

In the following lines, we will mention the best universities in the United States of America:

1) Stanford University

The Office of Accessible Education at Stanford University is a comprehensive resource center for disabled students. This is the location where students can disclose their disabilities and request accommodations.

Gathering the necessary paperwork from the student’s medical team and bringing it to a scheduled intake meeting with a disability advisor is the first step.

This session will assist students in developing an individualized plan based on their disability and Stanford’s unique offerings.

They also have a number of videos to assist disabled students who wish to study abroad. They will assist students in finding accessible homestays and making the necessary arrangements for international travel. Student Affairs houses the Office of Accessible Education.

2) University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is Michigan State University’s oldest institution, and it is known for advancing truths and changing lives.

For the past 40 years, this university’s one of the best disability friendly colleges in USA Services for Students with Disabilities has provided accommodations and access to disabled students.

They advertise assistive technology testing, accessible housing, and proctoring options for out-of-state exams. Academic coaching, adaptive sports, transportation resources, and employment opportunities benefit both current and prospective students.

UM, in particular, provides a self-defense workshop, which emphasizes awareness and assertiveness skills, as well as physical and verbal strategies to counter violence.

They pride themselves on striving to support the full inclusion of disabled individuals as part of the University of Michigan’s commitment to creating a diverse and multicultural community.

These are among some of the many resources offered to students with physical disabilities. All services are available for no extra charge to the student.

Their student services office and disability coordinators work to make the campus inclusive environments through specialized advocacy, support, and academic services.

3) Cornell University

Cornell University is one of the best disability friendly colleges in USA and provides Student Disability Services, which collaborates with faculty, staff, and students to provide appropriate accommodations for students who require them.

They have a friendly staff who are available to meet with students and discuss options and personal access requirements.

They keep all of the student’s confidential disclosure documentation on file and provide adaptive technology and other resources to ensure students’ full access and inclusion in all campus activities.

They provide transportation assistance as well as counseling and psychological services, which can be especially beneficial as disabled students transition from high school to college.

Cornell’s libraries all have extensive adaptive software, and students can schedule appointments with staff to be trained on the programs.

4) University of Florida

The Disability Resource Center at the University of Florida serves as a link between students and the on-campus collaborations required to make the institution accessible to participants of all abilities.

Their mission is to remove any barriers to access that students face throughout their academic careers. Students who bring documentation of their diagnosed disability can schedule an initial appointment with a learning specialist.

During this session, they will conduct an in-depth evaluation of the student’s previous learning experiences as well as any accommodations that may have been successful in the past.

This is where the student and the specialist will start working together on potential accommodations and interventions to make the student’s life easier.

A number of accommodations will be suggested, and the student can begin experimenting with them. This can include adaptive technologies and software, access to counseling services, and, in some cases, modifying physical spaces to make them more comfortable to meet the needs of the student.

5) The University of Texas at Austin

It is unsurprising that the University of Texas at Austin has made such strides in providing exceptional services for disabled students, given that they also have an excellent Center for Disability Studies.

The two departments are well-known for collaborating to bring excellent speakers to campus, including the annual Disability Awareness Speakers Series.

This demonstrates that disabled students will not be cast into the shadows at the University of Texas, and they will have numerous opportunities to be represented and receive the assistance they require.

The Texas Technology Access Program includes activating the use of a variety of accommodations, including high-end adaptive technology and software (TTAP).

They demonstrate the most recent devices designed to assist students in the classroom and in their extracurricular activities.

There are also interpretation services available on campus, as well as access to accessible copies of orientation materials even before the student arrives.

6) Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

The Georgian Institute of Technology has a well-equipped Office of Disability Services, which is part of the Student Life Division. They are the first step in gaining access to appropriate accommodations for disabled students.

It is critical that each student brings proper documentation from their medical provider. This includes a letter of diagnosis. They can then meet with a specialist at the center who will assist them in obtaining the resources they require.

Accessible classroom furniture, assistive technology, paratransit services, note-taking software, audio recordings of lectures or class sessions, interpretation, and appropriate housing may all be included.

Students who are connected to the Office of Disability Services can use their specialized testing center, which has its own set of test-taking guidelines.

7) The University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) is a division of the College of Applied Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. DRES is regarded as one of the best in the country for assisting disabled students on college campuses.

They have considered every possible barrier that a student might face and have done everything possible to find a solution.

They have a Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team, as well as a variety of other sports that celebrate disabled students. They are also proud to offer the best transportation options for disabled students on any college campus.

