Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) is committed to widening access to higher education. AUB’s Care Leavers Bursary provides eligible students with £2,000 per academic year and dedicated support from the Access and Participation Team. Bursary recipients meet their adviser at least three times a year and can apply to work as Outreach Ambassadors to gain skills and paid experience.
Care experienced students can access 365‑day accommodation each year, with no rent charged over summer (excluding any damage costs). Bursary recipients are also eligible for the AUB Guarantor Award when renting privately.
Choosing a university can feel overwhelming, but Bath Spa University supports applicants and students from diverse backgrounds. As a smaller and friendly institution set in a safe, green city, it offers teaching and support on a more personal scale. The University considers students as whole individuals, listens to their needs, and is committed to providing a positive experience. Students thrive in this environment and progress into a wide range of careers across the public, private and voluntary sectors. Bath Spa University is a committed supporter of the Care Leavers Covenant, offering practical support ranging from financial guidance to accommodation, careers advice and wellbeing services. Through innovative courses, dedicated staff and excellent campus environments, the University helps students achieve their ambitions.
A Bee who finishes with us leaves with an Extended Project Qualification worth up to 28 UCAS points and a portfolio of industry work.
Bee N Spired is a specialist creative education provider delivering applied STEAM for children in care, aged 14 to 25. Our Bees use hands-on projects to solve problems, turn those solutions into live enterprises, and get accredited for it along the way. We hold City and Guilds and ILM Approved Centre status and run the awards ourselves, so every Bee is tracked from first workshop to their next destination.
We welcome conversations with virtual schools, colleges and universities about routes for care-experienced and estranged learners.
Brunel University London welcomes care leavers from across the UK and provides dedicated support before and during university. The widening access officer, Karen Western, works with staff and virtual schools, offering tailored events for children in care from Year 6 onwards and supporting young people with information, UCAS guidance and pre‑entry contact through visits, calls and email.
Care leavers receive priority accommodation for the full duration of their studies and may be eligible for a Care Leavers Bursary. At the University, Patricia Dore in the Student Centre acts as the main contact, offering information, guidance and access to wellbeing, counselling, disability and learning support. Enquiries from current or prospective students can be directed to the University’s designated contact.
Entering higher education can be both exciting and daunting, particularly for those leaving care. Canterbury Christ Church University provides comprehensive support from the moment students arrive. Support advisers are available to assist with personal, financial, academic and housing issues, and can contribute to personal education plans or advocate on a student’s behalf where appropriate.
The University offers a Care Leaver Bursary for eligible undergraduate or PGCE students, totalling £4,800 over four years (£1,200 per year, pro rata for part‑time study). This applies to courses including Foundation Years and PGCE programmes, but not apprenticeships.
Care leavers are also guaranteed a place on the SCE Ambassador scheme, subject to DBS and right‑to‑work checks and completion of training. This paid role provides flexible work that fits around academic commitments.
Capstone Foster Care supports care leavers as they move toward independence. The organisation employs specialist teachers who focus on achieving the best outcomes for young people. It invests in those leaving care by helping them transition to independent living and access opportunities such as higher education and employment. The Capstone Care Leavers Trust provides grants to 17–25‑year‑olds who have been in Local Authority care in England or Wales and are in need. The Trust also offers advice and guidance to help reduce social exclusion and improve life chances. Historically, the Capstone Foster Care group has donated to charities that assist disadvantaged young people entering adulthood. The establishment of the Capstone Care Leavers Trust has enabled care‑experienced young people to receive financial support not available elsewhere.
Cardiff University is committed to supporting care leavers both as they enter higher education and throughout their studies. The University continues to develop its offer, which currently includes:
Pre‑University Support
Support During University
City, University of London supports care‑experienced students through its City Cares programme, offering guidance from application to graduation. Pre‑entry support includes advice from the Widening Participation Outreach team and the City Cares designated staff member. Financial support includes a £3,500 Care Leavers Bursary, hardship funding and a graduation package covering key ceremony costs. Care‑experienced students are also prioritised for partner accommodation throughout their degree. Enquiries should be directed to the City Cares Designated Member of Staff, Natasha Mutch‑Vidal.
De Montfort University has a strong widening participation focus and offers comprehensive support to care‑experienced young people before and after they begin their studies. The University is a signatory to the Care Leaver’s Covenant and works closely with local authorities, virtual schools and other organisations supporting children in need. Within the Transitions Team, Melissa Page and Louise Wells act as the designated contacts for care‑experienced and estranged students, providing guidance on student finance, additional funding and housing.
