Skip to main content

Autism Summer School

A chance for autistic students in Year 11 to experience University in a safe environment

Applications are closed for summer 2025.

What is the Autism Summer School

This residential gives autistic students and their parent/carer the chance to experience university life. The event also aims to equip students with some of the skills to ease their transition to the next stage of their educational journey.

Overnight accommodation is provided. The bedrooms are single occupancy ensuite bedrooms and students will be in a room next to their parent/carer. All meals, information and guidance sessions and social activities are included. Travel (reasonable travel within the UK) to the University can be reimbursed for anyone who meets our Widening Participation criteria.

A variety of sessions will be on offer for the students, some with and without their parent/carer. The aim is to equip the students with the skills for managing independent learning and living skills, stress and anxiety amongst many others.

The 2025 event will take place from Friday 1st to Saturday 2nd August.

A male student being shown to their student accommodation by a Student Ambassador - stood in front of the accommodation centre signage

Who can apply

The Autism Summer School is available to Year 11 students (in any educational setting, including those who are home educated) who are due to take their GCSE examinations (or equivalent) in Summer 2025 and are aiming for mostly grade 6/B or above in their GCSEs (or equivalent), with a minimum of 4/C in Maths and English Language.

It is not a requirement that the student must want to go to university, as the programme aims to aid transition and development in a wide range of areas, though an interest would be ideal.

Students do not have to have an official autism diagnosis to attend the Autism Summer School, as long as they self-identify as autistic.

Email us for more information campus-events-team@bath.ac.uk

A close up photo of three female Year 11 students in a tiered lecture room

What’s involved?

Find out what happens before and during the residential.

Student sat in a lecture room with their backs to the camera. Two members of university staff are at the front of the room.

Before the summer school

A member of the team will be in contact with the parent/carer/student attending the programme to answer any questions regarding the residential and to discuss individual requirements. To make the experience as comfortable as possible, we encourage as many questions or discussions as necessary.

During the programme (2 days, 1 night)

Students will take part in a range of activities, including a tour of the campus and the accommodation, talks from the Disability Service Team at Bath, sessions on life tips and independent living, a chance to join in with some group work, a session on wellbeing, an academic skills session, and optional social activities led by current students. You will also get the opportunity to talk to some autistic university students about their experience at university.

Some of the activities will be for students to attend with their parent/carer, and some activities are designed to be just for the students (parents/carers can attend the student sessions if their child doesn’t feel comfortable without them). Our friendly team and student ambassadors will also be attending sessions.

None of the sessions are compulsory, although we would recommend that you attend what you can, and you are free to take breaks whenever you need to.

How to apply

Apply by completing the online form. After we have received your application, we will process the information against the criteria set out above. We will make offers on a rolling basis so it is best to submit your application as soon as possible. Once all the places have been filled we will hold a short waiting list and then we will have to close for this year.

Aerial photo of the University of Bath campus buildings

Applications are closed for summer 2025.

Check here later for 2026.

Contact us for more information

If you have any questions please get in touch

I want to register my interest in the Autism Summer School 2026.

You can register your interest in next year's Autism summer school by completing this online form and we will get in touch as soon as applications open.