Exploring how neurodiverse students can be best supported as they transition to university and throughout their degree

Neurodiverse students such as those with autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may experience greater challenges with transitioning to university and throughout their degree compared to neurotypical students. Challenges that these students face may relate to settling in and developing friendships with peers and/or relationships with staff, or in managing their work and deadlines. These challenges may negatively impact on students’ wellbeing and mental health, as well as impacting on assessment submissions and academic performance. This may then affect students’ ability to progress between years, and their degree completion, overall classification, and graduate outcome. Not providing students with appropriate support may therefore have a critical impact on a personal level, in addition to impacting on key university metrics.

To address these issues this project will use a mixed-methods approach to firstly explore the challenges that neurodiverse students face as they start their degree and as they progress through this, and secondly investigate the factors which may predict successful outcomes in these students. Understanding the challenges these students face and factors that predict student success will inform future strategies and interventions to best support neurodiverse students and their wellbeing, along with improving metrics relating to submissions, continuation, completion, attainment, and progression.