Transitioning to University Autistic Students Guide

Introduction

Whether you're already a university student, about to start, or just thinking about it – congratulations! Getting to this point is a significant achievement, and you should feel proud of yourself.

Choosing to pursue higher education takes courage, determination, and a willingness to learn. As an autistic person, you may have faced additional challenges along the way – perhaps struggles at school, people who doubted your abilities, or had your own uncertainties about whether university was "for you." The fact that you're reading this guide shows your commitment to your goals and your belief in your potential.

You're not alone in this journey. Across Australia, thousands of autistic students are thriving at universities, contributing to research, building careers, and creating positive change in their communities. You're part of a growing movement of autistic people claiming their place in higher education.

Who this guide is for

This guide is written for autistic students who are:

Starting university for the first time
Already at university and looking for additional support and strategies
Considering returning to study after a break
Thinking about university but unsure if it's right for them

You might have been diagnosed as autistic recently or years ago, or you might identify as autistic without a formal diagnosis. You might be 18 or 48 or 98, or somewhere in between. You might be studying full-time, part-time, online, or on campus. Whatever your situation, this guide is designed to support you.

A note on language

In this guide, we use identity-first language and say "autistic students" rather than "students with autism." This reflects how many autistic people prefer to be described and recognises autism as an important part of identity, not something separate from who you are. We also acknowledge that everyone has different preferences for how they are described and encourage you to use the language that you prefer when describing yourself and your experiences.

This guide is grounded in the neurodiversity paradigm (you’ll read about this soon!). We focus on your strengths while honestly acknowledging challenges you might experience. Being autistic brings both advantages and areas where you might need different approaches or support. Both are part of your complete picture.

How to use this guide

You might read this guide all at once, section by section, or just refer to each part as you need it. You can use the contents page to find sections that are relevant to you, and the summary page at the start of each section to preview the content it will include.

This guide is primarily designed to be used digitally: it includes links and interactive sections that you can engage with. You can use the navigation menu to jump between sections. You can also use your text-to-voice or screen reading software to read this guide aloud to you.

You can also download the entire guide or the individual interactive resources in Word (.doc) or PDF (.pdf) formats. The Word (.doc) version is optimised for screen reader accessibility. We recommend using the PDF version if you’d like to print this guide.

Remember, this guide is to help you with your higher education journey. You can read as much or as little of it as you like. None of the activities are compulsory, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to read or complete the entire guide at once. You can refer to this guide any time before, during, or after your studies.

You will come across a few unique content types in this guide. Expand the sections below to learn about each one.

📃 Section Overview

Each section will include an overview at the top outlining the information contained throughout the guide.

🔎 Case Studies and Research Tips

You can find case studies and research tips inside expandable boxes or ‘accordions’. They include bonus information that you might find interesting, or you might choose to ignore them.

💡 Reflection Questions and Suggestions

You can find reflection questions and suggestions inside expandable boxes or ‘accordions’. You can think about these, write down your thoughts, talk to a friend or family member about them, or ignore them.

📝 Activities and Resources

You can find activities and resources inside expandable boxes or ‘accordions’. You can think about these, complete the activity in full, write down your thoughts in note form, talk to a friend or family member about them, or ignore them.