The voice of students with disabilities: reasons for going to university and criteria for choosing the institution

Abstract

This article describes the factors and criteria that affect graduates with disabilities when deciding to pursue higher education and choosing a university. The study involved 95 graduate students from 27 Spanish universities, with whom semi-structured interviews were conducted. The results show intrinsic and extrinsic factors in choosing to study at university, as well as personal and university-related criteria. Personal motivations, impairment as a conditioning factor and previous experiences are part of the intrinsic factors referred to by the students. Extrinsic factors include socially expected trajectories, influences from different agents and improved job and/or career opportunities. In the choice of university, students pointed to personal criteria such as independence or the influence of others. As criteria related to the university, they mentioned the proximity, the academic offer, the structure and services, and the prestige of the institution. The university can and must consider strategies and actions that favour the access and inclusion.

Points of interest

• This study explores the factors that motivate students with disabilities to go to university, as well as their institution selection criteria.

• Students with disabilities show intrinsic factors (originating in oneself) and extrinsic factors (originating from the context) in choosing to study at university.

• The selection of university depends on both personal issues and the characteristics of the university.

• This study shows that a variety of factors influence the decision to go to university and the criteria used in their choice.

Keywords:

• Higher education
• disability
• graduate students
• reasons for going to university
• access to university

Disclosure statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: the MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/[Ref. PID2020-112761RB-I00]; the FJC2020-044228-I/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. The study’s funders had no role in the design, data collection, analysis, data interpretations, or dissemination of these findings.