4 UNITE S T U D E N T S | MEETING THE NEEDS OF NEURODIVERGENT STUDENTS BACK TO CONTENTS This report is an exploration of the experiences and needs of autistic students and/or those with ADHD when making the transition to university and living in student accommodation. The 2022 Unite Students Applicant Index showed that there were lower levels of well-being and a higher instance of anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions among neurodivergent students. Neurodiverse applicants also reported lower levels of social connection, and more social anxiety about coming to university. To make sense of these findings, and to understand the features of a more inclusive university transition and accommodation experience, Unite Students has worked with the Bristol University Neurodiversity Society (BUNS), a student-led society offering mutual support and advocacy for neurodivergent students at the University of Bristol. Working together, we have given a platform to students’ own experiences and recommendations as a way of illustrating the stories behind the statistics, and to suggest ways forward. This is not an exhaustive review of the needs of neurodivergent students across UK higher education, but we hope that it will contribute to an area of interest and development in the sector, act as a conversation-starter and support us all as a sector to work towards positive change. THE DATA USED IN THIS REPORT Quantitative data in this report is taken from a survey of 2,038 university applicants administered via the YouthSight Panel, between 25th June and 11th July 2022. Qualitative data is taken from a two-hour focus group with neurodivergent students at the University of Bristol Further details about the data and methodology can be found in the appendix INTRODUCTION