Intersectional barriers disabled students describe — and how universities can respond

Updated Sep 07, 2026

Disability support needs can differ substantially between students who share a diagnostic label. Pascal Angerhausen’s study of disabled students in German higher education explores how financial resources, family background, culture and gender shape those experiences.

What the study found

The research used biographical interviews with 33 students at one German university and a Grounded Theory approach. Recruitment focused on documented impairments and students using accommodations; this limits what it can reveal about students who never seek support.

Participants described financial pressure when health needs extended their studies, tensions around family expectations, and concerns about disclosing impairments. Some women described having their experiences doubted, including during medical assessment. Accounts involving masculinity and cultural expectations illustrated stigma, but the analysis did not confine disclosure difficulties to particular groups.

These are qualitative accounts of intersecting barriers, not estimates of how common each barrier is. German funding and accommodation arrangements also matter to the interpretation. The paper’s policy proposals were not tested as interventions.

Questions for university teams

As an editorial application, review whether support processes allow students to explain financial, caring and educational circumstances alongside impairment-related needs. Ask students where evidence requirements or repeated disclosure create avoidable work. Include people who have not used formal support, rather than relying entirely on existing service users.

When analysing student comments, report the circumstances behind a theme and protect small groups from identification. A broad disability category can be useful for monitoring, but it should not replace listening to individual experiences.

Reference

Pascal Angerhausen. “An intersectional perspective on disabled students’ experiences in German higher education.” Higher Education. DOI: 10.1007/s10734-025-01541-w.

Reviewed 7 September 2026 against the full paper. The summary now states the recruitment limits and distinguishes policy suggestions from tested outcomes.