Disabled PhD students are affected by the COVID-related issues currently facing all PhD students, but to a greater degree. [1/7]

Disabled students are disproportionately likely to experience financial hardship, to live in abusive households and to have little time to spare, making new responsibilities such as childcare impossible to balance with studies. [2/7]

Some disabled students are shielding, with consequent psychological pressures. A large proportion of disabled students currently lack their usual medical care, personal assistance or medication. Many of these have been interrupted due to the risk of infection. [3/7]

All this is to say that many disabled PhD students are currently facing enormous pressures outside of their studies. In addition many disabled PhD students are hit hard by the changes to their studies. [4/7]

73.4% of disabled students state that not having access to academic resources such as libraries and workshops is negatively impacting their studies. Many PhD students who are doing primary research have had to postpone or completely rework their projects. [5/7]

Some ways to resolve this would be to offer all disabled PhD students:
1. Medical leave (with a guarantee from the Home Office that during this crisis international disabled students who need to take medical leave will not have their visas cancelled) [6/7]

2. Funded extensions of 6 months
3. Suspension of course fees for self-funded students
4. Access to the university hardship fund [7/7]