Aspies in Oxford

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I just got my acceptance letter to study abroad at Oxford for a term! I'm really excited for the opportunity. But now I have to navigate a new culture and legal system for this. Right now I am filling out disability forms for Oxford and am in contact with the program that I am going with over this issue.

Do any autists out there have any advice? What should I be doing to prepare for this? What's it like being an aspie in the UK? Will they even recognize a US diagnosis?

That is amazing; congratulations!

KingOfRats or other Wrong Planet U.K.ers might know more about U.K. recognition of U.S. diagnoses. I can only advise you to avoid accepting any Rhodes Scholarships when you are there.

Congratulations! I think you'll find widspread acceptance of autism and aspergers and US diagnosis, particularly in Oxford. The trick may be to ensure you meet up with the person responsible for pastoral issues/student well being so that he/she is aware of your needs and I'm sure you will not be the first person with these needs. Being such a good mix of people, I'm sure you'll be accepted for what you are, and you'll be able to participate in clubs, etc as much or as little as you want. When I studied maths there a good many years ago, I'd hazard a guess that 5 percent of us were on the spectrum, although it wasn't as well known/talked about then.

Congratulations----what a wonderful opportunity!! !

I can't speak to the Disability part of your question, but make sure you take plenty of rain gear. Also, buy a rain coat while you're there----they're really, REALLY well-made and last a long time. I have one I bought almost 30 years ago (in Scotland, I think) and only the pocket's torn a little.

The only connection I have with Oxford is living fairly near there.

Good job, topic creator. Got no specific advice but Oxford itself is a lovely town and hopefully you will enjoy your time there. Also, I'm certain your diagnosis will be recognised; the autism service I got my diagnosis from basically follows DSM-5 guidelines.

Your diagnosis will be recognised. However, if you want DSA support (i.e. government funding for the extra costs of disability) then you'll need to have been assessed after the age of 16, though I don't know if you'd be eligible anyway.

I know when I looking at applying to Oxford (in the end I didn't because I didn't want to move home) I definitely got the impression that they were very supportive of students with ASD.

Oxford is very different to almost any other university (though all British universities are different to American ones). I think the big thing you should do is prepare strategies to cope with the upheaval and the stress. You're only studying there for about 8 weeks so you don't want to spend 3 weeks bedding in!

What subject are you studying, and in what year?

Good luck, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

There are some pastures between the rivers behind Merton College/Corpus Cristi/Christchurch that are very good places to go and de-stress.