How can peer mentoring benefit students with Autism in post-secondary education? 

Peer mentoring is emerging as one of the most effective ways to support autistic students in higher education. When delivered thoughtfully, it helps build belonging, confidence, and academic success. According to a 2024 evaluation by the Office for Students (OfS), co-produced mentoring programmes, designed with input from autistic students, improved confidence in disclosing needs, strengthened social connection, and enhanced retention across multiple UK universities. 

Understanding peer mentoring in higher education 

Peer mentoring typically matches students with a trained mentor, often a peer, postgraduate, or autistic graduate, who offers guidance, reassurance, and practical strategies for managing university life. NICE guidance on autism recommends structured social and mentoring support to ease transitions into further education and employment, highlighting the role of consistent communication and emotional continuity. 

This approach is particularly beneficial because autistic students often face sensory, social, and organisational barriers that make university life challenging. Peer mentors can bridge those gaps by modelling communication strategies, explaining academic systems, and helping mentees navigate new environments. 

What the evidence shows 

The benefits of peer mentoring are clear across both UK and international research. A 2021 systematic review found that autistic students involved in peer mentorship programmes demonstrated improved social engagement, academic outcomes, and emotional wellbeing. 
Further evidence from BMJ Open (Pointon-Haas et al., 2023) concluded that peer-led interventions improved belonging and mental health more effectively than traditional informational support models. 

The OfS’ national evaluation of university mental health funding (2024) revealed that mentoring programmes work best when co-created with autistic students and embedded across the institution, rather than isolated within disability services. These schemes improved overall student engagement and disclosure confidence, particularly when mentors received cultural competence and autism awareness training. 

Reducing anxiety and isolation 

Social belonging remains one of the strongest predictors of student success, yet autistic students frequently report feeling disconnected or misunderstood in university settings. Peer mentoring provides a supportive relationship that can counteract loneliness and reduce anxiety. 

A feasibility 2022 study of autistic-led peer support found that students who acted as both mentors and mentees experienced higher self-efficacy and greater satisfaction with their transition to higher education. Similarly, the Autistic and OK programme from Ambitious about Autism demonstrated that shared experience and emotional validation within peer networks can reduce stress and foster identity acceptance. 

Building independence and self-advocacy 

Structured mentoring is also linked to improvements in executive functioning and independence. NICE and the Autism Education Trust (AET) both highlight mentoring as a route to developing self-advocacy, a key skill for autistic students managing university workloads, disclosure, and self-care. 

Through ongoing peer relationships, students learn how to communicate their access needs, plan assignments, and develop confidence in seeking support. In several UK pilots, mentees reported feeling more able to navigate academic systems and ask for reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. 

Institutional benefits and inclusive culture 

Peer mentoring doesn’t just benefit individual students; it strengthens institutional inclusion. The OfS evaluation (2024) noted that universities with embedded mentoring networks saw cultural shifts in staff attitudes and greater understanding of neurodiversity. Training delivered alongside mentoring helped reduce stigma and built more accessible systems of communication. 

Universities that integrated mentoring within Autism Hubs or wellbeing centres such as those at University of Bristol, University of Sheffield, and University of Edinburgh, also reported reduced dropout rates and stronger engagement with disability services. These hubs often include autistic-led peer mentoring programmes, providing role models and community anchors that promote belonging and persistence. 

Barriers to effective mentoring 

Despite its success, peer mentoring programmes face practical challenges. It identifies  

• Inconsistent mentor training 

• Short-term funding 

•  Lack of institutional continuity 

The OfS recommends longer-term funding cycles and greater integration between disability services, counselling, and academic departments to ensure sustainability. 

There are also barriers to participation; some students may be hesitant to disclose their autism diagnosis, while others face challenges accessing mentoring due to timetable constraints or limited awareness of available schemes. 

Towards best practice 

The evidence supports a clear direction for UK universities: 

• Co-produce mentoring schemes with autistic students to ensure relevance and empowerment. 

• Train mentors in sensory differences, communication preferences, and autism-inclusive practices. 

• Embed mentoring within wider wellbeing and academic frameworks for long-term sustainability. 

• Encourage autistic leadership, where mentees can become mentors and foster community continuity. 

• Evaluate programmes regularly, aligning with OfS equality standards and DfE SEND Improvement Plan (2023). 

When mentoring is integrated into an inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming culture, supported by national frameworks and backed by sustained investment, the benefits ripple across entire institutions. Autistic students gain not only academic skills but confidence, friendship, and a stronger sense of identity. 

Takeaway 

Peer mentoring offers more than academic support; it creates community, confidence, and continuity for autistic students navigating university life. With training, collaboration, and institutional commitment, mentoring transforms inclusion from a policy aspiration into everyday practice, helping autistic students not just access education, but truly belong within it.