Navigating college in increasingly autism-friendly Ireland

DCU, NCI, ATU Sligo, IT Dundalk and RCSI have taken a lead with autism-friendly student supports, with more colleges in the pipeline

Ireland's higher education institutes (HEIs) are seeking to be more autism-friendly, providing tailored learning supports and environments. There are currently five accredited autism-friendly HEIs in Ireland, (DCU, NCI, ATU Sligo, IT Dundalk and RCSI), with more in the pipeline.

Autistic students considering third-level education often face unseen challenges that can have serious negative effects on their college experience.

There is the physical environment, which may present many sensory challenges, the style of communication in lectures and the structure of exams, and the social challenges of trying to connect with new people while under stress from being in a completely new environment.