Invisible Barriers: Why Religious Students Are Overlooked in Widening Participation — and How We Can Change That

By Dr Jan Vandeburie

Academic Director, Odysseus Education

In the pursuit of widening participation in higher education, much attention has rightly been paid to groups historically underrepresented in universities — students from low-income backgrounds, first-generation scholars, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities. Institutions, policymakers, and access programmes have developed increasingly sophisticated strategies to identify and support these learners. Yet one cohort remains chronically overlooked: practising religious students.

This oversight is not accidental. It stems from a foundational gap in the way we collect and use data — namely, that most higher education monitoring systems, including the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), do not routinely collect information about students’ religious identities. Without visibility in the data, religious students remain invisible in policy discussions, widening participation frameworks, and global mobility initiatives. As a result, institutions are blind to the unique barriers this group faces, especially when it comes to participation in global student mobility programs such as study abroad and international exchanges.

In this post, we explore how this invisibility emerges, the socio-cultural and individual challenges practising religious students often encounter, and practical ways universities can better understand and address these obstacles to ensure true equity of opportunity.

The Data Gap: Why Religious Identity Isn’t Recognised in Widening Participation Metrics

Higher education access and participation strategies increasingly rely on data to identify underrepresented groups. Data drives funding, shapes interventions, and measures progress. In the UK, for example, key widening participation indicators include socioeconomic status, neighbourhood disadvantage, disability, and ethnicity. These are powerful predictors of educational inequality — but the absence of religious identity from mandatory reporting systems like HESA means that religious students are missing from the very frameworks designed to support diversity and inclusion.

Without this data, universities cannot answer basic questions:

• Which faith groups are underrepresented in degree programmes?

• Are certain religious communities less likely to engage in postgraduate research?

• Do religious students participate in study abroad at the same rates as their peers?

Disaggregated data on religion would provide the evidence needed to reveal patterns of participation, identify gaps, and design targeted interventions. Without it, institutions are forced to rely on anecdotal insights or one-off surveys that rarely influence long-term strategy or funding.

This gap isn’t just a technical issue — it has profound implications for equity. When we fail to recognise religious identity as a dimension of diversity, we implicitly signal that faith-based needs and experiences are irrelevant to student success. This assumption erases the real challenges that many practising religious students face, particularly when contemplating international opportunities.

Barriers to Study Abroad: The Hidden Struggles of Religious Students

Global student mobility programs — such as semester exchanges, summer schools, and international internships — are often promoted as transformative, career-enhancing experiences. Yet research consistently shows that participation is unequal. Students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnic minorities, and non-traditional academic pathways are less likely to study abroad. While these disparities are increasingly acknowledged and addressed, the challenges faced by religious students remain largely unexamined.

Religious students — particularly those from faiths with visible practices or specific lifestyle requirements — encounter a unique constellation of socio-cultural, institutional, and personal barriers. These barriers can deter them from applying to mobility programmes or make the experience far more stressful and isolating when they do participate.

1. Family Concerns and Socio-Cultural Pressures

For many practising religious students, decisions about studying abroad are not made in isolation — families play a central role. In some cultural and religious communities, parents may be reluctant to support international mobility for reasons related to safety, belonging, or the anticipated absence of religious provision.

Consider the concerns families might have:

• Religious accommodation: Will my child have access to prayer spaces, halal or kosher food, places to observe religious holidays, or safe spaces for worship?

• Cultural unfamiliarity: What if the host country’s social norms conflict with our religious values or gender expectations?

• Safety and belonging: Will my child face harassment, prejudice, or misunderstanding because of their religion?

• Community support: Who will they turn to if they feel out of place or need emotional or spiritual support?

These family worries are not irrational. They’re grounded in lived experiences of exclusion, derision, or neglect. Without robust institutional guidance or reassurance, parents may press their children to forgo study abroad opportunities — even when the student personally wants to go.

2. Institutional Blind Spots

Universities often assume that once a mobility programme is established, all students can and will access it equally. But institutional systems are rarely designed with religious diversity in mind. In the absence of data or proactive inclusion strategies, support for religious students is patchwork at best.

