6 UNITE S T U D E N T S | MEETING THE NEEDS OF NEURODIVERGENT STUDENTS BACK TO CONTENTS FINDINGS FROM THE APPLICANT SURVEY The survey covered a wide range of questions relating to the academic and non-academic experience. Survey questions focused on expectations and levels of confidence about different aspects of university, personal characteristics, social and well-being experiences, and the experience of applying to university. The main report can be found here. Neurodivergent applicants’ responses differed from the average in many sections of the survey, including learner identity and financial confidence. However, this report focuses on well-being, social and community as topics most relevant to student accommodation. The full survey dataset is available in a variety of formats here for those who would like to carry out their own analysis. Neurodivergent applicants were more likely than applicants overall to be LGBT+, and this was equally the case for autistic applicants and applicants with ADHD. This corresponds with wider research that shows that autistic people 2 and, potentially, people with ADHD 3 were more likely to be LBGT+. This diversity was also reflected in the focus group. Neurodivergent applicants in the survey, and particularly those with ADHD, were more likely to be in the 25-34 age category than average, possibly indicating a more complex route to starting university and challenges with earlier education. But this finding also tells a positive story about the ability and willingness to re-engage with education, and the work that universities are doing to support this. Another implication of this older age profile is that neurodivergent applicants were much more likely to have lived away from their parental home. They were also more likely than average to be care experienced or estranged from their parents. 2 For example: Autistic individuals are more likely to be LGBTQ+ | University of Cambridge 3 Rahman Q, Xu Y, Lippa RA, Vasey PL. Prevalence of sexual orientation across 28 nations and its association with gender equality, economic development, and individualism. Arch Sex Behav. (2020) 49:595–606 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SURVEY SAMPLE