Cover of higher education & research in France, facts and figures

📄 Sources:MENESR-DEPP
MENESR-DGESIP/DGRI-SIES
MENESR-DGESIP.

 Coverage:Metropolitan France + overseas departments (DOM).

The MENESR survey of students with disabilities collects data on students in each higher education institution under its responsibility who are declared disabled as defined by the Law of 11 February 2005 on equality of rights and opportunities, participation and citizenship of people with a disability, and who make themselves known to the disability services. For each student, the survey collects data anonymously on the nature of the disability or impairment, the adjustment measures put in place to provide support with their studies along with age, sex, subject area and study programme. The survey of PhD students takes into account students who are monitored by the student disability services, but is not able to obtain data on those who are monitored by the department responsible for staff. However, the survey of the schooling of students with disabilities in secondary education, carried out by the Directorate for Evaluation, Forward Studies and Performance (Direction de l’évaluation, de la prospective et de la performance - DEPP) and the Directorate-General for School Education (Direction générale de l’enseignement scolaire - DGESCO) is able to monitor the population of students with disabilities in classes preparing for admission to Grandes Ecoles (Classe préparatoires aux grandes écoles - CPGE) and the Advanced technician's sections (Sections de techniciens supérieurs - STS) in public and private high schools. This annual survey provides the numbers of pupils who are enrolled in school with their own tailor-made schooling programme (Plan personnalisé de scolarisation - PPS), and whose disability is assessed by the Departmental centre for the disabled (Maison départementale des personnes handicapées - MDPH).

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24 students with disabilities in higher education

This page has been updated. Read 14. students with disabilities in higher education in Higher education & research in France, facts and figures 10th edition - June 2017

At the start of the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 18,200 students in public universities, STSs and CPGEs who declared a disability and were provided with support of some kind. The vast majority (90%) were enrolled at university. Their numbers had doubled in 5 years. They receive more and more different types of support which are now better known and which enable students not to be set apart from the general trend of longer studies. Nevertheless, they are enrolled for the most part in the Bachelor's degree programmes and their presence declines throughout the course.

At the start of the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 18,200 students who declared a disability in higher education courses in public and private high schools under contract and in public higher education institutions under the responsibility of the French Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research (Ministère de l’Éducation nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche - MENESR). 90% of them were enrolled in universities (table 24.01) and received disability support or care. Numbers had increased 14% per year, on average, since 2005 (chart 24.02). The main reasons for this increase were the general trend towards longer studies, more customised care, diversification and a better awareness of the support systems available.

Since the start of the 2006-2007 academic year, in accordance with the provisions of Article 20 of the Law of 11 February 2005 on equality of rights and opportunities, participation and citizenship of people with a disability, higher education institutions were made responsible for putting in place all the necessary support for students with disabilities to ensure that they can succeed in their studies and their professional integration: human and technical aids to help with learning, adjustments to courses and conditions for sitting exams.

Better access to higher education, more types of support and a better awareness account for the increase in the number of students with disabilities taking a Bachelor's degree (chart 24.04). Any obstacles to entering higher education have therefore been considerably reduced since the Law of 11 February 2005 came into force. However, in the universities the distribution of students with disabilities is not the same as for students as a whole (chart 24.03). They are concentrated for the most part in Bachelor's degree programmes and they become fewer in number as the university course progresses.

In these institutions, students with disabilities are more likely to enrol in technological university institutes (Institut universitaire de technologie - IUT) and in Arts, Languages and Humanities. They are less likely to enrol in the Law, Economics, Management and Healthcare study tracks (chart 24.05). These gaps have tended to close over the years, but nevertheless there is a link between the nature of the disability and the subject areas. Thus in Arts, Languages and Humanities, students with language impairments are under-represented, while those with mental health disabilities are over-represented. However, the distribution of students with mobility or visual impairments according to subject area is similar to that of the general population.

To help compensate for their disabilities, especially when taking exams, and to ensure that things run smoothly throughout their course of study, specific help is provided for these students. Three quarters have a support plan drawn up to monitor their studies, one third (29.1%) have some human help (note-taker, interpreter, encoder, or other form of support) or have their course specially adjusted (28%). In addition, 80% have support during examinations (table 24.06), with special adjustments being put in place (specifically adapted assistance, documents in Braille, French sign language interpreter, cued speech encoder, extra time).

