Student Religious Accommodations

Here are tips to proactively consider when planning your course schedule as well as guidelines for evaluating and responding to religious accommodation requests.

Planning your course schedule

 

• Consult a calendar of religious observances. Review the calendar below and familiarize yourself with the religious holidays that may fall during your class or exam times. To minimize the need for accommodations, we strongly encourage you to consider not scheduling exams on religious holidays, including days on which the student will be fasting.
• Use inclusive language for syllabi. EOCR has created template statements regarding academic accommodations for disability, pregnancy, and religion. There are two versions: the full version and a shorter version, which directs to a full version.

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Short Version

As your instructor, I am committed to providing a learning environment where all are welcomed and valued. I care about your success and well-being and encourage you to contact me to discuss individual concerns or requests with respect to the course.

This includes letting me know if you have a disability-related request for accommodation or an accommodation request for pregnancy (including childbirth or related medical conditions), or religion. For disability and pregnancy-related accommodations, you may also contact the Student Disability Access Center (SDAC) directly, and the Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR) for religious accommodations.

Full Version

UVA also provides reasonable accommodations when a student’s sincerely held religious beliefs or observances conflict with academic requirements. Students who wish to request an academic accommodation for a religious observance should submit their request to me by email as far in advance as possible.

If you have questions or concerns about your request, you may contact EOCR at [email protected] or (434) 924-3200 or visit their Religious Accommodations webpage for additional information. Please note that receiving an accommodation does not relieve you of your responsibility to complete any coursework you miss as a result of the accommodation.

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• Review the syllabus language in class. Verbally share the information on the first day of class and remind students that they should approach you as soon as possible to request accommodations.
• Please note that reliance on a class-wide absence policy (e.g., students allowed to miss a certain number of classes or use a certain number of grades) in response to a student requesting a religious accommodation will not generally satisfy the requirement to provide a religious accommodation.

 

Evaluating a request

 

• EOCR recommends that students submit their request to their instructor by email, but they are not required to do so.
• Promptly evaluate the request, taking into account the specific facts of the request, and ensure you handle it in a confidential manner. Factors that may be considered include:
  • The requirements of the course, including format;
  • The duration of the request; and
  • The availability of alternative accommodations that would eliminate the conflict.
• Accommodations should be granted so long as doing so does not constitute an undue hardship or fundamentally alter the course. You may approve the student's request or offer an alternative accommodation. Any makeup work or exam assigned as part of the accommodation should be substantially similar or equivalent to the originally assigned work, exam, or activity and should be appropriately related to course objectives. Accommodations must not result in the student having to complete a more difficult exam, assignment, or requirement than the original. EOCR recommends emailing the student to memorialize that you are granting their request or offering an alternative accommodation.

When to consult with EOCR

 

• Instructors are not required to provide an accommodation that fundamentally alters their course or constitutes an undue hardship. What constitutes a fundamental alteration or undue hardship is based on individualized assessment and determined on a case-by-case basis.
  • Undue hardship occurs when granting a requested accommodation would require more than a minor expense or difficulty for UVA or would result in the inability of the student to perform an essential function or to fulfill an essential element of the University program or activity.
• If upon a good faith evaluation of the course/assignment objectives, you do not believe a reasonable academic accommodation is possible due to undue hardship or fundamental alteration, you should consult with EOCR by emailing [email protected] before denying the request.
• EOCR encourages students to review the syllabus and submit religious accommodation requests as soon as possible. If the student fails to provide enough advance notice, under certain circumstances, the lack of notice may create an undue hardship and you would not be required to provide the accommodation. If you believe the timing of the request would create an undue hardship, please contact EOCR immediately.
• In general, a student does not need to provide you proof of a sincerely held religious belief. In very limited cases, however, you may request additional details about the student's claim that the belief or practice at issue is religious and sincerely held and conflicts with the academic requirement. You should consult with EOCR if you believe additional details are necessary to evaluate the request or if there is information that causes you to question the sincerity of the student's religious belief.

Prohibition on retaliation

Retaliation is prohibited against students who request religious accommodations. This applies whether or not you grant the request.

