John Donne's Catholic faith stands in the way of his taking a University degree. It has nothing to do with incompetence on his part. The 'disability' is implicit in his birth ( MEG 101 ) ( STUDY OF JOHN DONNE )

 It is true that John Donne's Catholic faith was a major factor in preventing him from obtaining a university degree. In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Catholics were subject to persecution and discrimination in England, and were not allowed to attend Oxford or Cambridge universities. Donne was born into a Catholic family and was brought up as a Catholic, which made it impossible for him to receive an education in the usual way. However, this does not mean that Donne was incompetent or lacking in intellectual ability. On the contrary, he was an extremely gifted scholar and writer, and his lack of formal education did not prevent him from becoming one of the most important poets of the English Renaissance. Donne was able to receive an excellent education despite the obstacles in his path, and his religious beliefs did not prevent him from achieving greatness in his chosen field.