Edge Hill University provides targeted support for care‑experienced and estranged students, recognised through the NNECL Quality Mark. A named contact in the Widening Access and Student Success Team offers personalised pre‑entry advice, including help with applications, student finance, bespoke visits and liaison with local authorities. Applicants can benefit from fair entry criteria, outreach opportunities and dedicated support during clearing. Support also includes 365‑day accommodation options, a £1,000 Care Leaver Bursary, summer financial assistance, help with graduation costs, access to hardship funding and health and wellbeing services. Students can also join tailored development programmes, social activities and paid opportunities. Further details are available from the Widening Access and Student Success Team at wass@edgehill.ac.uk.
First Star Scholars UK supports care-experienced children and young people from age 9 through to adulthood through a structured, multi-year pathway into higher education. Our programmes include Foundations for Brighter Futures (Years 5–7), Pathway to Excellence (Years 8–11) and Empowering Independence (Year 12+), combining academic enrichment, social and emotional learning, life skills and sustained 1:1 and group mentoring. Delivery includes university-based residentials, STEM and careers-focused experiences, and year-round online and place-based support. Our approach is proven: 50% of First Star Scholars progress to higher education compared to 6% nationally for care-experienced young people, alongside significantly improved confidence, wellbeing and educational engagement.
ICON College of Technology and Management is a modern, friendly and dynamic independent college offering Higher Education in the City of London. It was established in 2003 and now offers degree courses across Business, Computing, Tourism & Hospitality and Health & Social Care
Joseph Chamberlain College is the only college in Birmingham and Solihull rated ‘Outstanding’ by OFSTED, with student achievement among the highest in England. We’re a highly inclusive and vibrant college, proud of the diversity that exists among our staff and students. We recognise and appreciate that there are particular challenges for students who have experienced a ‘looked-after’ environment so offer the following support:
Transition from school to college: We will work with your secondary school to ensure that all relevant information is shared properly and quickly. There will be a number of opportunities for you to visit the College prior to joining us; interview days, Open events and New Student Taster Days.
Once Enrolled: Once enrolled, we will offer activities to help settle in and get to know new people. This includes our diverse enrichment programme, which gives the opportunity to take part in a variety of clubs and societies outside of lesson time.
Financial support: As a (Ex) Child In Care, you will be entitled to the 16 to 19 year olds Government bursary; an annual sum of £1,200 paid to care leavers or learners who are looked after by the Local Authority. We also offer additional financial support in the form of a free bus pass (if appropriate) and free college meals. Every student is also offered a free breakfast between 8am and 9am.
Pastoral Support: The College is unique in the way that it supports its students. Every student is assigned a Personal Progress Tutor who will provide support, advice and guidance throughout your time at the College.
Academic support: We understand that many care-experienced students may have had a disrupted education. To ensure that students achieve their full potential, the College offers a variety of individualised academic support, from subject specific workshops and one to ones, to generalised study support with our team of Academic Learning Coaches.
Medical and Physical Health Support: The College provides support from 2 NHS nurses as well as a Mental Health Practitioner. We can also signpost you to many local organisations that can support your physical and emotional wellbeing.
Careers and progression support: The primary focus of our 'Futures' team is to support and develop our students so they are ready to progress once they leave us. The team provides information, advice and guidance to all students and organises specific events targeted at widening the opportunities for care leavers and students who are looked after. This includes progression to University.
Lisa Barton is the College’s designated Care Leavers’ and Child In Care Lead. Lisa the point of contact for students both at pre enrolment and throughout their time at the College. You can contact Lisa on Lbarton@jcc.ac.uk.
Kingston University has a deep and enduring commitment to widening access to Higher Education. The University was named Higher Education Institution of the Year for Widening Access for two consecutive years (NEON Awards 2016 and 2017), and shortlisted in the University of the Year category at the UK Social Mobility Awards in 2019. Our KU Cares scheme has been a significant part of our approach to delivering equality of access and opportunity in higher education since 2006.
KU Cares supports students with experience of local authority care from the point of application, through to graduation and beyond. There are regular opportunities for students to interact with staff who understand the challenges faced by many care-experienced young people, as well as and other students who have spent time in care themselves. Care-experienced students are offered priority places in University accommodation, with a 365-day option. We are also a UNITE Foundation partner university, enabling care leavers to apply for a full accommodation scholarship for the duration of their course.