Here are tips on how to request religious accommodations and the accommodation process.

Review syllabus and communicate as soon as possible

 

• Review the syllabus during the first week of class to determine if the dates or deadlines for assignments, exams, presentations, etc. will conflict with your sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, or observances.
• Communicate early with your instructors. We recommend that the request be made as soon as you are aware of a potential conflict. This will allow you and the instructor time to discuss your request or potential alternatives.
• Requests that are not submitted with sufficient notice may constitute an undue hardship in the academic and employment settings and the accommodation might not be granted.

How to request an accommodation

 

• The first step in requesting religious accommodations is to raise the need directly with your instructor. EOCR recommends submitting the request by email. When you submit a request, it is helpful to provide the following information:
  • The date(s) of the religious holiday, observance, or practice that conflicts with the assignment due date, exam date, etc.;
  • An explanation of the obligations and restrictions associated with that date(s);
  • The specific academic accommodation(s) requested (e.g., an extension on an assignment, an alternate test date, etc.)
• Below is an example of the type of email you could send:

Subject: Religious Accommodation for [Course Number]

Dear [Name],

I am enrolled in your course, [course name and number; section]. I am writing to request a religious accommodation. On [date(s)], I will be [description of the religious holiday, observance, or practice]. This conflicts with [name of assignment or test] that is listed on the syllabus.

I would like to request [description of the accommodation you are seeking]. Thank you for your consideration. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

Sincerely,

[Name]

Granting requested accommodations or alternatives

 

• Your instructor will let you know once they grant the request and will provide additional information about making up the assignment, taking the exam, etc.
• Keep in mind that a reasonable accommodation may not be your preferred accommodation and the instructor may propose an alternative accommodation that they believe is reasonable and eliminates the religious conflict.
• Instructors must balance a variety of factors in making accommodations, including the academic requirements of the course or program. An instructor is not required to provide an accommodation that would fundamentally alter the course, program or activity, or create an undue hardship.

Your responsibilities for missed classes

Please note that being absent from class or other educational responsibilities does not excuse you from keeping up with any information shared or expectations set during the missed class(es). You are responsible for obtaining this information and any material provided during missed class(es).

When to consult with EOCR

 

• If you and the instructor cannot agree about the accommodation or the instructor believes they need to deny your request, the faculty member should consult with EOCR. You may also contact EOCR by emailing [email protected].
• If you submit a request but do not receive a response within a few days, you should follow up with the instructor. If you do not receive a response in a timely manner, please contact EOCR.

Prohibition on retaliation

The faculty member is prohibited from retaliating against you because you requested a religious accommodation. If you feel like you are being penalized because you requested an accommodation, contact EOCR. You are protected from retaliation whether or not the faculty member granted the request.

Please review the calendar below created by Davidson College to assist with planning course assignments and exams, as well as academic programs and events. The calendar is not a comprehensive list of holidays, but it includes dates of particular significance to traditions represented on campus that occur during the months that the academic year is in session. A description of the day is located below the calendar. Suggestions for additions to this list may be submitted to EOCR at [email protected].

Holy days may fall on different dates from year to year.

*Jewish and Muslim holy days begin at sundown on the first day indicated.

**Holy days on which absence from work or school is common.

Current Year

2024-2025

Date	Holy Day	Tradition
October 2* - 4	**Rosh Hashanah	Jewish
October 3 -12	Navratri	Hindu/Jain
October 11* - 12	**Yom Kippur	Jewish
October 16* - 23	Sukkot	Jewish
Various dates in October	Kathin	Theravada Buddhist
October 31 - November 4	Diwali/Tihar	Hindu/Jain
November 1	All Saints' Day	Catholic/Protestant Christian
December 25	**Christmas	Catholic/Protestant Christian
December 25* - January 2	Hanukkah	Jewish
January 7	**Feast of the Nativity	Orthodox Christian
January 29	Lunar New Year	Many traditions in most Asian nations
February 28* - March 30	Ramadan	Muslim
Various dates in Spring	Buddhist New Year	Buddhist
March 5	Ash Wednesday	Catholic/Protestant Christian
March 14	Holi	Hindu/Jain
March 21	Nowruz (New Year)	Zoroastrian/Persian
March 30* - 31	**Eid al-Fitr	Muslim
Various dates in April	Water Festival	Many traditions in most Asian nations
April 12* - 20	**Pesach/Passover	Jewish
April 18	**Good/Holy Friday	Catholic/Protestant/Orthodox Christian
April 20	**Easter/Pascha	Catholic/Protestant/Orthodox Christian
April 23* - 24	Yom HaShoah	Jewish
May 12 (dates vary by region)	Vesak (Buddha Day)	Buddhist

