Autism and AuDHD support
Working together to improve the University experience for students with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) and for students who have both autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AuDHD).
We believe that autistic students should be respected and valued for their positive qualities as well as being supported in the areas they find difficult. Therefore, we are committed to supporting and developing every aspect of you through innovative, research driven support.
We strongly feel that support should be as individual as you are, so you are at the centre of our support.
The Autism Support Team
There is a range of support available for autistic students including:
- school based Disability Officer
- a combination of in-house and external one-to-one Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) support
- exam arrangements
- social activities, including a weekly lunch club
- transition support for applicants.
You can refer yourself to the team at any point by completing the Support & Wellbeing Form.
Your school based Disability Officer
We have a Disability Officer dedicated to working with students with an autism spectrum condition. They will be your key point of contact while studying at NTU, and can support you to get an Access Statement in place – as well as arranging your support needs.
Our Disability Officers offer advice sessions for students who want to get their support set up or to discuss support and help at university. They can also help with matters such as:
- applying for DSA
- orientation and accessing your course
- getting your access statement and exam arrangements in place
- academic liaison.
Access statements and exam arrangements
Your access statement details any reasonable adjustment that we have recommended for you to support your studies and will be shared with your academic school and the exams team at NTU. Visit our webpage about access statements to find out more information.
Your disability officer can set up an access statement for you in an advice session if you have evidence of your diagnosis or referral for a diagnosis. Please book an advice session to set up your access statement and send in your evidence of a diagnosis.
If you do not have, or can not find evidence of your diagnosis, you can use this form to take to the doctors for them to complete.
Please be aware that if we have not had your supporting evidence by the end of February, you may not get your arrangements put in place for the end of year exams.
If you already know what works for you, you can create your own Access Statement by clicking the button below:
How to get one-to-one regular support during your studies through the Disabled Student Allowance
It is important to note that support in HE is not like at school or college, you have to apply for in advance through your funding body to ensure this support can be put in place by your university. This is worth doing as we know students with support in place do better at university.
As a student with Autism, AuDHD, or if you are on a waiting list for a diagnosis, you may be eligible for a Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). DSAs are intended to cover any extra costs or expense that arise because of your disability while studying, as well as recommending and funding any non-medical helper (person) support you might need.
If you think you might need:
- a weekly check in
- someone to talk to
- support with your assignments,
- organisation and time management support
you need to apply for this in advance through DSA, preferably before you start your studies as the application can take a while.
If you can't find evidence of your diagnosis, you can you can take this form to your GP and ask them to complete it for you.
This DSA video will talk you through the application.
Support available through DSA
Specialist one-to-one Study Skills support:
One-to-one support can develop your organisational, research and time management skills, as well as your independence.
Specialist mentoring
Mentors work with our students on a one-to-one basis, addressing the barriers to learning created by autism spectrum conditions. Examples of these barriers include anxiety and stress, concentration difficulties, time management issues, and establishing an appropriate work-life balance. A mentor’s role is to promote independent learning, as well as empowering the student to manage their work-load.
Our specialist DSA funded support is provided through a mix of internal support and external agency support.
Neurodiverse lunch clubs
Join in with one of our “JAM” lunch clubs. A friendly and relaxed space in a quiet environment to make friends, share in a game or just come along to eat your lunch in a quiet and welcoming space.
Getting a Diagnosis: Autism at university
The transition to university can be as much if not more of a test of students’ time management, social and organisational skills as their academic ones. This major change in the living and studying environment can lead to some students questioning whether they may in fact have Autism.
As Autism requires a medical diagnosis, we are unable to diagnose this within the team or refer students for a diagnosis. Speaking to your GP is the first step to getting that diagnosis in place, which can be difficult, so we have some tips below on how to prepare yourself and initiate that conversation:
Is it worth getting a diagnosis?
This is entirely up to you. The referral process can be a long one, but as soon as you are on that waiting list for a diagnosis, you are eligible for the Disabled Students Allowance which will allow you to get Autism specific mentoring and study skills during your studies, as well as come technology support.
First steps for seeking a diagnosis
- Book an appointment with your GP to start the process.
- Give yourself enough time to prepare, ask for a double appointment if you are nervous about the time constraints.
- GPs may ask about symptoms in childhood and adulthood, so it is a good idea to prepare beforehand.
- A diagnosis of Autism requires significant impairment in multiple areas of your life.
- There also needs to be evidence of symptoms before the age of 12.
