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Original poster

Best Universities for Autistic DD with social anxiety. Looking for flexibility

280 replies

whatisgoingonandwhy · 23/11/2025 06:18

Posting for traffic. DD has autism but is very bright academically. She struggled a lot in high school but has flown in her A levels as she is attending an online college. She would like to study psychology and work with autistic children in some capacity. Has recently started to make progress in socialising more but is extremely daunted at the prospect of having to attend classes. Are there any Uni’s that have the flexibility to attend classes in person or online, or any that are particularly supportive for those who are neurodivergent?

OP posts:
HelmholtzWatson · 23/11/2025 06:55

Uni lecturer in psychology here. Most universities record their lectures nowadays, so that won't be a problem. However, these are often supported by workshops or seminars where students may work in small groups discussing lectures or working on project.

Plenty of our students are autistic. Some cope fine to the point you won't know they are autistic; some really struggle. It's really a judgement call as to their confidence and social skills. What I would say is that students are generally less mature at 18 than they used to be, and I think many would benefit by delaying uni for a couple of years until they are ready. This may be particularly true for neurodivergent children.

Genevieva · 23/11/2025 06:52

Would she manage living away from home? If not, you need to look at universities within commuting distance or The Open University, which is truly excellent.

Lifeonapigfarm · 23/11/2025 06:49

I've heard that Lancaster University and Leeds are particularly good at supporting students with autism. I think Lancaster haa quite a good psychology department. You need to visit though- attend a few universities and ask lots of questions. Find out what they offer to help students with autism. Speak to student services, speak to lecturers. I know lots of funding has just been cut in (many) universities but some are definitely choosing to invest in services to support autistic students.

Jamesblonde2 · 23/11/2025 06:46

I’m not sure that doing online work is getting herself ready for the world of work.

whiteroseredrose · 23/11/2025 06:26

I’m not sure if this would help but at DD’s university the lectures were recorded so that you could rewatch if you needed to. I doubt whether this is unique, so it may be worth asking. I think it would be a reasonable adjustment for your DD if she wanted to watch instead of attend.