Upcoming Year

2025-2026

Date	Holy Day	Tradition
September 22* - 24	**Rosh Hashanah	Jewish
September 22 - October 2	Navratri	Hindu
October 1* - 2	**Yom Kippur	Jewish
October 6* - 13	Sukkot	Jewish
Various dates in October	Kathin	Theravada Buddhist
October 20 - 24	Diwali/Tihar	Hindu/Jain
November 1	All Saints' Day	Catholic/Protestant Christian
December 14* - 22	Hanukkah	Jewish
December 25	**Christmas	Catholic/Protestant Christian
January 7	**Feast of the Nativity	Orthodox Christian
February 17	Lunar New Year	Many traditions in most Asian nations
February 17* - March 20	Ramadan	Muslim
Various dates in Spring	Buddhist New Year	Buddhist
February 18	Ash Wednesday	Catholic/Protestant Christian
March 4	Holi	Hindu/Jain
March 21	Nowruz (New Year)	Zoroastrian/Persian
March 19* - 20	**Eid al-Fitr	Muslim
Various dates in April	Water Festival	Many traditions in most Asian nations
April 1* - 9	**Pesach/Passover	Jewish
April 3	**Good Friday	Catholic/Protestant Christian
April 5	**Easter	Catholic/Protestant Christian
April 10	**Holy Friday	Orthodox Christian
April 12	**Pascha	Orthodox Christian
April 13* - 14	Yam HaShoah	Jewish
May 1 (dates vary by region)	Vesak (Buddha Day)	Buddhist

Holy Day Traditions

Asian Traditions

 

• Lunar New Year: One of the most important festivals celebrated in Asian cultures. In the West, Lunar New Year is often referred to as Chinese New Year. Activities include making offerings to household deities, hosting banquets for family and friends, and festive parades.
• Water Festival: The New Year's celebration in several Southeast Asian countries. In some regions, dragon boat races are held and lanterns floated on rivers to bring blessings. People splash water at one another in a boisterous cleansing ritual of good will.

 

Buddhist Traditions

 

• Kathina: Kathina is a South and Southeast Asian Theravada Buddhist holiday that occurs at the end of the annual three-month rainy season monastic retreat. Kathina is celebrated by the laity giving monks and nuns new robes and other practical supplies for temple and monastic practices. Individual temples can choose to celebrate Kathina any time within one month after the end of the rains retreat, which usually concludes in early October.
• Buddhist New Year: Buddhists celebrate the new year on various full moon days early in the Western calendar year: late January or early February in China, Korea, and Vietnam, a month later in Tibet, and April in Southeast Asia. Practices to mark the Buddhist New Year vary with geographical and cultural location, but often include families visiting temples together, conducting ceremonies at home, visiting friends and relatives, and exchanging presents.
• Vesak (Buddha Day): Celebrated every year on the full moon in May, this is the most significant Buddhist holiday. Buddhists all over the world celebrate this day of the year on which (in different years) the Buddha was born, attained full awakening (enlightenment), and died over 2,500 years ago. Activities vary across Buddhist groups, but often include laypeople visiting a temple or monastery where they offer food to the monastics and to the poor, meditate, listen to the chanting of scriptures, and honor the Buddha with gifts of flowers and incense and food presented before images of the Buddha.