Care leavers are eligible for an annual £1500 KU Cares Bursary, and may also be eligible for the £2000 Kingston University Bursary (year 1 only). In addition, students have access to hardship funds where appropriate.
We offer a range of targeted on-course development opportunities such as mentoring, paid work opportunities, and placements.
Our recently developed graduation package supports and celebrates students’ success by providing a complimentary gown hire and photography package, a celebration event, and a £1,000 graduation bursary. Students can access tailored support from the University’s Careers Service for up to three years after graduation.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with us at kucares@kingston.ac.uk
Lancaster University is committed to supporting care leavers and care experienced students to progress to higher education and achieve their potential. We offer a wide range of opportunities across the lifecycle to ensure that your student experience is fulfilling, supportive and tailored to you.
If you choose to study at Lancaster University, you can access the following:
If you are a prospective or current student with questions relating to support for care leavers, please contact the designated Care Contact (Cathryn Fitton)
The Outreach and Student Success team also offer a variety of Outreach activities to support care leavers to make an informed decision about university. To find out more about the opportunities available, please contact: outreach@lancaster.ac.uk
You can find out more about Lancaster’s pledge and commitment to support care leavers and care experienced students via the Care Leaver Covenant
Laser Learning Awards (LASER) is an awarding organisation regulated by Ofqual and is an Access Validating Agency (AVA) licensed by QAA.
LASER is proud of its history of transforming learners’ lives and supporting education and training providers, for over 30 years, promoting widening participation, social inclusion, employer engagement and lifetime learning for all. We support flexible, responsive and quality assured learning opportunities in a wide range of contexts, including at work, in the community, in the classroom and through distance and e-learning, and we work nationally and internationally.
The LASER Level 3 Award in Supporting Young People Leaving Care in Post-16 Education is available to approved LASER centres. This level 3 qualification is intended to enhance and recognise the skills and knowledge of the ‘Designated Member of Staff’ in Further and Higher Education Institutions responsible for Care Leavers. More information about this qualification can be found here.
Launching in early 2023 is LASER’s E-learning package that consists of 3 modules:
Each module contains learning material relevant to the sector, links to helpful websites, documents, videos and interactive tasks to embed learning. Keep an eye out for our launch date here.
For further information about available e-learning or Ofqual regulated qualifications, and for any relevant queries, please contact LASER:
Email: enquiries@laser-awards.org.uk
Phone: 01932 569894
Visit our website: https://www.laser-awards.org.uk/
Outreach
Lincoln Bishop University has links with the local Lincolnshire's Leaving Care Service in order to provide outreach services to children in care in the Lincolnshire area and to help encourage aspirations towards Higher Education. A member of the Student Advice & Wellbeing team coordinating this outreach activity is a former member of the Barnardos team and their experience of working with young people in care is a valuable asset in delivering effective 1:1 support as a named contact to individuals aspiring to Higher Education.
Both the Student Advice & Wellbeing and Admissions teams within the University are members of the NNECL network and regularly attend regional meetings and annual conferences.
Admissions
The Admissions team makes contextual offers available to care experienced applicants, in order to both encourage entry onto their programme of study, and take the pressure off final results.
Accommodation
Lincoln Bishop is committed to making 365 day accommodation available to care experienced students. A number of options are available, offering en suite, or non-en suite Halls of Residence, or private housing (by arrangement with local landlords).
A guarantor scheme is available whereby the University will act as guarantor for care experienced students staying in University accommodation. Assistance with securing accommodation is available from the Accommodation Office.
Care experienced students will receive a welcome pack (including bedding, and store cupboard staples).
Student Support Services
Lincoln Bishop offers a free, independent Counselling Service (with no waiting list to date) using a local counselling practice with a team of 15 counsellors – each with their own specialisms/experience. A Mental Health Advice team offer support during office hours and in the twilight hours up until midnight. The University’s Student Advice & Wellbeing service, Students’ Union and Centre for Enhancement in Learning and Teaching work together on a number of wellbeing focused events each year.
Financial Support
Lincoln Bishop has a long-established Enhanced Bursary for care experienced students, worth £3,600 per year. The Enhanced Bursary is non-repayable. A letter from the student’s leaving care service (or similar) is sufficient for the bursary to be allocated.
The Student Advice & Wellbeing team is highly experienced in advising students on applying for, and their entitlement to student finance. The service will contact student finance services directly to assist students, if required.
