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!

Thanks, I needed to chuckle this morning. 😂

Thank you I have fond memories of Newcastle so we’ll definitely put it on our list as well.

Yes, that would be a concern. Thank you.

My youngest at 24 is still my LO! Who incidentally is ASD and went to Reading, where they were incredibly supported and encouraged, and excelled in all ways that I didn’t think possible.

You're welcome.

Yes, I’m very much middle-aged, but still my mother’s baby. Thank you so much. I’m glad to hear your LO has thrived at Reading. We will look into it as well.

Sheffield have a week in the summer before starting for students who are ND, I think that’s indicative of ongoing support.
Oxford, support at college level negligible but a good mentor/counsellor through DSA. Went to 2 formals in 3 years as really couldn’t cope with the noise/social side of it.
Manchester for postgrad and good support all round, although it took a week or two for it to kick in and at the beginning can be when they need support the most!

My autistic daughter has just finished her first year at Warwick. She has had really good support. Online sessions for the ND students before the start of the term, her own wellbeing support worker she meets with regularly, extra time in exams, quieter hall of residence for ND students. Etc. Would recommend. One of her friends who is also autistic is at Bristol, and the support there has not been good. My DD’s second choice was Liverpool and they also seem to have really good systems in place for neurodiverse students.

My autistic son has an offer from Sussex (based in Brighton). Their SEN support during the application process had been excellent. We particularly like that it is a relatively small campus university, set outside the city, so a non-threatening community feel. Not sure of their reputation for the subjects your LO would be considering but worth a look. Good luck.

Thank you so much that’s really helpful. A special week for ND students would be absolutely brilliant and yes, I agree having the support start late would not be ideal at all. It will be very important for LO to have everything in place before the term properly starts, which I know can be a tall order.
i’m sorry you found the socials overwhelming at Oxbridge. I think LO would have the same reaction. They struggle with large groups, especially if people are drinking as they cannot interpret other people’s facial expressions or mannerisms, and they get overwhelmed and scared by the noise.

Thanks so much.

Thank you so much. We have also heard wonderful things about Sussex from friends and the campus itself itself would be perfect perfect perfect for LO.
Unfortunately, however, I think LO will want to study an ancient history which they do not offer. But thank you. I hope your child thrives there.

Aberdeen is excellent and I’ve heard good things about Stirling and Dundee too.

I did wonder about the subject but good to hear that you have had positive feedback. Thank you for your good wishes

What subject are they looking at doing? We went to Exeter/Southampton/Surrey with DS to look at comp sci and the difference between the RG's and the ex poly even at that stage was stark. The lecturers were so much more student focussed at Surrey whereas at Exeter and Southampton they were more interested in their own research, one lecturer even opened by saying 'don't expect me ever to know your name if you come here because I won't'. Where as at Surrey they actually talked about individual students they had worked with and what they had done.

DS had no interest in Oxbridge, he would have loathed all the formal nonsense. He applied to Bath too but we didn't make it to the open day there.

Do look out for any courses or residentials that the uni's they're interested in might offer for autistic students and many will have info on their website on what support they offer. DS (ASD) did a residential at Exeter, really enjoyed it and it got him a grade drop.

The other thing to consider depending on their interests are degree apprenticeships, DS is doing on and loves it. The application process can be quite a trial but is also a useful experience in itself in learning about how they will need to compete when it comes to getting a job.

I visit Sheffield and think very highly of it. Its reputation for both STEM and support of SEN students is top notch. It is well located vis a vis many UK locations. Declared SEN students are guaranteed halls placements for the whole of their UG careers, with every effort being made to retain the same room.

Fabulous small city, very easy to get around.

Students love the place and stay more often than in any other university destination.

But not a campus university.

I hope you can persuade your BYP (Beloved Young Person) at least to visit.

PS I do not have personal knowledge of Surrey but @takeabreack ’s post is consistent with much that I’ve heard on the grapevine: that in STEM at least, it punches above its weight for Teaching and Learning, has a good record for employability, etc.

There are also lots of positive comments on other threads.

L’boro is tops for STEM T&L, which hasn’t been mentioned, and has a great reputation for working with SEN students.

Another uni meeting both criteria is Lancaster. I am leaving Scottish unis out on the assumption that for the majority of British SEN students they are too far away.

Best wishes to the BYP.

Thank you!

Thank you so much! This is very helpful. Yes, Scottish universities would probably be too far away but LO might be swayed for the right place!

I could not comment on exact autism specific help, but Exeter accessibility team, have been amazing with my daughter who is autistic and has complex medical needs. There would be no issue staying on campus throughout the degree, and with a drs letter saying he needs a room on campus he might be eligible for accommodation rebate which I think was about £1,800 for first year. They are also very supportive of alternative assessments where needed like he can ask to have an alternative assessment if he struggles with group presentations - they are not guaranteed but can be offered ie one-to-one presentation instead.

I should have mentioned that I largely agree with the opinions of PP regarding places that were already mentioned!

In particular I think Oxford and Cambridge can be quite Marmite for students with autism, academically speaking. By no means all of them, but a good percentage IME, can be easily overwhelmed and/or struggle with perfectionism. Both of these can be challenging in an an environment where the main learning modality is to be set difficult assignments, week after week in each course unit, and then meet with a tutor (in the presence of one or two other students) whose job is to criticise your work in some depth. Academic and then social withdrawal can follow, no matter that the tutor may actually think highly of the student.

However I also agree with many of the positive comments above.

I don’t know that this is a good academic fit for your BYP, OP, but it seems worth mentioning. Glasgow Caledonian University is the only university in the UK to have been certificated by the National Autistic Society, which claims to be the leading autism charity in the country. (I express it that way only because I don’t have direct knowledge.)

DS got As so could have gone to many places. When he went to look at Keele it felt right. The support he had was amazing - he was offered places at Manchester/Lancaster/Warwick etc but went for what felt right. He's now doing a masters at a RG university but the support he got at Keele allowed him to do grow in to this.

Thank you so much. That’s really helpful. I’m glad your DD has been well supported.

Yes, thank you. Perfectionism is definitely an issue for LO and causes a tremendous amount of stress. So while I do think that they would love certain aspects of Oxbridge, particularly the aesthetics and history of the institutions I think overall it could be a really damaging place for them.
thanks so much for the comments. It’s really lovely to see how many ASD young people are having good university experiences.

Thank you so much and I’m really glad to hear that your DS was well supported at Keele. I have many friends who attended ages ago and loved it so that’s another one to put on the list. Thank you.