Announcements

Administrative Accommodations

Administrative Accommodations

Bar exam applicants seeking an Administrative Accommodation at the exam must fill out an Administrative Accommodation Request Form. The Board may approve reasonable administrative accommodations that do not alter the examination environment, affect the examination security, or modify the conditions under which the examination is administered.  Requests that seek to modify the testing environment, examination conditions, or manner in which the examination is administered must be submitted through the Board's Non-Standard Testing Accommodations (NTA) process.

Examples of administrative accommodations include, but are not limited to:

● Permission to wear religious attire or possess approved religious items.

● Permission to bring medically necessary medications or medical devices, such as a lumbar cushion, boot, brace, sling, diabetic supply, glucose monitor, insulin pump, inhaler, epi-pen.

● Permission to bring medically necessary food or beverages.

● Seating assignments for logistical or administrative purposes (e.g. near restroom due to late stage pregnancy or space for wheelchair, scooter, crutches, or other orthopedic device).

● Other similar accommodations that facilitate access to the examination without modifying testing conditions.

These examples are illustrative only and do not create an entitlement to any particular accommodation.

The Administrative Accommodation Request Form and medical documentation must be emailed to sshipp@ilbaradmissions.org by January 15, 2027.

The following requests are not administrative accommodations and must be submitted through the Board's NTA process, if applicable:

● Requests for specialized furniture or equipment, including sit-stand desks, ergonomic workstations, or similar equipment.

● Requests to use noise-canceling headphones, electronic hearing protection, white-noise devices, or similar equipment intended to reduce auditory distractions.

● Requests for additional or extended break time.

● Requests for additional testing time.

● Requests for a reduced-distraction, semi-private, or private testing room.

● Requests for assistive technology or other modifications to the testing environment or examination procedures.

The foregoing list is not exhaustive. The Board shall determine whether a request constitutes an administrative accommodation or a request for a testing accommodation. 

Lactating Individual Accommodations

Bar examination applicants seeking permission to bring a breast pump, related accessories, and a cooler containing ice packs into the testing facility, and to request access to a space for expressing breast milk during the examination, must complete the Lactating Individual Request Form.

Applicants must select one of the following options when completing the request form:

Option 1: STANDARD TESTING — Breast Pumping Without Stop-the-Clock Breaks

This option permits an applicant to bring and use a breast pump during the examination, with access to a designated space, without stop-the-clock breaks. The applicant remains subject to the standard examination timing and break procedures.  The Lactating Individual Request Form and required medical documentation must be received by the Board no later than January 15, 2027. 

Option 2: STOP-THE-CLOCK BREAKS — Breast Pumping With Additional Break Time

This option permits an applicant to bring and use a breast pump during the examination, with access to a designated space, and provides an additional 30 minutes of stop-the-clock break time for each three hours of testing.  The Lactating Individual Request Form and required medical documentation must be received by the Board no later than November 30, 2026. 

Applicants should carefully consider which option best meets their needs when submitting the Lactating Individual Request Form. Requests for stop-the-clock break time for the purposes of using a breast pump must be specifically made through Option 2.