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Next steps: What is the experience of disabled students in education?

On Tuesday 28 June we will be releasing new research around disabled students, that for the first time, examines each impairment category and the connection of other personal characteristics to understand the patterns and preferences – and whether there were hidden challenges.

Posted Wed 15 June 2022

We will share the report with you following release, however if you would like to learn more about this research, we will be hosting a webinar on Thursday 30 June at 15:00.

Join Nicola Turner, Senior Fair Access Adviser at UCAS, and Brian Lutchmiah, Inclusive Education at Diversity and Ability, as we unpick the findings.

Key findings include:

  • Disabled applicants are more likely to defer entry to HE: before the pandemic, disabled students were 23% more likely to defer entry than non-disabled students, rising to 28% in 2021 – this disparity varies by impairment type.
  • Students’ decision making is influenced by the HE institution’s support offer: 56% research an institution’s support for disabled students before applying, with its reputation for equality, diversity and inclusion being of particular importance.
  • Students are looking forward to the social aspects of university life: only 17% of respondents felt satisfied with access to inclusive extra-curricular activities at school or college, whereas 44% expect the social opportunities at university or college to be good or excellent.

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