PhD accommodations as a neurodiverse researcher
Published:
When I got the message to say I had been accepted for my PhD programme, I was thrilled. I was the first member of my direct family to go to university, and the first member in my wider family to go for a PhD. I had also received accommodations related to neurodiversity through my GCSEs, A-levels and my MSci.
When I received my PhD offer, my first step was to look into what support was available. Here, I discovered that accommodations for PhD students can sometimes be unclear - for both students and staff they interact with (including supervisors and professional staff), particularly for new first-generation students who may find it harder to visualise what the full PhD process involves and what support might be helpful.
I aim with this post to concisely clear up some of that confusion and provide concrete examples of accommodations that I encountered during my PhD.
For the new PhD students
When I had my first chat about accommodations, I was asked what I thought would be useful. I answered- “I don’t know, I have never done a PhD before.” So first, here is a breakdown of what a general PhD looks like.
PhDs similar to mine, that is a PhD in Biological Sciences in the UK lasting 3-4 years, largely have these main activities:
- lots of research and reading
- working in a shared office
- meeting with your supervisor/ supervisory team
- obviously writing
- labwork
- fieldwork
- data analysis
- conferences
- often there is some kind of progression assessment at the end of your first year and/or second year- either involving a write up, a presentation or a mini viva like assessment
- then there is that pesky assessment at the very end called a
viva
PhD programmes, by their very nature are very different to undergraduate study - generally you are not learning in formal university lectures or having written exams. Therefore accommodations you might need, and accommodations the university can provide, vary greatly from student to student.
Next I want to take you through where accommodations for PhD students come from
Where accommodations actually come from
One thing I found quite confusing is that “accommodations” in a PhD do not come from one single place. Broadly, there are three different types:
1. Legal / formal adjustments
In the UK, universities are required under the Equality Act (2010) to make “reasonable adjustments” so that disabled students are not at a disadvantage.
This usually goes through student support or disability services and may result in a formal support plan. This can include things like:
- adjustments to assessments (e.g. viva format or breaks)
- adjustments to your working environment
2. Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)/ Funded specific adjustments
Depending on your situation, you may also be eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowance or your funding body may have additional funding available for disability support (e.g. UKRI funded students).
This can fund things like:
- software (e.g. text-to-speech)
- equipment
- specialist mentoring
However, how this applies to PhD students can vary, especially depending on whether your PhD is:
- self-funded
- funded by a research council (e.g. UKRI)
- funded by another source
Student support usually leads this, alongside your school administrator and your funding body. I recommend asking early on about your specific process to accessing funded support - including who sends what paperwork to who, and especially reasonable timelines for each step down the funding pipeline. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
3. Informal / day-to-day adjustments
A lot of the most useful changes in a PhD are not formal at all.
They are things you agree with:
- your supervisor
- your lab group
- your department
For example:
- how meetings are run
- where you work
- how tasks are structured
These are often the easiest to implement informally, but may also be supported through formal systems.
Because of this, when you are asked “what accommodations do you need?”, it can feel like a very open-ended question.
One way I have found helpful to answer this question is to think about your PhD in terms of its core activities and what might make each of those easier.
Common PhD activities, potential challenges, and accommodations
Below are some ideas of common issues and potential accommodations I have encountered during my time as a PhD student.
| Activity | Challenges you might experience | Possible accommodations |
|---|---|---|
| Research and reading | Difficulty focusing on long texts, slow reading speed, fatigue | Text-to-speech software, ClaroRead screenrulers and tints, AI summariser software like Scholarcy, structured reading plans- eg. going into the literature with a task in mind versus just blandly summarising papers, discussion with supervisor for priority setting and milestones |
| Working in a shared office | Noise from coworkers, overhead lighting, social fatigue | Noise cancelling headphones, sensory aids (eg weighted blanket, stim tools), adjustments to the office setup (control over lighting, desk location), access to a quiet/sensory room, flexibility to work from home, flexible work hours |
| Supervisor meetings | Processing verbal information quickly, remembering feedback, anxiety | Regularly scheduled meetings (versus relying on ad hoc scheduling), sending agendas beforehand, recording meetings (with permission) or being supported by a note-taker, explicitly stated actions at the end of a meeting, written summaries after meetings, possibility for text-based supervisor meetings (e.g MS Teams) |
| Writing | Structuring your work (arguments), writing fatigue | Regular check-ins with supervisors, breaking work into smaller deadlines, writing support services, proofreading services, speech-to-text software, separating feedback on content versus structure and language (approaches used in other disciplines, such as the arts, can be helpful here) |
| Labwork | Following multi-step protocols, sensory overload, time pressure | Clearly written protocols with check boxes (if there aren’t any, discuss with supervisor as you develop them), protocols/guidance on how to respond to common mistakes or issues, extra training time, quieter lab times where possible, permission to take photos/videos during training |
| Fieldwork | Unpredictable environments, sensory challenges, fatigue, travel stress | Adjusted schedules, additional breaks, flexibility in participation, alternative tasks if needed, funding for a field assistant (? worth asking about!), control over accommodation (quiet room/own space), develop clear daily structure in advance, support with travel logistics (airport assistance services) |
| Data analysis / coding | Debugging frustration, concentration, managing complex workflows | Training/advice on structuring workflows, clear documentation (see my post re Github!), access to training resources including template project structures/flowcharts |
| Conferences | Social exhaustion, travel fatigue, presenting anxiety, overwhelm in poster session, choosing talks to see | Attending fewer sessions, quiet spaces, practicing talks with your supervisor/friends/labmates, earplugs/noise cancelling headphones, noting down posters you want to see before the poster session- I find a targeted approach is best in the chaos |
| Progression assessments (year 1-2) | Uncertainty about expectations, time constraints, unfamiliar format | Mock assessments, written expectations, guidance for the examiners, flexibility in format where possible |
| Final viva | High-pressure situation, long verbal examination, fatigue | Mock assessments, scheduled rest breaks, clear structure, option for adjustments (e.g. timing, format), familiar environment, discussing needs in advance, a notetaker to transcribe questions and provide notes post viva, explicit allowance for processing time when answering questions |
A lot of this also depends on awareness and communication. Training for supervisors and professional staff makes a huge difference, as does access to specialist mentoring.
I would also really recommend co-working - find a friend, both log onto Teams, chat for five minutes about what you want to get done, then work to a pomodoro timer.
This is not an exhaustive list but hopefully it gives you a starting point.
Further resources
If you’re looking for more structured guidance, the University of Aberdeen has developed detailed resources on supporting disabled postgraduate researchers:
- Guidelines for disabled postgraduate researchers
- Guidelines for supporting disabled postgraduate researchers (for staff/supervisors)
- Examples of provisions to support disabled PGR students
I also found this document my supervisor Kara found really helpful when thinking about my viva- Guidance for Viva examination of Autistic/neurodivergent PhD Students by Chloe Farahar.
These include concrete examples of adjustments across different areas of the PhD and can be useful both for students and supervisors when starting these conversations.
More broadly, you may also find helpful:
- Your university’s Student Support / Disability Service
- Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) guidance
- Information from your funding body (e.g. UKRI) on disability-related support
- Peer networks and online communities of neurodiverse researchers
So if you are asked what accommodations you need and your answer is “I don’t know” - that is completely normal.
Hopefully, this post has given you a solid starting point to figure out what you can ask for and how it works.
And from there, these conversations become a lot easier to have.
If you find this helpful
Please give it a share and tag me!
If you’re interested in the wider context, this is a really useful piece of further reading: