Autism support - university

[annabanana9377]

Hi everyone,

We're looking at unis with our son, who wants to study sociology and is predicted Distinction, Merit, C at BTEC and A level. SO proud of him - we were once told he wouldn't pass GCSE English! Could anyone please share positive/negative experiences of autism support at the following universities (or elsewhere accepting those sorts of grades):

• Keele
• Aston
• Worcester
• Swansea
• Oxford Brookes

TIA ❤️

I can’t help with those universities, but DD2 found the DSA process very supportive.

First, congratulations to your son! I'm a lecturer and while I don't know about ND support at any of those unis specifically, these are the kinds of support you and your son can be asking about:

• ND students arriving early to campus to settle in
• social groups for ND students (the disability office at my uni runs one)
• mentoring schemes
• priority for accommodation/all three years accommodation
• mental health support generally

For a sociology course, if your son will find fieldwork tricky, I would check how much is required or specific course support with that.

Definitely go to open days and - ideally, your son - talk to course lecturers about how they support autistic students. You'll get a strong sense of their attitudes. I've worked at several unis and while I know students shouldn't be burdened with disclosing, the support is always best where students are open about their support needs with e.g. personal tutors. (I often get notified of students support packages 3-4 weeks into term, so when they email me in week 1 saying what they need, it's great.)

Your son might find posting in the disability forum on The Student Room helpful.

Thank you @BusMumsHoliday for the advice 🙂. Our first open day is in a couple of weeks; it's helpful to know what kinds of support out he (and I) can enquire about. Exciting times ahead!

Mum of an autistic DS (who is still small) but also a former recipient of DSA myself after developing a disabling illness part way through my degree. I second that unlike with everything else (DLA, EHCPs etc) where you seem to have to jump through hoops and fight for the smallest little bit of support with DSA they threw every bit of support and kit at me that might help in the minutest way - electric hole punches and staplers, through height adjustable desks, printers and laptops up to taxis for the 10min walk to uni, and notetakers (PhD students) for all my lecturers. I had to push back that I really didn’t want things!

Good luck to your DS! I hope he has a fab time wherever he ends up.

The main specialist support will be via DSA, and that will be the same everywhere. It's worth asking if the university provides DSA funded support internally - rare but possible. They will probably offer assistive tech, a mentor and a study skills tutor. Support within universities does vary a lot though. Some things to ask - do they offer extensions on assignments for students with autism as standard? Do they offer guaranteed accommodation throughout the degree? Is there an option for quieter accommodation/sharing with fewer people/ensuite accommodation if thats important? Do they offer any additional support with transition? Would it be possible to get internal support set up in advance of starting so everything is in place from day 1? With some student support type services the student might have a named person to speak to, some not, which do they have? How does their system of academic/personal tutoring work? What mental health support is there and do they offer 24/7 support in an emergency? How big will the cohort be?