 

Christian Traditions

 

• Christmas: A holy day celebrating of the birth of Jesus. Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians observe Christmas on December 25. Orthodox Christians, who refer to this holy day as the Feast of the Nativity and the Incarnation of Christ, observe it on January 7.
• Ash Wednesday: Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the 40-day liturgical season in which many Catholic and Protestant Christians prepare through fasting, prayer, and penance for renewing baptismal promises at Easter.
• Good/Holy Friday: A solemn holy day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. Many Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians observe it as a fast day. Christians of many denominations attend worship services. Absence from work or school is common.
• Easter/Pascha: A day celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Absence from work or school is common.

 

Hindu Traditions

 

• Navratri: Navratri (“nine nights” in Sanskrit) is an autumn festival that takes many forms across India, most serving as reminders of the greatness of the divine feminine that rescues humanity from ignorance and evil. In Northern India, young girls considered manifestations of divine creative power are honored with gifts. Western Indian celebrations include a festive dance called Garba. In Eastern India, devotees worship the nine avatars of the goddess Durga who defeats a demon king. In South India, celebrants create elaborate displays of dolls and figurines known as Golu.
• Diwali/Tihar: A fall festival of lights signifying the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. Rituals of lighting candles and other forms of light extend over a five day period, with the primary celebrations on the first night. The festival is celebrated as Tihar in Nepal and the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal, and as Diwali in the rest of India.
• Holi: A spring festival of colors celebrating life and signifying the victory of good over evil. Participants frolic in parks or other open areas, chasing and covering each other with dry colored powder and water.

 

Jewish Traditions

 

• Rosh HaShanah: The Jewish New Year, which marks the beginning of a 10-day period of prayer, self-examination, and repentance known as the High Holy Days. Many Jews observe it with prayer and reflection in a synagogue. Absence from work or school is common on the first day of Rosh HaShanah.
• Yom Kippur: The holiest day on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur means “Day of Atonement” and refers to the annual observance of fasting, prayer, and repentance. Absence from work or school is common.
• Sukkot: Sukkot, meaning “booths” or “huts” is the seven-day festival of giving thanks for the fall harvest.
• Hanukkah: Hanukkah (alternately spelled Chanukah) is the eight-day Festival of Lights commemorating the reconsecration of the Temple of Jerusalem in 165 B.C.E. after a group of Jewish rebels known as the Maccabees defeated the occupying Syrian army. Hanukkah is a minor holiday in terms of religious practice, but it is a special and joyous time of year.
• Pesach/Passover: A major Jewish festival lasting seven days, Pesach (Passover in English) commemorates the Exodus of Jews from slavery in Egypt. The ritual observance of this holiday centers upon a home service called the seder (meaning “order”) and a festive meal. Jews often attend ritual observances on the first, second, and final evenings.
• Yom HaShoah: This solemn day serves as a memorial to those who died in the Holocaust. Shoah, which means catastrophe or utter destruction in Hebrew, refers to the atrocities committed against the Jewish people during World War II. It is also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day.
• Shavuot: This festival marks the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. It is a celebration of Torah, education, and actively choosing to participate in Jewish life.

 

Muslim Traditions

 

• Ramadan: The ninth lunar month of the Islamic calendar, which adult Muslims observe by fasting every day, abstaining from all food, drink, and sex from before dawn to sunset.
• Eid al-Fitr: This day marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the first day of the month of Shawwal. The day begins with a special Eid prayer and involves day-long festivities. Celebrations may last up to three days. Absence from work or school is common.
• Eid al-Adha: This day commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son to God. Muslims celebrate with the customary sacrifice of animals, sharing of the sacrificed animals’ meat with family and the poor, a special Eid prayer, and social gatherings. Celebrations may last up to three days. Absence from work or school is common.
• Ashura: Shi’a Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of Husayn ibn ‘Ali, the third Shi’ite Imam and grandson of Muhammad, observing the day by mourning his death. Sunni Muslims commemorate God’s freeing of the Israelites from slavery to the Pharaoh of Egypt by observing a fast. Absence from work or school is common.