Financial assistance is also available with the costs of Graduation (gown, photograph, meal, and Graduation Ball ticket)
At Liverpool John Moores University, we have a long history of supporting care experienced young people in progressing to higher education. Through our award winning John Lennon Imagine Award scheme and our programme of outreach activities we offer a range of initiatives to encourage care experienced young people to consider university study as an option for them and provide extensive support throughout each student’s time at the University. In addition we were one of the first universities to sign up to the government’s Care Leaver Covenant and are a member of the National Network for the Education of Care Leavers.
We work in partnership with Virtual Schools, Local Authorities and other organisations to support each care-experienced student studying at LJMU. This close collaboration enables both the University and Local Authority to provide targeted, flexible support to meet each student’s needs at each level of study. Our students tell us that this 1:1 approach is the most important aspect of the support that we offer
Some examples of our current provision include:
Billie-Gina Thomason
Catherine Shillito- Account Manager
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At LCTD, we are committed to bringing out the best in everyone. The Centre prides itself as a leading training provider who does everything 'exceptionally' to ensure our staff, Assessors, and learners achieve their full potential. Since March 2016, LCTD has been providing relevant, accredited and professionally recognised adult education qualifications.
LCTD's mission is to remain a highly reputable leading training provider that creates opportunities, success and futures for everyone.
As part of this mission, LCTD is pleased to offer support, advice and guidance to care leavers and care experienced students who are looking to enter further and higher education. We understand that this process can be daunting and stressful, so at LCTD we offer the following services:
Most importantly, LCTD offer a friendly, supportive and welcoming service. Confidentiality is important to us, we will always respect this and will not share your information with anyone without your consent.
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has been committed to widening access for students from all backgrounds for over two decades – from pre-entry programmes with school and college pupils to our holistic contextual admissions process and a comprehensive financial support package. LSE recognises that care-experienced students may face additional challenges accessing and studying in higher education.
LSE currently offer pre- entry and on course support at LSE for care-experienced students, including:
For further information please visit ourCare Experienced students webpage or contact the LSE Cares team at ard.lsecares@lse.ac.uk
London School of Management Education is a progressive and innovative Higher Education Institute offering high quality and affordable education with the primary aim of promoting and developing individuals and society through skills enhancement.
Our LSME-Not Too Late To Learn (NTLTL) outreach project aims to provide Care Leavers with academic and financial support in a Foundation Year and facilitate their progression to higher education. As progression options, we offer degree programmes in Business Management and Health and Social Care, in addition to Diploma in Education and Training.
Foundation Year is an optional year at Level 4, and is a great opportunity for those considering higher education as an option but facing various barriers to learning. Care Leavers will find Foundation Year a great way to build skills, knowledge and confidence to prepare them for a degree course. Furthermore, it will help them remove academic gaps and improve literacy. In addition, Care Leavers will get the chance to experience university/college style teaching as well as gain practical experience to help them progress to undergraduate degree courses.
At LSME, we offer Foundation Year scholarships and a range of bursaries and scholarships for Care Leavers.
Our friendly and supporting Access and Participation Team will be available for any queries related to support for Care Leavers and help during their enrolment process and studies. Moreover, Care Leavers are invited to take a virtual tour with our APP Team or visit the campus and have a chat about the various options.
For further information on available financial support, eligibility, academic support and any relevant queries, please contact LSME APP Team:
Email: app@lsme.ac.uk
Phone: 0208 594 8462
Visit our website: www.lsme.ac.uk
Loughborough University is ranked in the Top 10 in all national league tables (10th in 2022 Guardian, 7th Complete University Guide 2022 & 7th Times Good University Guide 2021), with extensive experience in delivering specific outreach to care-experienced young people, including bespoke subject taster days as well as an annual on campus experience day to help inspire and prepare prospective students for transition to university
Nelson College London understands the challenges faced by care leavers when entering higher education. We are committed to supporting students who have experienced care at any stage of their lives.
The College has a Student Welfare team who are dedicated to supporting Care leavers from the moment they are interested in studying at Nelson College London right through to progressing into further studies or employment.
The Student Welfare team are always available as we have an open-door policy (no booking appointments), to support students overcome any barriers whilst at the College.
Care leavers students are offered the following support at each stage of the student lifecycle at the College:
As mentioned above, Care Leaver students will be eligible for financial support in the form of a Bursary Package of up to £1,000.
