Universal design and preparing for life after graduation: Career readiness for college students with disabilities

Sarah Ostyn, The Early Action Project

Young people hear many messages about what comes next in life: go to college, start a career, move up. For many college students with disabilities, however, the path from school to work is far less straightforward. Between 12 and 19 percent of college students report having a disability, and for many of them, preparing for life after graduation involves challenges that extend well beyond coursework. As a result, young adults with disabilities are far less likely than their peers to enter the workforce feeling prepared.

A recent study by UNC Charlotte professors and Gambrell Faculty Fellows Othelia EunKyoung Lee, Ph.D., and Stella Y. Kim, Ph.D., takes a closer look at what helps or gets in the way of career readiness for college students with disabilities. While much of the existing research focuses on academic success, this study asks a different question: what experiences during college actually help students feel ready to move into the workforce? Without intentional efforts to build these experiences, long-standing gaps between adults with and without disabilities are likely to persist. 

College students with disabilities do not all experience higher education in the same way. Many of their experiences remain largely invisible to the institutions they attend. A substantial share of students choose not to disclose their disability to their college, which can limit access to accommodations and other forms of support. Decisions about disclosure are rarely simple. Concerns about stigma, fear of discrimination and past negative experiences all shape whether students feel safe sharing this information. These concerns are especially common among students with mental health–related disabilities.

Why disclosure isn’t a simple decision

College is also a time of significant personal and professional growth. When institutions rely on disclosure as the main gateway to support and

do not proactively build inclusive approaches to career preparation, students with disabilities may miss opportunities to build confidence, develop practical skills and gain real-world experience. Over time, these missed opportunities can make the transition from college to work more difficult.

Looking beyond academic success

Rather than asking only whether students are doing well academically, Lee and Kim’s research focuses on whether college experiences help students with disabilities explore careers, build confidence, and prepare for life after graduation. Career readiness is not just about technical skills. It is shaped by confidence, access to support and whether students can realistically imagine a future in the workforce. These beliefs are formed through everyday experiences on campus: whether students feel supported, included and given meaningful chances to practice.

What helps students feel career-ready

Across the study, students with disabilities reported stronger signs of career readiness when they had opportunities to practice career-related skills during college. Experiences such as internships, career-focused conversations with professionals and guided practice with resumes or interviews helped students feel more confident and better prepared for what comes next.

Why internships matter so much

Internships stood out as particularly important. Students who felt confident participating in internships also reported stronger confidence in managing their career paths. Internships provided more than job-specific skills. They offered chances to practice workplace communication, understand expectations and navigate professional environments. For many students, internships were the first time work felt possible rather than theoretical. For students with disabilities, who are more likely than their nondisabled peers to pursue self-employment or nontraditional work arrangements, these experiences were especially valuable.

The study draws on self-reported experiences of students registered with disability services at a large public university in the southeastern United States. While the findings reflect one institutional context, they offer useful insight into how campus environments and opportunities shape students’ sense of career readiness.

Beyond internships, students benefited from career-focused conversations with people already working in roles they hoped to pursue. These conversations helped students learn about the job market, workplace norms and potential career paths. For many students, this exposure made careers feel more concrete and attainable, rather than distant or out of reach.

Practice in foundational career skills also mattered. Resume writing, interview preparation and networking were most helpful when offered in low-pressure settings where students could receive feedback and try again. Having space to practice without fear of negative consequences reduced anxiety and made job searching feel more manageable.

When the campus itself sends a message

The broader campus environment played a role as well. Satisfaction with housing, facilities and access to accommodations was linked to stronger feelings of readiness. When students experienced their campus as accessible and supportive, it reinforced the sense that the institution was invested in their success. When supports were inconsistent or difficult to access, students were more likely to feel that systems were not designed with them in mind.

Designing systems that work for all students

Put simply, these findings suggest that colleges need to rethink how career preparation is designed and delivered. Institutions cannot place the responsibility for access solely on students, particularly when many are hesitant to disclose a disability. Instead, colleges can design systems that make career support visible, normal and available to all students.

Universal approaches, such as embedding internships, mentoring and career exploration into the standard college experience, help reduce the burden on individual students to self-advocate. A “no wrong door” approach, in which students can access information and support through multiple offices, also makes it easier for students to engage when they are ready. These strategies support students with disabilities, while strengthening career preparation for the entire student body.

What this means beyond campus

While this study focuses on higher education, the broader takeaway extends beyond college campuses. Access to practice, mentorship and supportive environments plays a critical role in shaping confidence and readiness for young adults with disabilities. The lesson is not to copy college-based programs into other settings, but to recognize how institutional design influences who feels prepared to move forward.

Ultimately, differences in career outcomes are not the result of individual shortcomings, but of how systems are designed. When colleges center inclusion in career preparation, students with disabilities are more likely to leave college believing that a future in the workforce is within reach. And like all students, that belief matters.