University autism support

[Movingabout]

Looking on here for ideas for supportive universities for SEN, especially Autism support.

Yet to properly go yet, but my dd tried to start at Warwick. She had to come home after a week but they have been great at telling her all the stuff they will sort out for September 2026 when she goes back. She was undiagnosed when she started.

Thanks @Stuffragette I’m sorry to hear she didn’t have a great start, but good they’re getting things sorted now. He has also tried a uni that hasn’t worked out, so just trying to see what options are for him. We had discounted Warwick as they only had self catered accommodation and I’m not convinced that would work or is there support there I hadn’t seen. If you’re happy to share, please could you let me know the support /type of support they have offered?

Our boy is having a year out to work, learn how to drive etc... then has decided to go to Uni close-ish to home. Luckily they have a really good course. He wants to live at home for the first year and commute. See if he can build friendship groups. Really struggles with his peers and relationships.

Our experience was very mixed. The general disability services were good, but the department itself was not so good. I would ask very specific questions of how the academic department works with disability services, who is involved in developing support plans and how the delivery of support plans are monitored. DD had a good support plan but the academics were terrible at following it. The head of department's excuse was that half the staff were themselves neuro diverse and it was therefore very tricky 🙄

My son is at LIPA in Liverpool studying music which is his special interest. He gets disabled students allowance and he is in private halls which means he can stay in halls the full 3 years. He is right next to the cathedral too which is great because he can't get lost as you can see the cathedral from all over the city.

Thank you for all the messages. Yes it seems mixed, so hard to tell what the university support is actually going to be like. LIPA sounds great with halls for 3 years for your son.

Following. Autistic DD will be going to uni this year (all being well) but both she and I are worried about how she'll cope with living away from home.

Following too my ASD son will be going to uni in September and living away from home. I worry about how he will cope as he will only just be 18. However I feel he is more ready funnily enough that my NT daughter who took a year out and then never went as she didn't want to leave home. He is very excited and says he can't wait to start his new journey and meet new people - he is very social and extrovert and loves people - its his coping strategies if things don't go to plan and he gets very overwhelmed in chaos. He doesn't cope well in an unstructured world which I worry about as uni is very unstructured and lots of free study. He has absolutely loved school since his first day in reception because he thrives on routine and his main fear is how much he is going to miss school as uni is very different.

What kind of course is your son interested in, and what would be his main support needs?