For more information, please contact our dedicated Student Welfare Team at Student.welfare@nelsoncollege.ac.uk.
We are committed to supporting students who are care leavers, and recognise the challenges that care leavers face when considering university. As well as receiving ongoing support while studying at Newcastle, we can provide you with advice and guidance before you apply, on all topics relating to higher education.
Support can include:
Appointments to discuss the support options available to you before you apply or accept an offer.
Access to the range of support services offered by the university.
Someone to speak to if there is anything you are unsure about.
A visit to university accommodation and/or a campus tour.
Meeting a current university student.
Find out more and who to contact if you have any questions here
The North East Raising Aspiration Partnership (NERAP), is a collaboration of the five universities in the North East; Durham University, Newcastle University, Northumbria University, University of Sunderland and Teesside University.
NERAP works with young people in the region across different Key Stages to equip them with the knowledge and skills to realise their academic potential in education, including care-experienced students, and other under-represented groups. Sessions for both students and parents/carers are available in this area.
The Partnership delivers programmes including ‘Choices Together’ that provide opportunities and support to care-leavers in their educational journeys. NERAP focuses on inspiring young people from under-represented groups, to fully explore all higher education opportunities by providing progressive and intensive programmes of support. We aim to make a measurable difference in young people’s learning, attitudes, knowledge, and confidence to progress through education and fulfil their aspirations.
At Oldham college we are passionate about ensuring there is a smooth transition for all our care experienced students, we have an excellent safeguarding and welfare team as well as our youth workers to provide all the relevant support required to enable you to progress and succeed to the best of your ability. We can arrange visits and taster days to help you decide on the right course and to make sure that you feel comfortable and confident in our college environment
During your time at Oldham College, the named person for care experienced students will liaise with you and all relevant services you are working with to ensure you are receiving the appropriate support and guidance to succeed and progress. We will attend all PEP meetings along with CLA reviews and TAC meetings to ensure an holistic approach to your education. The college have a team of people who you can speak with about any concerns or advice regarding your college experience, finance, careers, progression and emotional well-being.
As part of our outreach programme, we encourage care leavers to attend our events and we provide a travel bursary to Open and Applicant days. We have also launched a new online Outreach hub where students can interact with student ambassadors, access new academic content and hone their study skills. If you would like to know more about the activities we run for care leavers please email schools.liaison@brookes.ac.uk.
Oxford Brookes are committed to supporting care experienced students and offer a wide-ranging support package from access to graduation including:
All applicants who disclose they are a care leaver on their UCAS application form will be contacted in the summer months to discuss their support needs and their eligibility for the transition from care bursary. A named contact will support and signpost care experienced students to other support available throughout their time at Oxford Brookes.
We have launched a new strategy to increase our support for care experienced students. Working with the Oxfordshire Virtual School, we will deliver a 3 year sustained outreach programme for children in care from Year 9-11. We will provide a named contact for all care experienced students who receive an offer from Oxford Brookes, who will proactively support them from transition through to graduation. Students will be offered the opportunity to have a peer mentor before they start and there will be a range of support during induction. The Centre for Academic Development will provide a ‘study strategy meeting' to help students plan for the demands of Semester 1 and will provide ongoing support throughout their course. Students will also have a named Careers Consultant to highlight central careers provision as well as offering ongoing support throughout their student journey, including bespoke/tailored sessions.
We will continue to financially support care leavers through our Transition from Care Bursary as well as additional support including an accommodation deposit waiver, a bedding and kitchen pack, and a graduation pack.
For full details of the support available please read the strategy. If you would like further information please contact Claire Cooke c.cooke@brookes.ac.uk.
Strategy to support care experienced students at Oxford Brookes 2020-231.pdf
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Queen’s University Belfast are committed to widening access for care experienced learners. Our Widening Participation Unit delivers an outreach programme to develop the literacy, numeracy and emotional literacy skills of children aged 8-12 who are living in care through weekly online sessions with a Queen’s Student Mentor. The Widening Participation Unit (WPU) also offer priority places to care experienced learners on outreach programmes that span the length of a learner’s post primary school journey. To ensure the best support is provided as early as possible for those who have experience of care WPU work closely with Health and Social Care Trusts and voluntary agencies.
If you are care experienced and considering higher education, Queen’s University offer pre-entry advice and tours.
Once you are a student of the University you can also avail of additional support including;
If you would like further information, please email wpu@qub.ac.uk . You can also find out more about the support offered on our care experienced students website
*Please also visit the website for bursary eligibility criteria.
