OxAbility - Information for Employers

OxAbility is a careers development programme launching in Michaelmas term 2025. The programme provides voluntary learning and development opportunities for students who have a disability, long-term health condition or neurodivergence.

With one in three Oxford students now registered with the University Disability Advisory Service, this initiative offers inclusive careers programmes tailored to students’ needs. OxAbility offers a wide variety of benefits to both the employer and the student.

How organisations can get involved

There are two ways employers can support the OxAbility programme. Firstly, you can offer a five-day learning and development (work experience) opportunity at the end of each term, in December/April/June. Secondly, you can put forward mentors from your organisation, which allows students to connect with someone who has experience of working with a disability.

Students can apply to take part in the work experience placements or the mentoring: they are separate offerings

About the work experience programme

Each five-day placement provides students with an opportunity to observe and assist with a clearly defined project, that will allow them to develop their sector knowledge and employability prospects. By helping complete these projects, our students significantly develop their skills and gain work experience insights that they may have not have had chance to experience before coming to Oxford.

OxAbility placements are five days' long and take place at the end of each academic term, in the students' vacation periods. Although they are voluntary and unpaid, Oxford Careers Service has secured funding to reimburse students with both local travel (inclusive of bus journeys between Oxford and London) and lunch expenses.

About the mentoring programme

Once a student is matched with a mentor, they will meet three times during the academic year – either in person or online. The mentor will have experience of navigating the workplace with a disability and will be able to help the student with questions they may, eg around sharing a disability – if, when and how – or asking for adjustments. 

Timeline and key dates 

The OxAbility programme runs three times each academic year, coinciding with the vacation period at the end of each Oxford University term (December, March and June).

Once the application deadline has passed, the Careers Service team match Oxford students to a host organisation. We put you in touch with your student and ask you to organise a short introductory virtual meeting prior to the placement week, to ‘meet’ the students. This call is an opportunity for hosts and interns to make necessary arrangements, provide details of the project and discuss working patterns and any reasonable workplace adjustments. 

The Careers Service team will deliver a training workshop for hosts approximately a month before the placement starts.  

Who is eligible to apply?

Current, matriculated University of Oxford students (undergraduate or postgraduate) who are are registered with the University of Oxford’s Disability Advisory Service.

Host responsibilities

The host organisation has the following responsibilities:

• Provide an accurate and reasonably detailed description of the OxAbility work experience placement(s) offered, including an overview of the duties and skills required by the ideal candidate(s).
• The placement should only be for Oxford students who apply through the programme. You may advertise similar placements elsewhere, but those entered into the programme should be set aside with the intention of taking students from Oxford
• Protect personal data transferred to you by the Careers Service or the students directly and use it solely for the purpose of the OxAbility programme. At the end of placement all personal data should be destroyed.
• Provide the OxAbility placement as described (or an appropriate alternative placement, subject to prior discussion with the Careers Service and the student(s).
• Provide the student(s) with an appropriate workspace and equipment necessary to carry out the project work if the project is to be completed in person.
• Designate a point of contact within the organisation, who will discuss practical arrangements with the student(s) before their arrival, supervise the student(s), and act as the primary contact for communications with the University of Oxford. Should the student(s) complete the placement remotely, please ensure a similar level of supervision is provided (i.e. regular telephone catch-ups etc.).
• Comply with local health and safety obligations in relation to the placement.
• Provide assurance that your organisation’s insurance will cover potential liability that may arise from the learning and development opportunity including liability arising from accident and/or injury to the student(s) and third parties.
•  Provide feedback to the University of Oxford by evaluating the student(s) at the end of the placement. 
• Make any necessary and reasonable adjustments to accommodate the student(s) in case of disability or additional needs, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 and the University of Oxford Equality Policy. 
• Have in place effective procedures and arrangements to ensure that the placement takes place in a safe environment, including appropriate procedures for the student(s) to raise concerns and complaints, including in relation to bullying and harassment. 
• All placements must be limited to a maximum of 5 days. The duration of the placement cannot be extended. If a host wishes to employ a student this will need to be arranged separately between the host and student outside the parameters of OxAbility. It is expected that students would be remunerated if engaged on a full internship/placement or to undertake work.
• It is the responsibility of the host organisation to ensure that the placement complies with employment law in engaging the student(s) including (where applicable) the payment of National Living Wage. We assume, if the placement is advertised as expenses only via the OxAbility programme submission, that the host organisation has done an appropriate assessment and concluded that the opportunity can be lawfully offered on an unpaid basis.  The Careers Service will offer up to £50 re-imbursement to students for their travel and lunch expenses.
• University departments who are offering unpaid placements should ensure that they provide the participant with a volunteer agreement (template agreement available from the Careers Service).
• Please note that the OxAbility Programme is open to all matriculated students who are registered with the University of Oxford’s Disability Advisory Service.

My question is not answered here!

If you cannot find the answer to your question, please get in touch on hello@careers.ox.ac.uk.