Support systems: Getting help when you need it
It is ok to ask for help when you need it. Transitioning to university can be challenging for all students, autistic and non-autistic. You can get help from your university: most universities offer academic support, as well as personal and wellbeing support.
Academic support
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When to seek help |
Where to find support |
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The assignment requirements are not clear to you, or you are unfamiliar with the format You need clarification about course content. You're finding it hard to manage your workload, or might miss a deadline. You want tips on study skills and techniques that might work best for you. You want feedback on your progress or accountability with your study. |
Lecturers and tutors: Most have regular consultation hours for student questions. You can also send an email or use the online learning system. Learning support services: Help with study skills, writing, and academic strategies. You can usually find these through your university library. Subject-specific support: Many courses have additional help sessions or online resources. Peer support: Study groups, tutoring programs, or online forums. Disability support: See “Putting supports in place” for more information. |
Personal and wellbeing support
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University Counselling |
External options |
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University counselling services provide free and confidential support for students, including: Help with stress, anxiety, depression, and adjustment difficulties. Understanding of student life and academic pressures. Can provide strategies for managing university-specific challenges. |
Maintain connections with existing support networks (family, friends, healthcare providers). Consider autism-specific support groups or online communities. Look after your physical health through exercise, nutrition, and sleep. Recognise when you need professional help and seek it early See ‘Additional Resources’ for more ideas. |
Self-advocacy
Self-advocacy means speaking up about what you need, and how you think something could be better. Self-advocacy is a skill that develops over time. It's about understanding your needs, knowing your rights, and communicating effectively to get the support that helps you succeed. More information about your rights and entitlements can be found in the Additional Resources chapter.
Remember that university systems were often designed without autistic students in mind, but that doesn't mean you can't succeed within them. The key is understanding how things work and finding ways to adapt them to your needs.
Effective self-advocacy involves explaining your needs clearly and suggesting practical solutions.
💡 Suggestion
Here are some tips for self-advocacy at university.
Tip 1: Focus on your functional needs
Autistic people have lots of different strengths and support needs: saying "I am autistic so I need help" might not give another person a good understanding of what you need, especially if they don’t know a lot about autistic experiences.
Try: "I process auditory information better when I can also read it, so access to lecture transcripts would help me learn more effectively". This focuses on your functional capacity and needs and is more specific.
Tip 2: Suggest specific solutions
- Research what accommodations are available and which ones address your specific needs (see Resource 2 for ideas)
- Propose trial periods for new accommodations
- Offer alternative ways to demonstrate your learning if standard methods don't work
- Be flexible and willing to work collaboratively on solutions – you should also be able to expect that the disability service staff will offer you the same flexibility and willingness.
Tip 3: Document important conversations
- Follow up verbal conversations with email summaries
- Keep records of accommodation requests and responses
- Save copies of your official accommodation plans
- Note when accommodations are working well, or need adjustment
Academic appeals and complaints
When something goes wrong or you don’t have the experience you expect, you can make an appeal or a complaint. An appeal is when you request that a decision, like a grade or an application, is reviewed. A complaint is when you tell your university about something you think has gone wrong or hasn’t been done properly and ask for them to fix it. Here are some tips for when you think about asking for an appeal or making a complaint:
- Start with informal discussions with relevant staff, and use official complaint processes if informal approaches don't work.
- Know your rights under anti-discrimination legislation – you can find information on the Australian Disability Clearinghouse for Education and Training website
- Keep detailed records of interactions and decisions.
- Student advocacy services can help with complaints and appeals, including where you should send your complaint or appeal and what information you should include.
- External advocacy organisations can also provide advice and support.
- The National Student Ombudsman and the Australian Human Rights Commission provide formal complaints pathways.