diff --git a/program/serializers.py b/program/serializers.py
index 1d6fa500bea44481eb138e7a32d0ab6cb66205a0..fbbe045a8396bba378877557800a2a91f86fcc58 100644
--- a/program/serializers.py
+++ b/program/serializers.py
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ class ProfileSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
 
 
 class UserSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
+    is_privileged = serializers.SerializerMethodField()
     permissions = serializers.SerializerMethodField()
     # Add profile fields to JSON
     profile = ProfileSerializer(required=False)
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ class UserSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
         model = User
         read_only_fields = (
             "id",
+            "is_privileged",
             "permissions",
         )
         fields = (
@@ -130,6 +132,10 @@ class UserSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
     def get_permissions(obj: User) -> list[str]:
         return sorted([p for p in obj.get_all_permissions() if p.startswith("program")])
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_is_privileged(obj: User) -> bool:
+        return obj.groups.filter(name=settings.PRIVILEGED_GROUP).exists()
+
     def create(self, validated_data):
         """
         Create and return a new User instance, given the validated data.
@@ -621,7 +627,9 @@ class ShowSerializer(serializers.HyperlinkedModelSerializer):
 
         instance.description = validated_data.get("description", instance.description)
         instance.name = validated_data.get("name", instance.name)
-        instance.short_description = validated_data.get("short_description", instance.short_description)
+        instance.short_description = validated_data.get(
+            "short_description", instance.short_description
+        )
 
         # Only update these fields if the user is privileged, ignore otherwise
         if user_is_privileged: