Support groups, learning coaches and more

Students with special educational needs may also have access to special arrangements for examinations and classrooms that help them focus better

- Jane Ng

Risk manager Micah Tan, 57, was worried about how his son would cope in university, especially when it comes to meeting new people. His son, Joseph, 21, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder before he turned four.

Mr Tan says: "He can be quite curt. If someone doesn't know his condition, he or she might be taken aback by his behaviour."

He was hoping for an environment that would be supportive and was thankful to find out that the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) has a peer support group for students with special needs.

"That stood out for us. Even a non-special needs child would have some apprehension in a new environment, all the more for someone on the spectrum. Having someone he can turn to will help in terms of getting used to the environment," he adds.

Mr Tan is among a group of parents who are concerned about how their child with special educational needs (SEN) who is entering university will cope in the new environment.

With more awareness and earlier diagnosis, more neurodivergent undergraduates are coming forward to seek help, say the universities.

According to the Ministry of Education, there are about 7,000 students with reported SEN enrolled across the six autonomous universities, five polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education.

From 2012 to 2019, the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) had a handful of students with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia. That number has increased in the last four years.

The number of Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) students with SEN has also gradually increased over the years, largely due to the rise in its enrolment, greater societal awareness and earlier diagnoses of conditions.