“I Knew I Was Smart; I Thought I Was Lazy” - supporting the transition to university for autistic students

Autistic individuals have numerous strengths and a desire to attend university, but the graduation rates of the autistic community is alarmingly low and is attributed to the significant difficulties involved in the transition to tertiary study. Despite the low retention rates, research exploring the needs of autistic individuals transitioning to university is scarce, indicating a need for further research to understand the supports that can assist autistic individuals to graduate with their degrees. An online survey of 38 autistic individuals and 11 support people across Australia sought to investigate the utilisation and helpfulness of various academic and non-academic supports, as well as other factors including disclosing a diagnosis to university disability services. Participants indicated engagement with a range of university supports, including recorded lectures, counselling, and attending Orientation Day/week. The supports described as most helpful were reasonable adjustment plans and additional time for examinations and assessments. Less than half of the autistic individuals involved in the study had disclosed their autism diagnosis to their university, with reasons for this including not believing it would be helpful, fear of stigma and not being diagnosed until after enrolment. The present study has made impressive inroads in this research area by gaining a deeper understanding about the needs of autistic individuals transitioning to university study, with further recommendations for future research to consider. This research will benefit tertiary education institutions as well as secondary schools to guide interventions targeted to autistic individuals to support them in reaching their full potential at university.