 

Zoroastrian/Persian Traditions

 

• Nowruz: Known as the Solar (Persian) New Year, Nowruz falls on the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. The celebration of this holiday originated during the era of the religious reformer Zoroaster. For those who observe Nowruz today (including Baha’is, Muslims, and Zoroastrians, among others), the day is holy for it marks their spiritual New Year, a time of inner renewal. In the days leading up to Nowruz, families meticulously clean their homes, and they set up a haft-seen table with seven items that start with the letter ‘s’, each of which symbolizes an ancient Persian holy spirit. For people of many backgrounds throughout the Middle East and Central Asia, Nowruz is a cultural holiday to celebrate the renewal of life.

 

Below are a few common questions and answers. If you do not see your question below, please email EOCR at [email protected].

About Religious Accommodations

What is religion?

 

Religion includes all aspects of religious observance and practice as well as belief. Religion includes not only traditional, organized religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, but also religious beliefs that are new, uncommon, not part of a formal church or sect, only subscribed to by a small number of people, or that may seem illogical or unreasonable to others. A practice may be a religious belief held by an individual even if newly adopted, not consistently observed, or different from the commonly followed tenets of the individual’s religion.

 

What is a reasonable academic accommodation?

 

A reasonable academic accommodation is any change in an academic course or program of study with respect to the way tasks or responsibilities are customarily done, that enables a student to observe a sincerely held religious practice or belief and does not include: (i) substantial modifications to academic standards; (ii) modification or adjustment of requirements essential to any program of instruction, program or activity, or essential to any directly related licensing requirement; or (iii) modifications or adjustments that result in undue hardship.

 

Requesting a Religious Accommodation

How does a student request an accommodation?

 

Academic Accommodations

The student who needs an academic accommodation for a religious observance should submit a written request to the course instructor. It is recommended that the request be made as soon as the student is aware of a potential conflict to allow sufficient time for the student and the instructor to engage in an interactive dialogue to identify an appropriate accommodation.

Dining Accommodations

Please contact UVA Dining at [email protected] or call 434-982-5140 as soon as possible and provide an explanation of the obligations and/or any restrictions associated with the religious observance or practice and the specific accommodation(s) requested.

Housing Accommodations

Please contact [email protected] as soon as possible and provide an explanation of the obligations and/or any restrictions associated with the religious observance or practice and the specific accommodation.

How far in advance does a student have to request an accommodation?

 

Students should request accommodations as soon as possible. In some circumstances, failing to request an accommodation advance may impact the student’s ability to receive an accommodation, e.g., housing accommodation requests.

If the student does not know the specific date on which the accommodation will be needed, the student should provide advance notice about the general timeframe and provide the date as soon as the student learns it.

Do students need to provide proof of their religious beliefs?

 

In general, a student does not need to provide proof of a sincerely held religious belief. But in limited cases, the faculty member may request additional details. Faculty members should consult with EOCR if they believe additional details are necessary to evaluate the request or if there is information that causes them to question the sincerity of the student’s religious belief.

Addressing Requests

If an instructor knows about a student's religion, do they need to ask if the student needs an accommodation?

 

The instructor should not make assumptions about a student's religious observances or practices and should not ask if a religious accommodation is necessary absent a request from the student. However, the instructor should take proactive steps to include information about accommodations in their syllabus, and verbally share information about accommodations on the first day of class and remind students to approach the instructor as soon as possible to request accommodations.

What can an instructor ask a student when they receive a request?

 

In some instances, instructors may request additional information if the request is unclear but the questions must be carefully tailored to clarify how the religious observance or practice conflicts with the academic requirement. Instructors should refrain from questioning whether the beliefs are sincerely held. In general, students are not required to provide documentation about their religious beliefs or practices.

If the request is unclear, an instructor may ask the questions listed below as part of the interactive process.

• How do your religious beliefs/practices conflict with the assignment, exam, or requirement?
• What accommodation are you proposing?
• Would another type of accommodation work here?

In cases where the instructor wants to request additional information because they question the sincerity of the student's religious beliefs, the instructor should first consult EOCR. 

What must an instructor do once they receive a request?