Queen Mary University of London is committed to supporting those who are, or have been, in the care of a Local Authority (in foster care or semi-independent living or a residential care home), to achieve their potential and succeed at university. As such, Queen Mary has a dedicated scheme to support care-experienced students, which includes having a dedicated, named member of staff as your key contact. One of the Welfare Advisers will be your dedicated key contact for support during your time at Queen Mary. You are encouraged to contact us to access this support scheme before you start at Queen Mary - ideally, before you apply for your place at university or soon after. However, you are also welcome to contact us at any stage of your course.
Our dedicated webpages will help you understand what support is available for you as a care experienced student at Queen Mary. You will have some important decisions to make about where to live and in what type of accommodation and you will need to understand what funding you can apply for to pay for your living costs and tuition fees.
Coming to university without family support can be challenging, but there is a lot of support at Queen Mary to help you with any difficulties you might have, and we have many students studying with us who are care experienced.
We encourage you to disclose your care experienced status on your UCAS application form (There is a tick box on the UCAS form which lets us know you are care experienced, and you can also mention it in your personal statement). This is useful for the admissions tutor to be aware of. If you did not mention it and would now like to (if your application is still being considered) you can email the Admissions team dealing with your application and ask them to let the admissions tutor know.
We do understand that you may be unsure about letting the university know you are care experienced, but please be aware that this information is only ever shared with those who need to know. This information will never be used against a student; it will be used to offer you appropriate support. You can then decide whether you want to take advantage of that support, and if so, when you want to do that.
Pre-entry
The Queen Mary Student Recruitment and Widening Participation Team work closely with the University’s Advice and Counselling Service to ensure we provide continued support for our students and applicants who are Care Experienced or Estranged from their families.
We understand the hurdles independent students face and are here to make your journey to university as smooth as possible and ensure that you have access to all the care, funding, housing and welfare services that we offer.
For full and detailed information on Queen Mary’s offer to Care Experienced and Estranged Students, you can visit this site.
Alternatively feel free to contact Joe Sampson, who can guide you through your application to and transition to Queen Mary University of London
Joe also works with Virtual Schools and LEA’s across London boroughs to run University Awareness events for Looked After Children. If you are from one of these settings and would like us to visit you, please get in touch.
Financial Support
If you are getting Student Finance as a single independent student, you should automatically qualify for a Queen Mary Bursary. You do not need to make a separate application for this, and there are an unlimited number of these bursaries. The bursary is non-repayable and is for you to use on whatever you need.
University Financial Assistance Fund
The Financial Assistance Fund awards grants to eligible students whose income is not enough to pay for their essential costs. The fund can help young independent students with a grant to help towards the cost of their rent during the summer vacation. You might also qualify for a grant during the academic year, depending on your circumstances. A Welfare Adviser can help you understand if you might qualify for a grant from the fund and can help you to apply.
Contact us: care-experienced@qmul.ac.uk
The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) is committed to supporting care leavers in accessing Higher Education and succeeding at University. We are a small specialist University with a strong close knitted student community, and student support, advice and guidance is at the heart of our remit. We have dedicated teams available to help care leavers with all elements of the transition to University, including pre-application support, application support, and on course support throughout all years of study.
Going to University is a big decision, so RAU’s Outreach team is available to offer care leavers advice, information and guidance on all aspects of Higher Education in general, and studying at RAU in particular. We offer a wide range of events and activities on and off campus, as well as virtually, to raise aspiration and attainment, and cover topics such as course choices, funding and support available, advice on writing a personal statement, and UCAS applications. We host multiple events on campus throughout the year, and offer funded places for care leavers.
We will be happy to talk to you on the phone, by email, on zoom or in person at one of our Open Days to discuss the support available, and you can also chat to our current students either online (on our website) or in person at an Open Day about student life and their own university experience. Please get in touch with us (outreach@rau.ac.uk) to find out more about our events, or if you require financial support to attend one of our events as we have a number of travel bursaries available. If you would rather prefer an individual visit to RAU, we can offer you an individual campus tour upon request.