 Coverage:Metropolitan France + overseas departments (DOM).

How to cite this paper :

CORRE Fabienne. Students with disabilities in higher education. In: Higher education & research in France, facts and figures - 49 indicators [online]. KABLA-LANGLOIS Isabelle (dir.). Paris: Ministère de l'Éducation nationale, de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche, 2015. 8th ed. Chapter 24, 58-59 [Accessed 03/28/2024]. ISBN 978-2-11-139433-9. https://publication.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/eesr/8EN/EESR8EN_ES_24-students_with_disabilities_in_higher_education-ILL_05.php

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The MENESR survey of students with disabilities collects data on students in each higher education institution under its responsibility who are declared disabled as defined by the Law of 11 February 2005 on equality of rights and opportunities, participation and citizenship of people with a disability, and who make themselves known to the disability services. For each student, the survey collects data anonymously on the nature of the disability or impairment, the adjustment measures put in place to provide support with their studies along with age, sex, subject area and study programme. The survey of PhD students takes into account students who are monitored by the student disability services, but is not able to obtain data on those who are monitored by the department responsible for staff. However, the survey of the schooling of students with disabilities in secondary education, carried out by the Directorate for Evaluation, Forward Studies and Performance (Direction de l’évaluation, de la prospective et de la performance - DEPP) and the Directorate-General for School Education (Direction générale de l’enseignement scolaire - DGESCO) is able to monitor the population of students with disabilities in classes preparing for admission to Grandes Ecoles (Classe préparatoires aux grandes écoles - CPGE) and the Advanced technician's sections (Sections de techniciens supérieurs - STS) in public and private high schools. This annual survey provides the numbers of pupils who are enrolled in school with their own tailor-made schooling programme (Plan personnalisé de scolarisation - PPS), and whose disability is assessed by the Departmental centre for the disabled (Maison départementale des personnes handicapées - MDPH).

 

Key figures


Number of disabled students in higher education institutions and courses
18,189
 students
2013
Metropolitan France + overseas departments
 
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Extract from the chapter "24. students with disabilities in higher education".

Source: MENESR-DGESIP
Share of disabled students enrolling for a university Bachelor's degree
76.3%
 
2013
Metropolitan France + overseas departments
 
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Extract from the chapter "24. students with disabilities in higher education".

Source: MENESR-DGESIP
Share of disabled students enrolling for a university Master's degree
22.6%
 
2013
Metropolitan France + overseas departments
 
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Extract from the chapter "24. students with disabilities in higher education".

Source: MENESR-DGESIP
Share of disabled students enrolling for a university PhD
1.1%
 
2013
Metropolitan France + overseas departments
 
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Extract from the chapter "24. students with disabilities in higher education".

Source: MENESR-DGESIP

24.01 Number of students with disabilities in higher education instututions and courses in 2013-14

 
Number Distribution
(%)
CPGE and STS 1 5 857 4.7
Universities (excl. engineering courses) 2 16,567 91.1
Public engineering schools (incl. engineering programmes in universities) 3 657 3.6
Other institutions 4 108 0.6
Total 18,189 100.0
 

1 Public institutions or private institutions under contract.
2 77 responses out of 78 in 2013-14. The University of Lorraine and Paris-Dauphine are classed as Universities.
3 65 responses out of 87.
4 Including Normal high schools (Écoles normales supérieures) and major institutions (excluding engineering schools, excluding University of Lorraine and Paris-Dauphine). 7 responses out of 13.
5 Excluding French Polynesia and New Caledonia.

 Coverage: Metropolitan France + overseas departments (DOM).

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24.02 Change in the number of students with disabilities enrolled at university 1

Number of students with disabilities
 
 

1 77 responses out of 78 in 2013-14. The University of Lorraine and Paris-Dauphine are classed as Universities.

📄 Source:MENESR-DGESIP
 Coverage: Metropolitan France + overseas departments (DOM).