Common institutional shortcomings include:

• Lack of accessible information about religious accommodations in host locations

• One-size-fits-all pre-departure support, which ignores faith-specific concerns

• Advisers or programme leaders without training in religious inclusion

• Poor coordination with student faith groups or chaplaincy services

This lack of foresight sends a subtle but powerful message: religious identity isn’t expected, and it isn’t accommodated. For students who already feel marginalised within academic cultures, this reinforces a sense of invisibility and discourages participation.

3. Fear of Bigotry and Prejudice

Religious students — especially those from minority faiths — may fear discrimination or harassment abroad. These fears are not unfounded. Reports from students who have studied or worked internationally reveal instances of:

• Verbal or physical harassment based on dress, prayer practices, or dietary restrictions

• Micro-aggressions and ignorance about religious norms

• Host cultures with limited understanding of or respect for religious diversity

Even the possibility of encountering bias can be enough to deter a student from applying. For those who have already experienced exclusion at their home institution, the anxiety of navigating unfamiliar environments without tailored support can outweigh the perceived benefits of mobility.

4. Financial and Logistical Complications

While not unique to religious students, financial and logistic barriers are amplified when religious needs are not factored into programme planning. For example:

• Special dietary requirements may increase living costs abroad

• Travel during religious holidays may restrict available exchange windows

• Extended prayer or worship commitments may complicate academic scheduling

When institutions fail to consider these factors, religious students are disproportionately affected — often quietly, because they are expected to adapt.

Towards Inclusion: Practical Solutions for Universities

To create genuinely equitable access to higher education and global mobility programmes, universities must recognise religious identity as a legitimate aspect of student diversity. Here are concrete steps institutions can take.

1. Collect Religious Identity Data Respectfully and Ethically

Inclusion begins with visibility. Universities should explore ways to collect voluntary, confidential data on students’ religious identities — both at entry and throughout their academic journey. Thoughtful data collection enables:

• Evidence-based analysis of participation trends

• Identification of underrepresented groups in study abroad and postgraduate pathways

• Tailored support services and targeted outreach

Crucially, religious data collection must be ethical, transparent, and optional. Students should understand why the information is requested and how it will be used to improve support and inclusion.

2. Integrate Religious Inclusion into Widening Participation Frameworks

Once religious identity is visible in student data systems, it can be incorporated into wider strategy:

• Include religious background as a dimension in widening participation policies

• Report internally on participation rates in mobility programmes by faith group

• Set institutional goals for equitable representation

This signals that religious diversity matters — not as an afterthought but as part of the university’s core mission.

3. Design Inclusive Pre-Departure Programmes

Orientation and pre-departure sessions for study abroad should explicitly address religious considerations:

• Information about faith accommodation in host countries

• Guidance on locating prayer spaces, places of worship, or community groups abroad

• Connections with alumni from similar religious backgrounds

• Cultural briefings that respect and explain religious diversity

A well-designed pre-departure programme builds confidence and reduces anxiety.

4. Expand Institutional Support Structures

Universities should leverage existing student faith groups, chaplaincy teams, and diversity offices to co-develop support services. This might include:

• Faith-inclusive travel advice

• Partnerships with overseas institutions on religious accommodation

• Mentoring circles for religious students interested in study abroad

Support should be proactive — institutions must reach out, not wait for students to ask.

5. Foster Dialogues with Families and Communities

Since family concerns are often key in shaping students’ decisions, universities could:

• Host information sessions for families about mobility opportunities

• Provide materials that explain how universities support religious needs abroad

• Share testimonials from religious students who have studied internationally

Engaging families builds trust and broadens understanding of how mobility can be safe, enriching, and compatible with religious life.

Conclusion: Beyond Access — Towards Belonging

Higher education prides itself on inclusivity, yet the lived experiences of practising religious students reveal a glaring gap. Without intentional data collection, policy recognition, and culturally competent support, religious students remain sidelined in widening participation efforts — especially in the realm of global mobility.

Religious identity is not a barrier in itself; it is the absence of acknowledgment, accommodation, and understanding that creates barriers. By making religious diversity visible, normalising faith as a dimension of student identity, and designing inclusive pathways for international engagement, universities can ensure that global opportunities are truly open to all.

Equity in higher education isn’t just about access. It’s about belonging — and that must extend to every student, regardless of faith.

If you’d like help developing inclusive mobility strategies or institutional policies that support religious students, Odysseus Education specialises in this work. Contact us to learn more about how inclusion can transform your programmes.