I sent off my final uni paperwork today and this post came to mind as something I would have found useful when I was first looking. So here are my top tips for finding the right uni as a trans person
1) Check to see if they have any anti-LGBT policies
This really is the absolute minimum you should do. It's not so much of a problem in the UK but you may want to be careful if looking at a religious university. However, in America, this is much more of a problem for instance some colleges have rules prohibiting students from being in same-gender relationships so you can only imagine their rules for trans people.
2) Look for anti-discrimination policies
To take the above step further you should look for universities that have policies in place to support trans* students. For instance, many universities in the UK have policies that protect trans students from bullying/ discrimination. You can often find this information on the university website. How easy it is to find this information may be an indicator of how inclusive the university is.
3) Find out about the facilities available to students
Another major concern for trans* students is the availability of gender-neutral toilets this is something else you should be able to find on the university website. for example, the university I'm looking at clearly states on their website:
'Many of our toilets and changing facilities on our campus are gender-specific. Gender-neutral toilets can be found at the entrance from the access road to the dining hall in Holgate and the Students’ Union. All accessible toilets and single toilet cubicles are gender-neutral. There is a gender-neutral accessible toilet and shower by the Foss sports hall. Sanitary bins are provided in all gender-neutral toilets as well as female toilets. They are also available in at least one cubicle in the male toilets around campus. Signs will show where the units are once you are in the toilets. Sanitary product vending machines are in some female toilets in the main university buildings and the Students’ Union.'
Which although the facilities aren't necessarily ideal it clearly states where on campus you can find gender-neutral facilities which means you won't be left desperate for the toilet but unable to find a suitable facility. Obviously how relevant this step is to you will be influenced by how well you pass.
4) Look for LGBT groups/ societies
Another thing to look for on the university website would be if they have anything such as LGBT groups, sports teams, choirs, etc. Obviously, you don't have to join these if it's not your thing and nothing is stopping you from joining other groups but the presence of these sorts of groups is usually indicative of a supportive environment.
5) Finally find out how easy their name change process is
This may not be relevant to you if you have already legally changed your name. If you can I would definitely recommend doing so beforehand. In the UK, you can change your name for free by deed poll for which you only need two witnesses who are over 18 and who aren't related to you for which most people in the upper sixth can often find two friends who fit the bill. If you haven't changed your name legally you will want to look at how easy it is to get your preferred name onto ID badges, registers etc
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