Every college has an office of disabilities, where autistic students can find accommodations for extended time on tests, special testing rooms, and regular time with tutors. But some students with autism need additional help.
Increasingly, colleges offer specialized programs for students with autism, who might need support for social skills, executive functioning, counseling, and more.
Some of these programs listed below are for students with autism with intellectual disabilities and are inclusive of people with other disabilities. Others are aimed at a particular type of autistic student, such as those without intellectual disabilities.
This is a preliminary list of programs organized by geography. For a complete list of programs that are tailored to specific needs and geography, please contact Dr. McKenna at McKennaConnect@gmail.com.
New Jersey Programs
- Ramapo College, Enhance Program
- Fairleigh Dickinson, Compass Program
- Rutgers, College Support Program (CSP)
- The College of New Jersey, Career and Community Studies: Serves students with autism and other disabilities. Aimed at students with an intellectual disability. Non-college degree seeking students. Residential options. College Experience Program.
- Rowan College PATH Program: Focus on helping neurodivergent college students find employment after college.
- Rutgers, New Brunswick has four separate programs to support students with autism: SCALE, CSP, PSC, and IOC. More info here.
- The College STEPS program is a private organization that works in conjunction with County College of Morris and Kean University in New Jersey (as well as colleges in five other states) to support students with various disabilities, including autism.
- The Garden State Pathways (GSP) Program is a post-secondary, transitional program sponsored by Camden County College in Blackwood, New Jersey and designed for students with intellectual/cognitive disabilities. The program serves students 18 to 24 years old who are eligible for or received IDEA funding and are interested in learning a work-related skill, as well as enhancing their independence with life skills.
New England (ME, NH, VT, MA, CT)
- Westfield State University, Learning Disability Program (MA)
- Landmark College (VT)
- Mitchell College (CT)
- CIP – (Lenox, MA and other locations) – This is a private independent living experience program, which offers support at local colleges.
- Riverview School (East Sandwich, MA) – Private Transition program; diverse group; support at Cape Cod community college
- Cape Cod Community College, Project Forward (MA)- for ID and DD
MidAtlantic (DC, NY, MD, PA)
- CLE – DC (and other locations)
- Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Spectrum Support Program
- Bridges to Adelphi – NY
- Drexel University, Center for Autism and Neurodiversity – PA
- Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst (AIM) – PA
- George Mason University, Mason Autism Support Initiative (MASI)
- Cornell University’s Neurodiversity @ Cornell, Ithaca, NY
- American University, (DC) Learning Services Program
- Catholic University of America (Wash, DC) Catholic U Autism Spectrum Program (CASP)
West (AZ, ND, TX)
- Arizona State – SALT
- North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities (ASTEP) – an inclusive college program for students with intellectual and developmental (I/DD) disabilities
- ASPIRE, Dakota College at Bottineu, ND – program for people with (I/DD)
- Spectrum at Aggieland, Texas A&M (College Station, TX)
- Texas Tech University (TX), CASE Connections for Academic Success and Employment
South (WV, AL, FL, GA, AR, TN)
- The College Program for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Marshall University – West Virginia
- University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa – Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic
- Beacon, Florida This college is devoted to students with LD
- Emory Oaks, Support for Autistic Emory Students, GA
- Institute for Achievement and Learning, Lynn University, FL
- University of Arkansas- (Fayetteville, Ark) Autism Support Program
- University of the Ozarks, (Clarkesville, AR) Jones Learning Center
- Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Vanderbilt University, TN
- Austin Peay State University, (Clarksville, TN) Full Spectrum Learning
Midwest
- Eastern Michigan University, College Supports Program
- Augsburg College in Minneapolis- CLASS program center for learning and adaptive student services
- Edgewood College- Madison, WI – Cutting Edge (For ID and DD)
- Wisconsin, U of Oshkosh Project Success — remedial program for students with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities
- Lincoln College, IL Access Program
- Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, IL) Achieve Program
- National Louis University (Chicago, IL) P.A.C.E. Program – for ID and DD
- Muskingum College (OH) Plus Program – not specifically for autism, but very comprehensive supports
- Ohio State (Columbus, OH), Nisonger Center
- University of Cincinnati (OH), IMPACT Innovation
- University of Dayton, (OH), ACES Program
- Wright State (Dayton, OH)- RASE Autism program
- CIP Bloomington, IN
- University of Indianapolis (IN) – BUILD Program
- Indiana University of Bloomington, Indiana Resource Center for Autism
- University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA) REACH Program — students ages 18-25 years old with intellectual, cognitive and learning disabilities
- Loras College (IA) Arch Program
Summer Programs
- Mercyhurst University, PA, CREATE program
- Beacon, Summer for Success
- Landmark, Summer Programs
- Aurora University, IL, Pathways College Preparation Program for Neurodiverse Students
- CIP, multiple locations, Summer Programs
- The College of New Jersey, for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Bridges to Adelphi University (NY)
- Fairleigh Dickinson’s Summer Experience Program (NJ)
- Westminster College (MO) College Transition Program
Other Important Information:
The Autism College Connection 