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24.03 Distribution of students with disabilities in Bachelor's degree, Master's and PhD programmes in universities in 2013-14 1

Students with disabilities
All students
  
Bachelor's degree 2
Master's
PhD
 
 

1 77 responses out of 78 including the University of Lorraine and Paris-Dauphine.
2 including the vocational Bachelor's degree (Licence professionnelle - LP), excluding University technology diplomas delivered by the IUT (Diplômes universitaires de technologie – DUT), excluding first year of core medical education (Première année commune aux études de santé - PACES).

 Coverage: Metropolitan France + overseas departments (DOM).

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24.04 Change in the distribution of students with disabilities in universities by study cycle 1

2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
  
Bachelor's degree 2
Master's
PhD
 
 

1 in 2013-14, 77 responses out of 78 including the University of Lorraine and Paris-Dauphine.
2 including the vocational Bachelor's degree (Licence professionnelle - LP), excluding Technological university diplomas delivered by the IUT (Diplômes universitaires de technologie – DUT), excluding first year of core medical education (Première année commune aux études de santé - PACES)

 Coverage: Metropolitan France + overseas departments (DOM).

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24.05 Distribution by subject area and course of students with disabilities enrolled in universities (2013-14)

Students with disabilities
All students
  
Arts, Languages and Humanities
Law, Economics, Management
Sciences
Healthcare 1
STAPS
DUT
 
 

1 excluding first year of core medical education (Première année commune aux études de santé - PACES)

 Coverage: Metropolitan France + overseas departments (DOM).

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24.06 Alternative arrangements to provide support during examinations for students with disabilities in 2013-14 1

 
Number of students receiving support Share of students with disabilities
receiving support (%) 2
Extra time 12,032 72.7
Separate room 2,293 13.9
Adapted teaching material 1,876 11.3
Secretarial help 1,435 8.7
Break time 1,189 7.2
Adapted documents 983 5.9
Adjusted exam papers 1,036 6.3
Sign language interpreters, cued speech coders, other communication aids 154 0.9
 

1 excluding STS and CPGE.
2 For 792 students, no alternative examination arrangements were made.

📄 Source:MENESR-DGESIP
 Coverage: Metropolitan France + overseas departments (DOM).

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Other editions

Etat de l'enseignement supérieur et de la rechercheHigher education & research in France, facts and figures 10th edition - June 2017
14 - students with disabilities in higher education - Fabienne Corre
At the start of the 2015-16 academic year, there were 23,257 students in public higher education institutions, i.e. 1.22% of the student population, who declared a disability. These numbers have tripled since 2005. 91% of these students with disabilities were enrolled at university and 71% of them were provided with some kind of support. There is more extensive, varied and better-known support than in the past, which means that these students are not excluded from the general trend of longer studies. Although their progress in their chosen paths differs from that of the population, it has been improving very significantly for several years [Consult the following page]
Etat de l'enseignement supérieur et de la rechercheHigher education & research in France, facts and figures 9th edition - November 2016
25 - students with disabilities in higher education - Fabienne Corre
At the start of the 2014-2015 academic year, there were 20,549 students in public higher education, i.e. 1.17% of the student population, who declared a disability and were provided with support of some kind. 91.5% of them were enrolled at university, where their numbers have tripled since 2005. They receive more and more different types of support which are now better known and which mean that students are not excluded from the general trend of longer studies. They are mostly enrolled on Bachelor's degree programmes, but their presence on Master's courses has significantly increased in recent years [Consult the following page]

Translation

 Etat de l'enseignement supérieur et de la rechercheL'état de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche en France n°8 - juin 2015
24 - les étudiants handicapés dans l’enseignement supérieur - Fabienne Corre
À la rentrée 2013, 18 200 étudiants des universités, STS et CPGE publics se déclarent handicapés et bénéficient d’un accompagnement. Une forte majorité d’entre eux (90 %) sont inscrits à l’université. Leur nombre a doublé en 5 ans. Ils bénéficient d’aides plus nombreuses, diverses et mieux connues qui leur permettent de ne pas rester à l’écart du mouvement général d’allongement des études. Néanmoins, ils se concentrent en Licence et leur présence décline au fil des cursus [Consult the following page in french]


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