Universities outside London with good support for autistic students

[dylexicdementor11]

If your LO had a particularly supportive university experience as a person with ASD could you please let me know which university they went to?
in particular, if your LO was able to stay in the same room/flat for their entire degree, could you please let me know?
We are looking for a campus university outside of London with very good support for autistic students.
I realise that many other things matter such as grades and courses, etc., but it would be really helpful to start compiling a list of universities where people have had good experiences. thanks!

Subject & predicted grades would obviously help as Oxbridge are the first two to spring to mind.

My friend's autistic DC goes to York and finds it very good for support.

Thank you! We have heard good things about York as well. It is definitely on our list.

Thank you! Yes, also on our list. Have you heard good things about both Oxford and Cambridge, regarding Autism support? And if so, do you remember which colleges?

Brighton

Thank you. Haven’t heard that before. We will look into it.

I would say that Oxbridge is good in some ways because it has the tutorial system so more focused time for learning and there is various grants and access to extra help. However it is pressured academically and individuals are all expected to perform and the pace is very intense due to shorter terms. So it may or may not suit your DC depending on the nature of their autism.

I’d avoid oxbridge like the plague - it’s a very sink or swim environment - so some autistic children cope really well but it’s hit and miss

Warwick would be my choice

note this is from seeing the outcomes - graduates from Warwick ,disasters at Oxford , and working with Cambridge , not my child

I can give a direct comparison between Oxford & York (undergrad & postgrad).

Support at Oxford was personalised, as there were staff within DD's college on hand. This was particularly useful when sitting her finals (8 exams in 15 days with the final 3 in a day & a half). They could also provide financial support for specific items. There are a huge number of ND students.

For York she supplied her support plan and had a 5 minute phone call. Admittedly she was older and it's a very different environment, but she would have had to seek any help she needed rather than having someone asking if she had considered XYZ.

Thank you. Yes, that is a concern. LO is highly academic and excels when able to focus on their special interests. I’ve always been more concerned about the social aspects of Oxbridge, lots to consider. Thanks

Thank you. That’s really helpful. LO would definitely find it difficult to ask for help.
Did your LO find the social aspects of Oxford manageable ? My LO struggles with unscripted socializing. So college dinners and other formal events would be very challenging for them.

University of Bath might be suitable if the subject your child wants to do is offered there - they don't have as wide a subject range as some unis, but what they do they generally do well. See https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/summer-schools-for-autistic-students-thinking-of-going-to-university/

Oxford - bullying by some of the social groups was not taken seriously at all

My DD has an AuDHD diagnosis and is at York. She has found the support really good but it is very much academic department based - she’s doing chemistry so there is generally good knowledge and help. The central university stuff is more generic.

We were also very impressed by the support offered at Bath and Southampton (DD’s second choice - for various reasons the hill at Bath would be an insurmountable obstacle to her!) She found Warwick completely overwhelming but that might have been the day we visited.

DD looked at universities within a 3 hour journey of home and/or easy train with no connections. She then ruled out big cities as she isn’t in to partying and would be stressed by living with lots of people
who are.

I really recommend doing a basic sift on distance and quality and then going to as many open days as possible and asking everyone about support. Good
luck!

Newcastle.

my dd was doing physics and found a solid group of friends who were all autistic.

good disability support generally (she also uses a wheelchair)

Oxbridge can be a lonely place if they don't like socialising. There are clubs etc if they have interests but there's so much focus on academic and workload is high that it is easy to hole up and just focus on work

Thank you! We hadn’t thought of Bath. I’ll put it on the list.

I’m sorry to hear that. Socializing will always be the most difficult thing for LO.

What is "LO". I hope you're not calling your young adult "little one"?

Oxford is absolutely full of neurodiversity. My Dh was there, and he and all of his friends are on some kind of spectrum. All of them.

My autistic niece is at Birmingham City University and has her own support worker who she regularly meets with. Her support plan is very comprehensive. She has been able to stay in her own little studio flat in the same student block for the duration of her course.

Thank you so much. Your DD sounds very much like mine. We will also need a direct train line from our town to the university and a campus that doesn’t feel too overwhelming and is aesthetically pleasing to LO!
While I’m not sure, I think one of the main criteria will be a hall of residence where LO could ideally stay for the duration of their degree and where people don’t party, are generally quite and nerdy.
We have a few years to narrow down the list, but LO needs time, so we wanted to have a few years of campus visits under our belt.
I’m not sure what degree LO will choose but I’m assuming it will be ancient history or STEM.

The son of a friend is at Loughborough and has ASD. He struggled to settle and had counselling there. Now doing really well and staying in campus for the second year. Really enjoying it.

I don’t have an adult. I have a child but yes, I am referring to them as LO as in ‘little one’. It used to be a standard abbreviation for posters children when they didn’t want to be too specific.

Well I think there's other versions you might consider

DD / DS / DC - dear daughter, dear son, dear child
YP - young person

Your kid is no longer a "little one" its probably something you should recognize and that will also assist them in developing more independence.

That’s really helpful thank you so much. I’m really glad that your niece has been able to stay in the same accommodation.