RAU offers a number of scholarships, awards and bursaries that are available to care leavers, including University Core Bursary (£1,000 per year), RAU Support Bursary (£1,000 per year for up to a maximum of three years); and Widening Access Financial Support Bursary (£1,500 per year plus reasonable travel costs). Please visit our website for the full list of financial support available: https://www.rau.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/funding-your-time-at-university/bursaries-awards-scholarships
Our Support, wellbeing and counselling teams are there to assist care leavers in all aspects of academic and pastoral needs, including peer support initiatives, counselling, disability support, and academic study support. Further information about student support offered is available on our website: https://www.rau.ac.uk/university-life/support-and-wellbeing/wellbeing-and-counselling. Care Leavers are given priority for student support services appointments, as well as for the on campus accommodation at RAU. In addition to this, 365 year round accommodation is available upon request.
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama is committed to increasing the number of care experienced students and care leavers accessing Higher Education.
We understand that choosing where to study and the application and registration processes can be particularly stressful experiences for care leavers and we have a range of support available to assist students throughout the Student Lifecycle:
Pre-arrival
Central works closely with a number of organisations within London who support care experienced and care leaver students such as Inner Circle, Care to Culture, Corum and The Big House.
We are happy to arrange individual visits to campus for students and personal advisers. These visits provide prospective applicants with the opportunity to discuss the following with the Access and Participation Manager (who acts an advocate for all care experienced students and care leavers) and a representative from the Student Advice Service:
On-course support:
The Access and Participation Manager acts a key point of contact for care leavers and supports them on an advocacy basis during their studies. The Access and Participation Manager works closely with colleagues across the institution and is able to signpost to students our various student support functions.
Accommodation: Central has an allocation of rooms in the University of London’s Intercollegiate Halls. There are also several private Halls of Residence close to Central. Students also rent in shared houses with other Central students and we run Sharers’ Days to help people with this process. We would encourage you to contact Central’s Student Advice Service for accommodation information and advice – Their email address is sas@cssd.ac.uk
Finance: We have a bursary for care leavers providing at least £1000 per academic year. This fund is to contribute to your living costs and costs associated with studying.
If you would like to discuss any concerns you may have, or would like to find out more, please contact us via outreach@cssd.ac.uk.
Graduation and beyond
We provide all care experienced students and care leavers with an exit bursary when they leave Central and we make referrals to Drive Forward -Home - Drive Forward Foundation – for graduating students.
Additionally, we also support graduating students with costs associated with graduation – tickets for two guests and cap and gowns.
Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Sixth Form College is a community of approximately 1300 students, based in South London. We are specialists in post-16 education, offering a wide range of A levels, BTECs, UAL Diplomas and T Levels, all of which are taught by teachers who are experts in their fields and in state-of-the-art facilities. We have a diverse student community, with young people travelling from across London and beyond to attend.
The College is proud of the work it undertakes to improve the social mobility of its students, and the proportion who go on to study at university is higher than many other sixth form colleges. Significant numbers of our students live within geographical areas rated by the Index of Multiple Deprivation as the most deprived, and the College is committed to removing barriers to learning for all. We understand that there are particular challenges for students who have experienced a ‘looked-after’ environment and offer the following support:
Transition to college: We recognise that choosing the most suitable college and courses can be difficult, and there are many opportunities for prospective students (and their carers and support workers) to visit the College prior to enrolment. These include open events, interview days and new student taster days. After students enrol, they can take part in a wide range of activities to help them settle in and get to know new people. These include sporting activities, contributing to numerous clubs and groups, and participating in college trips such as the annual visit to the Model United Nations conference in New York, which has been running for several years.
Financial support: There are two types of bursary administered by the College: the Discretionary Bursary and the Defined Vulnerable Groups Bursary. The funds from both of these bursaries will typically be used by the College for:
Along with other students, Looked After Children and Care Leavers can receive help with applying from the College.
Pastoral support: We have an excellent pastoral care system. Each student has a Personal Tutor to help them, alongside their subject teachers. We have a specialist Welfare team, College Counsellor and a Student Welfare Officer on hand to support students experiencing personal worries or concerns. Designated Teachers will normally be members of the Welfare team, who are all experienced in working with Looked After Children and Care Leavers.
Academic support: Saint Francis Xavier College works with a range of Virtual Schools to help to ensure that our care-experienced students reach their full potential. We follow a monitoring process and participate fully in Post-16 PEP meetings, with Designated Teachers collecting regular feedback. We recognise that all students are different, and the College offers a variety of personalised academic support, such as one-to-one progress reviews and small group interventions. We also have an Additional Learning Support team to help students with disabilities and special educational needs, as well as any student who is struggling academically.
