Studying with autism

You may have a form of autism if you have trouble putting yourself in the emotional world of others, do not understand body language and have difficulty with (unexpected) changes. You can suffer from it to a greater or lesser extent. 

What can you do yourself?

Every student is different and has different support needs. It is important to explore the options and find what works for you. Discuss with a student counselor, your academic advisor or mentor in your program what support you need to study well with your autism and ask them about the possibilities available to you. Bear in mind that not everything is possible. 

Do you want to learn more about the difficulties that may come with autism or do you want to discover various tips? Check out this useful link about studying with autism.

Think about the deadlines!

What support is available at the TU/e?

If there are circumstances that affect your studies, you can contact the TU/e student guidance staff for guidance and facilities. They think along with you and can help you eliminate any obstacles as much as possible and prevent or limit study delays due to your circumstances as much as possible.

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Resources for you

  • Online self-test to see if there may be indications of autism spectrum disorder. 
  • Kabass: information, resources, links and tips within a variety of topics for young adults with autism. 
  • Use the mindmap technique for visually and creatively organizing ideas, structures, information and thoughts and their interrelationships. Preferably on paper. Online via bubbl.us, Coggle or Mindmeister. 
  • Kurzweil: tool for structuring texts with visual and auditory support.
  • Timetimer that forces you to spend a certain amount of time doing something. Also available as an app. 
  • Limit your internet use with the Yona app.

Information for teachers

The website ECIO.nl offers handy tools and publications that teachers can consult and use directly. The information card for support in autism provides insight into barriers that students may face. It also includes tips for education professionals who can help students with autism.

Consider having a conversation with the student about their needs within your curriculum. Here are some pointers on how to respond to signals from a student. In addition, you can consult the student’s academic advisor. It is always a good idea to refer the student to the academic advisor for the disclosure of personal circumstances. If tutors support you in providing education, make agreements with them on how they can raise any concerns they may have about a student. 

Check if your online material is accessible for all your students. In Canvas, you can use Immersive Reader for that.  

Experiences of students