Transition support opportunities for applicants

Headstart (for Autistic / undiagnosed Autistic students) and Get Ahead (for those who have shared a mental health condition / ADHD) are held in early September ahead of the start of term for incoming Undergraduate students.

These events compliment the University’s existing Visit Days and Open Days, providing a more bespoke experience with information on academic life, daily living and social aspects of the University. The event is delivered by Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity (SWAI) as part of our Student Support Services.

This event is in partnership with various colleagues and services across the University to facilitate the event, including: 

• Loughborough Students’ Union
• The Student Accommodation Centre
• Student Ambassadors
• Existing students who access SWAI support

The event is optional and we expect that attendees will have previously visited campus ahead of this event.

Previous transition days have typically included:

• Welcome from our Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity teams.
• Talks around support, managing wellbeing and what to expect when joining.
• Question and Answer series for parents/guardians.
• Accommodation tour.
• Lunch and the chance to meet and get to know other peers ahead of starting University.
• Student panel consisting of feedback from current students / graduates with advice.

To support with accessing the transition days, students will be able to bring a parent/guardian with them to the event. There will be an expectation for parents/guardians to leave for some of this whilst students engage with the day, with parents/guardians returning towards the end of the event.

A recent UCAS report revealed that disabled students are more likely to defer than their peers because they need support earlier on in their university journey. Events like Headstart and Get Ahead hope to provide this.

Feedback from previous attendees was overwhelmingly positive, saying they found the event beneficial and that it made them feel more prepared for starting their studies. 

Parent feedback explained that although their child was initially ‘terrified and feeling overwhelmed about university’, they left the event ‘buzzing with excitement’.  They shared that as a result of the event they had made new friends who they attended Freshers’ Week events and felt secure knowing that the people they met on the day ‘would totally get it when they needed some time out or to do things a little differently.’

Any applicant who has completed our Disability and Health portal prior to A-level results day, and shared an identification of Autism, ADHD or mental health conditions will be invited to attend these events via email following the confirmation of their place at Loughborough.

If you have shared multiple conditions, we will offer the most appropriate option for you.

If you have any queries around the transition events, please contact studentwellbeing@lboro.ac.uk

Click here to find out more about the Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity teams.

Last updated: 7th July 2026