1 Bridging the Transition to TUS

Moving to third-level education is a major milestone full of opportunities and new experiences, but it can also be intimidating, especially for Neurodivergent students. Whether you are coming directly from school or taking a different route, this page aims to support you during your tranisition to TUS .

2 Practical Steps for Students to Prepare for University

This post will explore practical steps you can take before starting college to ensure a smoother transition to higher education.

3 What is TUS Athlone really like?

TUS Athlone offers a good mix of academic, sporting, cultural and social life for your third-level experience. Our 2023/2024 Student Handbook contains lots of useful information about campus life, support services, study guides, student policies and much more. Below are some of the facilities and service we have to offer.

4 Telling people at college about your autism

Telling people about your autism at college is also known as ‘disclosure’ or ‘declaring a disability’.

5 Arranging your Reasonable Accommodations (Supports)

You may like or need to get some support when you start college.

You are also entitled to ‘reasonable accommodations’ – these are adjustments that enable you to participate in the academic assessment process on a fair basis.

6 How to get organised and manage your time

This article looks at the importance of organisng and managing your time effectively as a student. It explores some of the challenges autistic students can experience in this area, and offers some guidance on how to improve your own time management and organisation.

7 How to reduce anxiety and stress

It is normal to feel anxious when starting something new, like a college course, and everyone feels stress at difficult times of the year like exam periods or when there is a lot happening in their lives. It can sometimes be hard to relax. This article is about helping you to manage these feelings and includes tips from other autistic students.

8 How to recognise when you need to ask for help

Recognising when to ask for help can be challenging for many autistic people. Regularly checking in with your disability support advisor can be beneficial. They can help identify problems and, if they cannot solve them, they can assist you in contacting someone who can.

9 Healthy living

This article focuses on the importance of healthy habits for wellbeing. The article provides useful tips and information regarding physical wellbeing, sexual health, consent, diet, responsible alcohol use, exercise and sleep.

10 Funding support for students with a disability

Most students registering with the Disability Support Service request access to a range of supports that help the student to reach their full potential while studying. Most student needs are accommodated through these supports. Some of these disability student supports are funded by the Department of Education and Skills and Higher Education Authority.

After registering online, students who desire specialist support will be invited to meet with a member of the Disability Support Service team on a one-to-one basis to discuss support needs . The student decides on the level of support that they require. All students in this category will have a full Needs Assessment.

11 How to manage exams

This section looks at how to manage exams. This includes information about what to expect, how to prepare for an exam and practical tips to help you perform well.

12 Talking about your autism

By talking about your autism and advocating for yourself, you make an important step towards feeling comfortable with others. This activity introduces the advantages of being open about your autism, and gives some practical tips.

13 Socialising and making friends at University

Many students find meeting new people and making friends amongst the most exciting but also most difficult aspects of starting college. This activity should help you to get started.

14 What are lectures really like?

Lectures at university can be quite different from lessons at school and college, particularly when you are taught in a big group. Generally speaking they take the format of:

Larger group
Larger venue
Lecturer will dictate information
Questions can be asked after the lecture material has been presented.
Lecturers use PowerPoint
Best not to interrupt
More formal
Students take notes

15 What is group work really like?

Working in a group with other students is part and parcel of college life. Quite a few people worry about it, and some have real problems with it. This activity looks at the main issues people have with group work and gives you some practical tips for your own study.

16 What happens if I have practice placements on my course?

A large number of higher education courses now have a work placement module as part of their course where a student goes into a company or an organisation where the work is relevant to their degree. Core to the values of preparing students for the workplace at TUS Athlone, the majority of our programmes feature work through integrated learning or placements. You will be informed about placements procedures, responsibilities and timings on your course through your lecturers and academic department.

17 What are computer lab sessions really like?

On technical courses such as Computing, Computer Engineering, Software Design with Gaming, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Mobile Apps etc you will spend a lot of tutorial time in a computer lab. Whilst you will often focus on what you are coding or designing, you may also take part in discussions and group tasks. Read this article to learn more about the nature of computer lab sessions.

18 Managing conflict

Different people have different expectations and styles of working or living together. Sometimes that can lead to conflict. This article will help you recognise causes of conflict and proposes strategies to resolve it.

19 What are assessments, and how do you survive them?

This section will look at different forms of assessment. It will give you some practical ideas on how to prepare for them, and how to get the most out of them.