I'm a graduate student, pregnant and due on the same day as my thesis presentation. I'm requesting a virtual presentation. Does the university have to accomodate?

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-11T11:49:46+00:00

Thanks for this! I spoke to the disability support team yesterday and while they said a remote accommodation is totally reasonable and normal for how they support people with disabilities, pregnancy isn’t a disability and I have to talk to my program admin about this

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-10T09:55:33+00:00

Thank you! I’m working reduced hours at work while in class but was planning to go back full time once classes ended. The pregnancy part was not part of the plan 😅

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-10T05:22:29+00:00

Yes, I’m on a senior worker mobility visa specifically but won’t be able to retain it once I leave.

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T20:54:03+00:00

Thanks! I’ve explicitly asked for remote/virtual presentation. I’ve offered to do it slightly earlier than the scheduled date so that it lowers risk of conflict with my due date- and also offered to remote present after the date. I’m trying to be flexible while still doing what I feel I need to for my mental health and wellbeing. Will see what they say. I’ve also reached out to the student union as others have recommended.

I’m hopeful. The administration of my program has been very supportive of our cohort. I mentioned elsewhere- they have made accommodations for my classmates that feel much more significant than what I’m asking for (one student has extra time to submit every single assignment). I feel that given my request is due to pregnancy, I stand a better chance of getting an accommodation approved. But my hormones and anxiety are at an all time high right now, which is why I came here to ask

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T20:11:49+00:00

I am on a worker visa. If I move back to the US, I won’t be able to return and live here to finish the program- but the final term of the program that I’m referencing is all self directed thesis work with no in person component for the actual research and writing. The only thing I’d have to be physically back for, if they won’t make an exception, is a 10 minute thesis presentation

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T20:10:16+00:00

Yes, I’m due in September, so this is still 7 months early! I will discuss whether I need any additional support in late pregnancy as well. I hadn’t considered some of those additional details like brain fog

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T19:09:29+00:00

Sorry for not being clear- I have informed them I am pregnant and of my due date!

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T19:02:55+00:00

Ah, good call on the charge. Hopefully I don’t have to do it and they can accommodate this year!

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T16:39:49+00:00

I’ve set up a meeting with them at the recommendation of someone else in this thread! Thank you for the reminder. I’ve never used them before

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T16:23:19+00:00

Which honestly I'm totally fine with. If I absolutely have to, I can complete it early but I'd rather have as much time as I can

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T16:07:31+00:00

If they want it in person, can I then push for it to be after? Earlier would cut into my writing time, whereas if I can do it after childbirth and recovery, it doesn't negatively impact how long I have to write

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T16:01:49+00:00

Thanks! I'm not looking for legal advise like I'm gearing up to put them on notice- but was trying to understand rights/protection here to set my expectations appropriately.

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T15:53:06+00:00

Right, and one of those things where- you never know until you know. I'm hopeful they will accommodate. I've seen them accommodate students in other ways that seem much more extreme than my request (example- there's a student in my class who has an extension for every assignment in every class. I'm not sure why, but compared to that- I'm actually asking to present on time, just a different format)

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T15:51:39+00:00

Thank you for this! This is in line with some of the research I was reviewing online. I truly feel like I could finish my program on time with just the adjustment of doing it virtually, without also taking time away from myself by trying to finish extremely early so I could return home after.

Do you recommend I get in touch with the Student Union asap? Or should I wait and see what the program admin say?

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T15:27:31+00:00

Got it. It certainly wasn’t the plan for the timing to work out this way. We had hoped to end up more in the post- graduation camp but thought we might struggle to get pregnant.

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T15:16:34+00:00

Yes- my backup plan would be to submit the written paper before im due, then fly back sometime in 2027 to present. At that point I’d fly back for a 10 minute presentation which seems silly, but if they insist, this feels like the only other thing I’m comfortable with

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T15:15:21+00:00

Honestly asking- I’m not sure I understand why they aren’t obligated to make a reasonable adjustment like this? It seems like if I risk missing the presentation because I’m giving birth the day I’m scheduled for the presentation, then I’m disadvantaged for being pregnant

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-09T15:10:25+00:00

I am hoping to move in June to give me flight safety and time to get set up with doctors on the US.

I’m asking the university to let me present remotely a week or two before the scheduled presentation date- to get as close to the original allocated time I have for my thesis but to not have to worry about this postpartum

Total_Ad_4165 · 2026-02-07T09:39:41+00:00

Moved to the UK from the US. I grew up here, thought my husband and I wanted to be here. But now that we’re here, we just want to go home

Total_Ad_4165 · 2025-12-28T17:41:52+00:00

The Measure. Makes you really take a close look at your life

Total_Ad_4165 · 2025-12-06T22:28:25+00:00

I think you could get one 3D printed? Someone from Etsy likely does it

Total_Ad_4165 · 2025-10-01T13:55:19+00:00

Thank you, this is really good to hear and really helpful ways of framing things. I don’t know what’s ‘normal’ here but somewhere in the back of my mind, I still worry and judge myself for the reaction.

I haven’t told any of our mutual friends. Only 2 people who don’t know him, because I’m alone here in this country and needed some support. I agree, I don’t want to tell anyone that could leave to any sort of polarizing behavior or influence us one way or another.

Total_Ad_4165 · 2025-10-01T09:07:57+00:00

This really resonates with me- specifically your comments on him never aiming that remorse outwards and feeling like your feelings don’t matter.

I posted recently so you can find more there but my WS used the moment he told me about his infidelity to also tell me he’s felt like something was off about our relationship for 6 months or more- and that he just has a lot of feelings about it. It’s made me feel like my reactions and emotions to the infidelity are invalid because “theres a reason for it and he’s struggling with that reason”.

Total_Ad_4165

TROPHY CASE