Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Which (South East/London) university might suit my autistic daughter?

34 replies

SorciereDesMemises · 28/08/2025 13:01

Any advice or insights would be really helpful. DD is just going into year 12 and is beginning A-levels in maths, economics and history. She is reasonably, but not highly academic (8x 7’s, 8’s at GCSE and one 6.) she’s hoping to study economics or data sciences with a view to a career as an accountant, actuary or tax consultant. She is academically reasonably ambitious but hates highly competitive environments.

We are just starting to look at universities now, because this will probably be a long process involving several visits and she does not want to feel rushed at the beginning of year 13. She said she wants somewhere not too big, where she can meet like minded people and where she can be independent (such as self catering) without too much need to be in huge social spaces (such a a a refectory.) She is happy to consider somewhere less academic if it is right for her socially. She absolutely loves singing, especially church music and folk and is practising Christian but very socially liberal. Doesn’t care for sports or drama, doesn’t drink but loves a dance. She knows London well and is more than happy to consider a london university, but does not want somewhere with halls miles away from lectures. She wants to be within 2 hours of home (Epping.)

Any help appreciated!

OP posts:
Justenjoyingthegarden · 28/08/2025 13:06

Royal Holloway University of London?
Campus University in a small town (Egham), with self catering halls on and off campus. Relatively small compared to some. Actually at least 45 minutes from London by train.
The main building is beautiful and contains a lovely chapel.

MyAutumnalCrow · 28/08/2025 13:11

Justenjoyingthegarden · 28/08/2025 13:06

Royal Holloway University of London?
Campus University in a small town (Egham), with self catering halls on and off campus. Relatively small compared to some. Actually at least 45 minutes from London by train.
The main building is beautiful and contains a lovely chapel.

This is a good shout.

Also OP, have you and your daughter thought about Winchester? It has the components you’re looking for, though would be about a 2 hour 15 minute drive from Epping.

CagneyNYPD1 · 28/08/2025 13:13

Has she looked at the University of Kent in Canterbury? It might be slightly further than you were thinking but may well tick a lot of boxes for you.

murasaki · 28/08/2025 13:14

Might Surrey work? I've heard good things about student support.

StrongandNorthern · 28/08/2025 13:28

I came on to suggest Royal Holloway too, and Kent.

NetballHoop · 28/08/2025 13:32

It's the opposite side of London but Surrey have been great at helping my DD.

SorciereDesMemises · 28/08/2025 13:59

Thank you! Royal Holloway and Surrey were both on our list so that’s reassuring. We will definitely also check out Kent.
Anyone familiar with UEA?

OP posts:
stealthninjamum · 28/08/2025 14:04

My coming up to year 13 autistic / adhd daughter likes royal Holloway and Sussex but also Reading seems to be good for autistic students. She didn’t like UEA or Kent but that was because she didn’t like the courses.

clary · 28/08/2025 14:11

Can I add in a word for Uni of Leicester? Very supportive of my ND and highly anxious DD (different subject tho so it may have been dept dependent). Lovely campus of halls with nice social facilities (eg music practice rooms). Tho the halls "village" is about two miles away from the main uni buildings so that may not suit.

An hour to St Pankers on the fast train.

What DD found good was that compared to some places she had looked at (she went there on clearing) there was more a feeling of "crikey I better look at that essay then as it's due on Friday" rather than "oh yah I wrote it three weeks ago and did all the extra reading too" which might have been the case I suspect at Warwick (her initial top choice).

Worth a look anyway.

SorciereDesMemises · 28/08/2025 15:19

Thank you. Good that Leicester and Winchester are both mentioned. Friends’ ND kids have done well at both of these.

OP posts:
HPFA · 28/08/2025 16:33

Took DD to visit Essex - she didn't go there in the end (preferred the modules at a different uni) but we both got a great vibe and thought it seemed very friendly.

The accomodation options we thought looked great - there was a mega cheap block which they admitted was "lively", some reasonably priced quieter blocks with en suite that we really liked the look of and then some pricier options that we didn't visit.

One drawback is the public transport option is over two hours although its less than an hours drive from Epping.

We live quite near Reading and hear good things but accomodation will be expensive.

HPFA · 28/08/2025 16:39

HPFA · 28/08/2025 16:33

Took DD to visit Essex - she didn't go there in the end (preferred the modules at a different uni) but we both got a great vibe and thought it seemed very friendly.

The accomodation options we thought looked great - there was a mega cheap block which they admitted was "lively", some reasonably priced quieter blocks with en suite that we really liked the look of and then some pricier options that we didn't visit.

One drawback is the public transport option is over two hours although its less than an hours drive from Epping.

We live quite near Reading and hear good things but accomodation will be expensive.

Should have added - my cousins son went to UEA - his family thought that anything other than RG was the equivalent of dropping out and living in a squat - however he's now in a great job working for one of the London theatres.

VanCleefArpels · 28/08/2025 16:40

Kent fits the bill perfectly - a lovely green campus, walking distance to Canterbury centre which is gorgeous, quick travel to London when necessary. The Halls are called “colleges” but it’s not really collegiate like, say, Durham. Very diverse student body and fantastic music facilities.

