When you apply for university, you may be asked for information about disability. It can be helpful to share this information at the start of the application process, as this will enable university staff to share information about support available to you.

Whether you consider autism to be a disability or a difference is a personal preference. At the University of the Built Environment, we officially record autism under ‘Disability’ so that we can offer adjustments and support if you’d find them helpful. The opportunity to share this information prompts the university to make contact with you in order to explore any access arrangements you may have and the support options available to you. Telling the university you are autistic does not mean that you have to tell everyone you meet if you don’t want to, and nor does it mean that you will be forced to accept support you don’t want or need.

Why is it important to share this information?

Some students don’t tell anybody at university that they are autistic, not even the university itself. Not sharing this information can make it difficult for students to get the support they need, both officially and from other people around them. At school or college, you might not have received or even needed any support outside your family, and this may be the same at university. However, university is very different from school and college and there is a wide range of support available. The university needs to know that you are autistic in order to make any reasonable adjustments, such as extra time or alternative assessment options. To find out more about the support available and to consider what, if any, adjustments are required to ensure you have the best possible university experience it can be helpful to share with the university when you apply. Even if you decide not to share this information prior to starting your studies, you can contact the disability team at any point throughout your time at uni.

Who will have this information?

When you share information about your learning needs; either on your application form or directly to the Disability Support team this is a confidential process. Your Disability Adviser will discuss with you what, if any, information needs to be shared and who it needs to be shared with. The Disability Support team will not tell the other students on your course; information is only shared with staff who are required to make adjustments, or with those who would benefit from being aware.

In order to enable staff to understand a bit more about you, and be able to support you; it is essential to agree to this information being shared. In addition to this, you may wish to speak to your course team about particular elements of the course and any concerns you have. Your Disability Adviser would be happy to support you with this if you would like them to. You may also decide to share information with your peers where you think it may be helpful to understand a bit more about you, but this is entirely your choice.

What happens when students don’t tell their university they are autistic?

The Autism&Uni research surveyed people with experience of attending and/or completing university, over 70% of those surveyed said they didn’t tell anyone they were autistic. Some students were not diagnosed until after university.

Research suggests that students who were diagnosed before or during university and shared their autistic identity were more likely to complete their course and get good grades.

However, of the 70% of students we surveyed who chose not to share, those who left university prior to completing their course, told us it was because they now realise that they needed support with some aspects of university. Even though in general the students got good marks when they submitted work, they said that they struggled to manage without any support, especially early in the course.

Several of the students who left their course prior to completion and then returned to their studies later, said that they had a better experience because people knew they were autistic, and this meant they were able to access support and get on better. These students told us that getting support as early as possible, preferably from the start of course, made settling into university a lot easier as it is such an uncertain time, in spite of also being an exciting time.

Getting support in those first few weeks, even simple things, can be really important. In our surveys, lots of students didn’t tell anyone they were autistic until they were struggling, and in some situations, this meant that their work or/and wellbeing was affected.

It takes time to process applications for support and send information to the relevant people, so the earlier you can inform the University the better. You don’t have to wait for a confirmed place on your course, you can contact us now by emailing disabilitysupport@ube.ac.uk 

Fern: I think it is good to disclose as university is much bigger than school and so there is nobody making sure everything is ok and you are managing. (read the whole article here)

In some ways, making a decision to tell the university you are autistic has obvious benefits with clear boundaries. Declaring means you can access support. The University will tell you what information and evidence they need from you and will not pass any information on without your permission.

If you decide not to share this information on your application form, or have not received a diagnosis, you can tell the University at any time throughout your studies by contacting the Disability Support Team. We can then talk through your options, and discuss any concerns about telling uni you are autistic.

Here are some questions that might help you to think about declaring:

• Do you want to tell the uni you are autistic on your application?
• Would you like to talk to the Disability Support team directly?
• Do you want to access support at the start of your studies? – if you do, you will need to engage with the Disability Support team in good time before you start your course
• If you need extra support from your Lecturers, are you confident in sharing with them as needed?
• If you are working, have you shared this information with your employer?
• If you are an Apprentice, are you comfortable sharing this information with your Apprenticeship Outcomes Officer (AOO)?

This article was contributed by the Leeds Beckett Disability Advice Team