History of this guide

“Transitioning to University: Autistic Students Guide” is the culmination of the expertise and work of autistic people and disability practitioners over many years.

Original version (2015)

This resource was original developed in 2015 as part of the former National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO) Program. Initially entitled “How to Transition to Tertiary Education: Helpful Hints for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder,” this version was developed by Debbie Hindle, Resource Project Officer, in conjunction with a Project Steering Committee:

Amanda Richdale (Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, Latrobe University)
Berinda Karp (TAFE Western Sydney)
Shaun Corcoran (Bendigo TAFE)
Mary Brake (Tasmanian Education Department)
Marita Falkmer (Autism Cooperative Research Centre and Curtin University)
Julie Harrison (Australian National University)
Colleen Hooper (Mission Australia)
Sue Hancock (Australian National University)

The 2015 version was also reviewed by the following individuals:

Catherine Jolly
Liam Salter
Yenn Purkis
Emily Brake

2025 Update

In 2025, the resource was reviewed and rewritten to reflect contemporary understandings of autism and neurodivergence, with a focus on higher education. This process was led by Ebe Ganon, Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) Project Support Officer. The content in this updated version has been reviewed by autistic students and researchers, including:

Ari Star: HDR student and research assistant at the Macquarie University School of Education; 2025 Student Representative to the Australasian Society for Autism Research
Janet Davey: PhD student at the Australian Centre for China in the World (Australian National University)
Aaron Saint-James: undergraduate student, research officer, and accessibility consultant at the University of New South Wales; co-founder of the UNSW Diversified Project

This resource has been produced in a range of formats – the content exists in live form on the ADCET website, with various downloadable and printable formats available and in circulation.

Feedback

To provide feedback on this resource, please contact admin@adcet.edu.au. Updates may be implemented to the live online content available on the ADCET website.

References

Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training [ADCET]. (2024). ADCET Webinar: Autistic students’ experiences of university in Australia. ADCET [Transcript]. https://www.adcet.edu.au/resource/11656/adcet-webinar-autistic-students-experiences-of-university-in-australia

Gibbs, K., Simpson, K., Paynter, J., Easte, C., & Fowler, J. (2024). Exploring the perspectives of Australian neurodivergent university students. The Australian Educational Researcher, 52, 2665-2687. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-025-00828-2

Reframing Autism. (2025). Transitioning to tertiary education: Top tips from autistic students and advocates. https://reframingautism.org.au/transitioning-to-tertiary-education-top-tips-from-autistic-students-and-advocates

Tan, D. W., Rabuka, M., Haar, T., & Pellicano, E. (2024). 'It's a symbolic violence': Autistic people's experiences of discrimination at universities in Australia. Autism, 28(6), 1344-1356. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613231219744