Edited to add that UEA is equally lovely campus wise but a complete ballache to drive to from SE

SorciereDesMemises · 28/08/2025 16:45

Thanks for all these ideas. We will definitely check out Essex as well as the other suggestions.
The reason I asked about UEA is that she has grandparents in Norwich, so that might be a plus (they are pretty cool, won’t be expecting a weekly tea date) I did a Masters at UEA and loved it- but that was in about 1732 😆

OP posts:
murasaki · 28/08/2025 16:56

Sounds like you've got a good shortlist to visit. Best of luck to her.

Mistletoewench · 28/08/2025 17:07

My son went to Chichester studied business and loved his time there.
smaller uni/campus pastoral care is great

Justenjoyingthegarden · 29/08/2025 10:37

There is also Brunel university near Uxbridge which I believe is small but don't know much about it.

FlyingPandas · 29/08/2025 11:49

Would also add Portsmouth to your list, OP. My DS (ASD/ADHD and also academic without being outstanding) has just graduated from there and loved it. He was well supported when going through a particularly tricky patch during Y2, they had a good student support team and various support groups/societies for neurodiverse students. Not an RG, but it's a decently ranked post-92 uni, nice buzzy city but not too big, by the sea, lots of different student societies, plenty of self catering accommodation options and some halls offer the option to live in halls throughout course rather than going through the stress of finding a house share. You can walk everywhere easily and most accommodation options are within a stone's throw of Portsmouth and Southsea station so travel to and from home is easy (my DS also really wanted to be within an hour or two of home).

Would also recommend Sussex, Winchester, Chichester (Sussex was DS's insurance) - we know ND/anxious students who have thrived at all of these.

Regardless of uni and I am sure you know this already but please do make sure your DD applies for DSA (disabled students allowance) when the time comes. She should qualify for additional non-means tested support and this can be a lifeline. DS had the most amazing DSA support tutor who worked with him 1:1 during his course and she made such a difference to him.

Treeleaf11 · 29/08/2025 11:55

My ds is at Surrey and is very happy there. It's a smaller uni, accommodation is cheaper than most and you can pick your price band. Feels like a safe town to live in.

Feursto · 29/08/2025 11:59

@FlyingPandas please can I ask how you go about applying for DSA? Is it all part of the student loans application? We were thinking of not getting a student loan, but paying for fees / accommodation/ maintenance ourselves etc, but will that mean that my (about to go into y13) ND ds will not be able to get DSA? Thanks

Seeline · 29/08/2025 12:13

I was going to suggest UEA. My DD is there and very happy.

The campus is lovely. There is a good choice of accommodation, which is plentiful (and usually available for 2nd/3rd years - I'm sure this would not be a problem for your DD if she felt staying in uni accommodation would be best). The student body seems pretty diverse, and quirky characters do not seem at all out of place.

Student support services at UEA are very good. And you could apply for DSA along with Student Finance (provides additional equipment to make studying easier and can finance mentors to help with day to day living). I have always found everyone at the uni to be friendly and helpful.

I know there is a very active musical theatre society, and an a cappella choir, but not sure beyond that. They also have a Christian Union and other religious societies. They also have lots of sports clubs - including a variety of different dance clubs - no previous experience necessary.

Societies
Clubs

Norwich certainly has plenty of churches, so it would be a case of finding one that suits her style of worship - that would probably involve buses as campus is out of the town centre.

Societies

Discover creative, cultural, academic, and special interest societies you can join at UEASU.

https://www.ueasu.org/communities/societies/

FlyingPandas · 29/08/2025 12:16

@Feursto you can either apply for DSA as a standalone or as part of student finance. The student just needs to fulfil certain criteria and be eligible to apply for a maintenance loan to qualify (but this doesn't mean they have to apply for a maintenance loan).

Have a look at the attached link which gives more info, it's a relatively straightforward process but worth getting your head around it all in good time to get everything in place.

https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowance-dsa

Seeline · 29/08/2025 12:17

Feursto · 29/08/2025 11:59

@FlyingPandas please can I ask how you go about applying for DSA? Is it all part of the student loans application? We were thinking of not getting a student loan, but paying for fees / accommodation/ maintenance ourselves etc, but will that mean that my (about to go into y13) ND ds will not be able to get DSA? Thanks

You can still get DSA if you don't apply for student finance (although I assume you would still have to be eligible for it to qualify for DSA). I think you have to apply via a paper form rather than doing it through the original online SF application. You need to supply evidence of the disability/chronic illness etc. SF will then assess whether you qualify for DSA. You are then contacted by an assessor who goes through a lengthy (and very helpful and friendly) assessment to work out what type of assistance would be of benefit. They make recommendations to SF and eventually you are given details of a supplier to place the order for whatever has been approved.

FlyingPandas · 29/08/2025 12:18

Ha @Seeline crossed posts but we essentially said the same thing Grin

Feursto · 29/08/2025 12:21

@FlyingPandas @Seeline
thanks so much, to both. I will definitely look into this :)

Swipe left for the next trending thread