 

The instructor should make every effort to grant a reasonable academic accommodation. In general, when students have notified an instructor that they will be absent from class for a religious observance on days of examinations or class assignments, the instructor must offer the student an opportunity to make up the work without penalty. The makeup work should be appropriately related to course objectives and should be intrinsically no more difficult than the original exam or assignment. The instructor must handle requests for reasonable academic accommodation for a religious observance in a confidential manner. If upon a good faith evaluation of the course/assignment objectives the instructor does not believe a reasonable academic accommodation is possible, the instructor should contact EOCR before denying the request.

If an instructor schedules an exam on a religious holiday, is instructing the student to use their option to drop an exam score a reasonable accommodation?

 

No. The faculty member needs to evaluate the request and determine if they are able to grant the request absent undue hardship or fundamental alteration of the course.

Accommodations Examples

What are examples of reasonable academic accommodations?

 

Religious accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis. Examples of potential accommodations are rescheduling an exam; offering a make-up exam; rescheduling an individual or group presentation; allowing a student to attend a different discussion section for the same class that week; adjusting a due date; or assigning appropriate make-up work that is substantially similar or equivalent and is not more difficult than the original exam or assignment.

Below are additional examples.

• One of the assignments to be graded in a course is a group presentation during which each member of the group must present for 15 minutes on a specified date. The date scheduled for group presentations falls on Diwali, and one of the students contacts the instructor to request an accommodation as the student will be observing Diwali. A reasonable accommodation may include, but not be limited to, offering this student’s group an alternate date to present that does not fall on the day of religious observance.
• A laboratory experiment has been scheduled in one of the sections of a large introductory course, which conflicts with a student’s observance of Eid al-Adha. The student contacts the instructor to request an accommodation. A reasonable accommodation may include, but not be limited to, contacting the instructors of other lab sections to determine if there is an alternate date or time at which the student could participate in the experiment. The reason for the request does not need to be disclosed to the instructors of other lab sections to facilitate the accommodation request.
• Course participation is one of the graded components of a course. A student will be absent to observe Yom Kippur. A reasonable accommodation may include, but not be limited to, assigning the student a reading response to a journal article related to a topic covered in the course discussion on the date the student is absent for the religious observance. The student may not be penalized for lack of class participation on that date.
• The course attendance policy specifies that a certain number of absences can be taken for any reason without impacting the course grade. A student incurs an absence beyond the number specified in the attendance policy for a religious observance. The instructor may not count the absence for religious observance as part of the overall number of absences for grading purposes.

Addressing Conflicts

What may a student do if the instructor denies their accommodation request and the instructor will not reconsider the decision?

 

Failure to provide a religious accommodation may constitute a potential violation of the Preventing and Addressing Discrimination and Harassment Policy. We encourage you to contact EOCR if your request was denied. EOCR may be able to provide informal assistance by contacting the faculty member. If informal assistance is not available, you can file a complaint under Preventing and Addressing Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation ("PADHR") Complaint Procedures and request resolution with EOCR.

What can a student do if their request was granted but they believe the instructor is penalizing them because of the request?

 

UVA prohibits negative or adverse action being taken against individuals who request accommodations for disability, pregnancy, or religion. This type of action may be considered retaliation. If you believe you have experienced retaliation, you may file a complaint with EOCR. For more information, please visit the PADHR Complaint Procedures webpage.

EOCR recommends that faculty members include information in course syllabi to alert students to their rights and responsibilities as relates to academic accommodations for religious observance. The following is a sample statement:

Students who wish to request academic accommodations for a religious observance should submit their request to me by email as far in advance as possible. If you have questions or concerns about your request, you can contact the University's Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR) at [email protected] or (434) 924-3200. Accommodations do not relieve you of the responsibility for the completion of any part of the coursework you miss as the result of a religious observance.

Internal Resources

• Provost Policy - Teaching Courses for Academic Credit [PROV-008 (VI)]
• Undergraduate and Graduate Record Academic Regulation - Accommodations for Religious Observance
• UVA Inclusion Calendar

External Resources

• Interfaith Calendar (A detailed, but not comprehensive list for course planning purposes)
• Step-by-Step Guide - Adding Holiday Calendars in Microsoft Outlook
• U.S. Department of Justice Website on Types of Educational Opportunities Discrimination
• Code of Virginia Title 57 Chapter 1. Religious Freedom