8) Thomas Aquinas College

Thomas Aquinas College is an institution that has two campuses: the original campus of 131 acres located in Southern California and the second campus of 110 acres located in New England.

This college offers a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and several financial aid options such as loans. And work on campus, grants. At least 11% of graduates have entered and 40% of them have gone on to vocational schools and postgraduate studies.

9) Carleton College is one of the best disability friendly colleges in USA

The next US university with no application fee is Carleton College, a private liberal arts institution located in Northfield, Minnesota. It offers minors and majors such as film and media studies, environmental studies, Jewish studies, neuroscience, and medieval and Renaissance studies.

This college is very friendly to international students as it encourages cultural exchange in the curricula of study programs and promotes diversity between students and professors.

Carleton College has an Intercultural and International Life office to help international students adjust to their new environment. This makes Carleton College one of the best disability friendly colleges in USA.

There is also the option to apply for financial aid. Asian students and highly qualified non-US citizens are given priority and international students are without geographic restrictions.

10) Wellesley College

Wellesley College is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the United States. She has been educating women in the liberal arts for over 100 years.

In fact, it was ranked as the best liberal arts college in the United States by the U.S. News & World Report in 2018.

This college understands how difficult it is for a young woman to get into college and amicably offers college admissions in America. It is one of the most important disability Friendly colleges in USA.

11) Colby College

Colby College is a liberal arts institution of higher learning located in Water, Maine. It offers 56 majors and 35 minors. Including anthropology, East Asian studies, ecological arithmetic, geology, and music.

It also provides an amazing opportunity to study in the first year of college. Students can choose to start studying in Salamanca, Spain, or Dijon, France and learn about the country’s culture. Make international friends and live with a local family.

And of course, they will learn to speak Spanish or French depending on which country they prefer.

12) Kenyon College is one of the best disability friendly colleges in USA

Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college located in Gambier, Ohio, with a 1,000-acre campus. It is where sororities, fraternities, cappella groups, and all kinds of student organizations meet.

This college is accredited by the Higher Education Commission and has 33 majors leading to a bachelor’s degree. It has over 50 majors, minors, and interdisciplinary concentrations.

Applying to Kenyon College is easy and free, you just have to fill out an online application and submit several official academic documents.

Kenyon College is an American university with no application fee as stated on its website there is no application fee at Kenyon College. It is an American university with no application fee. This makes Kenyon College one of the best disability friendly colleges in USA.

13) Smith College

Smith College is a women’s institution located in Northampton, Massachusetts, that welcomes transgender women and transgender students. It is a liberal arts college that aims to empower young women and turn them into leaders.

International students are very welcome at Smith College. It currently has students from 68 different countries from all over the world. Although it is a college for women. However, it accepts both women and men for postgraduate studies.

There are 58 academic departments and programs including philosophy, women’s studies, gender and logic, Buddhist studies, and linguistics. Which makes Smith College one of the best disability friendly colleges in USA.

14) Red College

Reed College, located in Portland, Oregon, is an independent liberal art and sciences college. It is a residential college with a campus in the neighborhood of Eastmoreland that features beautiful Gothic architecture and stunning woodland.

There are students from all over the world, which gives the college a sense of diversity and inclusion. Its mission is to pursue intellectual growth and stimulate critical thinking and creativity in its students, also known as REDIES.

15) Grinnell College

Grinnell College is a private, liberal arts and residential sciences university located in Grinnell, Iowa. Grinnellians value intimacy in their sessions. There are no more than 20 students per class, which makes it a more personalized experience.

This college offers degrees in 27 major fields with 16 concentrations and has over 150 study groups. This makes Grinnell College one of the best disability friendly colleges in USA.

International students are extremely important being 20% ​​of the college population. It represents 45 different countries from all over the world. Also, 24% of the population identifies themselves as people of color.

As stated on their website, Grinnell Colleges is a US university with no application fee: You will need to fill out a Common Application, and there is no separate fee.

16) Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr College is a women’s liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. It has joined graduate colleges and a pre-medical post-baccalaureate program. Which makes Bryn Mawr College one of the best disability friendly colleges in USA.

Students are free to choose from a large number of majors in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences. This college values ​​and encourages critical thinking, creativity, and independent habits of thought and expression in its students.

Applying for Bryn Mawr College is easy and free of charge when you submit your application online. There are 3 application schemes: Early Decision, Early Decision II for those fully committed to attending this college and Ordinary Decision.

Read more: Top 7 Bachelor’s Degrees of 2023

Now, whether you want to get Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, full-time or part-time degree, Uni-app has a lot to offer. You will find all of the study programs and Best disability friendly colleges in USA.