- Think about how your symptoms affect your work, social, home and personal life.
- Even if your GP does not ask about all this, it will be helpful for your consultation.
If you want to talk to someone about the process before seeing your GP, please book a "Think I have ADHD/Autism" appointment below:
- Visit the National Autistic Society for more information on getting a diagnostic assessment.
- Right To Choose ASD - Psychiatry-UK. Reduce the waiting time for an assessment by choosing a different assessor.
- Signs of autism in adults
- How to get diagnosed as autistic
Get in Touch
What do our students say about the support they have received?
Watch our podcast episode, focusing on the benefits of engaging with NTU Disability & Inclusion Support Services, Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA), strategies for managing stress, and more.
Student life
Sometimes students starting university can find it very different to what their experiences were like at school or college. This can mean that there are a lot of new rules to learn about the way universities work. This general guide will try to help you understand what is expected of you at university as well as the support that is available.
These pages are an introduction to ease you into university life so might not cover everything that you may experience. Should a problem arise which is not covered here, you should get in touch with your disability officer. You can do this by contacting Autism Support via email
We hope that the following content helps you to settle into your exciting new university life. Click on the links below to get you started and remember there are lots of people here to support you so if you have any questions or concerns then please ask.
Get sorted – life at university
- Accommodation – booking accommodation, life in halls and other useful information
- Maze Maps – how to find your way around campus
- Enrolment – information about what it is and how to do it
- Student card – how to use it and load it
- Student Services Centres – where to go if you need advice
- What to bring to uni – not sure what to bring, then have a look at our list
Academic
- Course inductions – course induction sessions run throughout the first few weeks of the term
- Library – floor plans, search facilities and opening hours
- NOW system – emails, timetables and course content
- Study skills development - support available for you to develop skills associated with your studies
- Term dates – showing term dates and university closure days for the coming years
- Examinations – all the information you need to know about exams
Social and wellbeing
- Health Centres – registering with a medical practice Health and wellbeing guide
- Nottingham – learn a little bit more about the city
- Societies and clubs – see if any suit you
- Students' Union – an independent organisation that aims to represent all students currently attending NTU
External links
- The National Autistic Society – for more information about autism
FAQs for students
How can I prepare for university?
Living at university, looking after yourself, making friends and creating your own routine is often the most challenging part of being at university. You will need a significant amount of independent stills and self advocacy to thrive. The non academic side of university is often the main reason students struggle.
The most important thing you can do is get in touch with us as soon as possible so that we can discuss your support needs. Support is available to you at university, but you do need to engage with the support that is offered
You should also apply for the Disabled Students’ Allowances as soon as possible if you want any kind of human support, we strongly recommend you do this, even if you don't think you need it.
We recommend visiting the campus more than once before the start of term so that you can familiarise yourself with the environment and find your way around.
How do I arrange my support?
After you have applied for the Disabled Students’ Allowances, your student funding authority will write to you to invite you to attend a needs assessment. The person assessing your needs will work with you to decide what support you will find most helpful and write this in a report.
Once you and the student funding authority have said that you agree with what the report says, you will be sent detailed instructions on how to arrange your support. This is called a DSA2 and it will give you the contact details for setting up your support. We suggest you do this as soon as you can, as the support providers do not always get a copy of the DSA2.
Should I be worried about living in shared accommodation?
Sharing accommodation is very much part of the student experience, but it is not without its significant challenges. We advise you to think very carefully and talk to us and / or your parents before making a decision about where you will live during your studies.
Sharing a kitchen and living area means that you will be sharing a space with people who may think very differently to you about how and where to store food, how often to wash up, how tidy a room should be, how early or late to play loud music and how many visitors to have.
If you would find this difficult, we can advise you about other options that you may find preferable.
What should I do if I have any problems?
Please tell one of the Autism Support Team and we will do our best to help you. That is what we are here for, and no worry is too big or too small.
Just get in touch by either completing this form to get in touch or booking an advice session
I haven't disclosed that I have Autism on UCAS or to the university so no one has been in touch with me about my support - what should I do?
It is never too late to get in touch with us to tell us about your support needs. If you feel you would benefit from additional support – or if you aren't sure whether you need support or not - please get in touch with us as soon as possible. You can apply for DSAs at any time during your programme of study, but the application process takes quite a long time so you should send your application as soon as possible.
We can help you with this, just get in touch by either completing this form or booking an advice session