Support for neurodiverse people
BON (Office for Persons with Disabilities) Academic Support Center for students on the autism spectrum
The BON Academic Support Center offers support for students on the autism spectrum (including Asperger’s syndrome or autism) in functioning at the university.
The following information can be found on the BON Academic Support Center website:
- What kind of support can I get?
- How to apply?
- What does the first meeting look like?
- What documents do I need to have to use support?
- Student tutoring program
“Wsparcie na Starcie” (“Starting Support”) from the Office for Persons with Disabilities at the University of Warsaw
If a person on the autism spectrum is just beginning their studies at the University of Warsaw, they can receive assistance in adapting to the new conditions – both in terms of organization and daily functioning in the academic environment.
What does the support involve?
- Individual consultations – a series of approximately 8–10 meetings during the first year of studies, helping to assess current needs and find solutions to emerging difficulties.
- Faculty opinion – specifying recommended forms of support, such as adapting classes and exams, using assistive technology, modifying the exam schedule, or policies for excused absences.
- Meetings with tutors – older students help students navigate the realities of academic life and integrate the community of people on the autism spectrum.
- Additional support for selected faculties (Archaeology, Biology, Physics, History, Modern Languages, Psychology, Sociology, Institute of Polish Culture) – individual tutoring, including: Study planning, understanding formal issues, relationship-building strategies, and orientation within the university’s facilities and services (e.g., the library).
- Quiet Rooms – in the Faculty of History (Main Campus) and the Faculty of Modern Languages, Dobra 55).
Detailed information can be found here.
Student tutoring program
The student tutoring program was created for students on the autism spectrum who need support in functioning at the university. As part of the program, you will regularly meet with another student (tutor) and discuss current matters related to your studies, as well as solve problems.
Some faculties (Archaeology, Biology, Physics, History, Modern Languages, Psychology, Sociology, Institute of Polish Culture) also offer more regular, individual tutor support, focused not only on current university-related issues but also on:
- learning process planning,
- understanding organizational and formal issues,
- networking strategies,
- orientation within the university’s space and services (e.g., library services and spaces).
Tutor contact details can be found here.
The Quiet Room
is designed for individuals with sensory oversensitivity, stimuli overload, or difficulty regulating emotions, especially those on the autism spectrum.
The Quiet Room is located in the Faculty of Modern Languages building (55 Dobra Street), 3rd floor, room 3.026.
When to use: If you feel overwhelmed by noise, light, or smells, have difficulty concentrating, controlling your emotions, or overreact to stimuli.
Registration procedures:
Individuals registered with the Office for Persons with Disabilities (BON) should send an email requesting access. After verification and acceptance of the regulations, a key can be collected in the cloakroom (-1). Unregistered individuals should complete the registration form and attach documentation. After email confirmation and acceptance of the regulations, access is granted under the same terms and conditions.
A new quiet room is currently being prepared at the Faculty of History (Main Campus). Until it is operational, a temporary space is available in the corridor next to the Department of 20th Century History (2nd floor).
The area has been marked with a request to maintain silence and respect the need for other students to remain calm. No registration or registration is required for entry.
Club for neurodiverse people at the University of Warsaw
The club is aimed at a broad group of neurodiverse individuals (including those on the autism spectrum or with ADHD) – no official diagnosis is required to join!
The club currently has two groups – one for undergraduates and one for doctoral students at the University of Warsaw. These events provide an opportunity to spend time together and develop social skills. These will take various forms: from creative and artistic activities, through self-help, to social skills workshops.
During meetings, topics such as difficulties in establishing new relationships, loneliness, and feeling lost in social situations are addressed. The club is primarily a space for integration and a pleasant time.
The Club’s events for neurodiverse individuals are led by volunteers from the University of Warsaw community, under the supervision of staff from the Psychological Support Center (CPP) and the University Volunteer Center (UCW).
Meetings are held at the CPP of the University of Warsaw at ul. Pasteura 7 (first floor, room 106). The space is wheelchair accessible.
The Student Club meets every Thursday from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and the PhD Student Club meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
More information about the Club can be found on the websites of the Psychological Support Center and the University Volunteer Center. (available in Polish)
Autism & uni
The University of Warsaw has prepared a guide aimed at supporting students on the autism spectrum. It includes tips on academic life, information on support possibilities at the University and interviews with lecturers and consultants from the Office for Persons with Disabilities.
The guide was created through collaboration between the Office for Persons with Disabilities at the University of Warsaw and the Faculty of Psychology at the Univesirty of Warsaw. It is an adaptation of an English publication created by Leeds Beckett University. The guide has been adapted to the realities of Poland and the University of Warsaw.
On the BON autism&uni website you can find interesting and practical information on, among others:
- tips and advice to help you with your studies
- services and facilities for students who are on the autism spectrum
- stories and experiences of others on the spectrum
- interviews with specialists who deal with supporting people on the spectrum on a daily basis
- practical information about UW campuses, buildings, types of rooms, etc.
Library
AutismLab UW
Research projekt „Co słychać? Komunikacja społeczna w autyzmie: podejście obliczeniowe” – “What’s Up? Social Communication in Autism: A Computational Approach” (available in Polish)
Uczelnia dostępna dla studentów ze spektrum autyzmu. Podręcznik dla specjalistów, nauczycieli akademickich i osób zarządzających w edukacji wyższej – University Accessible to Students on the Autism Spectrum. A Handbook for Specialists, Academic Teachers, and Managers in Higher Education (available in Polish)
Neuroróżnorodność na polskich uczelniach. – Neurodiversity at Polish Universities – Report on a Survey of Students on the Autism Spectrum, with AHDH/ADD, and Learning Disabilities (available in Polish)
Osoby ze spektrum autyzmu w czasie pandemii – People on the Autism Spectrum During the Pandemic – Report on a Study Conducted at the Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, During the COVID-19 Epidemic (available in Polish)
Neuroróżnorodność na uniwersytecie. Wykorzystanie potencjału studentów ze spektrum autyzmu i nie tylko – Neurodiversity at University: Utilizing the Potential of Students on the Autism Spectrum and Beyond – Lecture by Dr. Mateusz Płatos from the Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, and the Academic Support Center of the BON UW (available in Polish)
Guides
Studenci ze spektrum autyzmu w procesie dydaktycznym – Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Educational Process (available in Polish)
Spektrum autyzmu. Podobni – różni – Autism Spectrum Disorder: Similar – Different (available in Polish)
An asset, not a problem: Meeting the needs of neurodivergent students
Research
Autyzm. Zacznijmy się liczyć w Polsce! – Autism. Let’s Get Counted in Poland! (available in Polish)
Społeczny obraz autyzmu – The Social Image of Autism (available in Polish)
Scientific Articles
Kategorie otwierające naneuroróżnorodność studentów. Pedagogiczne studium kontekstów edukacyjnych – Categories Opening the Door to Neurodiversity in Students: A Pedagogical Study of Educational Contexts (available in Polish)