Careers and Progression: Our dedicated academic and careers support teams help every student to aim high and achieve their desired next steps. We cover the full range of support needed, from help to stay on track, to special support for Oxbridge and Russell Group applicants, and those going on to study medicine.
Care experienced young people, foster parents, residential staff and external agencies can contact us on Email: Enquiries@sfx.ac.uk Phone: 020 8772 6000
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Southampton Solent University is committed to supporting students who have been in local authority care. We work in partnership with local councils, schools, colleges and other Universities regionally through the ‘We Care’ partnership to ensure you are supported in the best way possible to achieve your potential. Our support package includes:
If you have any questions, please get in touch – student.hub@solent.ac.uk
At St Mary’s University we recognise the need to support students who have previously been in the care of their local authority. We are proud to have won the ‘Outstanding Support for Students’ trophy at the Times Higher Education Awards, for the St Mary’s Cares package of support. This was awarded at the eighteenth annual THE Awards in November 2022, with judges recognising the University’s ‘sincere and well‑considered approach’ to supporting the complex needs of its students.
We have a dedicated member of staff in the Student Funding Service who is the designated point of contact for all care leavers and care experienced students, who can act as an additional support system and liaison between anyone who requires their assistance and the other areas of the university before, during and after someone registers as a student at St Mary’s.
A range of support is provided for care leavers, care experienced and estranged students at St Mary’s. Depending on your eligibility, this can include the award-winning St Mary’s Cares Bursary, the Emergency Summer Fund, Graduation Package (including guest tickets, gown hire and photos), and more. Find out more from our Student Funding Service: Student Funding Service.
For more information at any stage, you can contact us and request an appointment - please email studentfundingservice@stmarys.ac.uk and we will set up a suitable time. Alternatively, you can phone 020 8240 4386. We are also listed on Propel, the website that acts as a guide to all care experienced students considering higher education: Propel- St Marys University Twickenham
For information on outreach activities for care experienced young people, you can contact our Outreach Manager Nancy Bentley via wideningparticipation@stmarys.ac.uk
TACT Education service supports the education and outcomes for the children and young people in our fostering agency in various ways:
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We are committed to supporting young people in or leaving care to progress to higher education. We offer a range of activities and support to looked after children, care leavers and their care workers to help raise aspirations, provide information and support, and to encourage care leavers to reach their potential.
We work closely with local authorities, schools and colleges to provide opportunities for looked after children and care leavers from access to support and activities which help raise aspirations and confidence, right through to supporting those taking the leap and making a university application.
Pre-application:
Our Student Recruitment team can advise on the range of activities available, including:
Need help and advice? Contact:
TUCares Team: careleavers@tees.ac.uk
B&FC is an Ofsted Grade 1 college and in the top 2% of all colleges in England for school leaver success. We recently celebrated outstanding results among our further education students, which saw them progress to degree-level study and rewarding careers. At B&FC, our focus is giving you the knowledge, skills and experience to prepare for higher education and highly skilled employment. Here you will access industry specialist tutors, cutting edge facilities and an industry placement to provide you with a valuable head start on your chosen future career.
B&FC University Centre offer over 50 degree-level courses, co-created with employers to support progression into and within your chosen career. Over 3,000 students choose B&FC higher education annually, accessing outstanding education that has been awarded the highest Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework. Since the majority of our degree-level qualifications are awarded by Lancaster University (International University of the Year 20201 ), you have the dual benefit of graduating with a UK top 10 university degree.
How we support Looked After Children and Care Leavers in Further education and Apprenticeships
Prior to entry into College:
On entry into College:
While at College:
* Eligibility applies
Aged 16-24 and starting an apprenticeship?
If you're a Care Leaver starting an apprenticeship and aged between 16 and 24, our £1,000 bursary payment will ease the transition into employment and support you during this important time.This will be discussed as part of the financial appointment at the signup meeting for your apprenticeship.
Higher education
SUCCEED – if you’re studying a degree-level course
SUCCEED is specifically for Care Leavers, carers and students who do not have contact with their families, who are studying at degree level.
Through SUCCEED, these students can access:
If you need to contact us, please email succeed@blackpool.ac.uk.
For more information, contact the Student Support and Wellbeing team on Email: learningsupport@blackpool.ac.ukPhone: 01253 504356
Further education
Young people, foster parents, residential staff and external agencies enquiring on behalf of the Looked After Child or Care Leaver can contact us on Email: ECTeam@Blackpool.ac.uk Phone: 01253 504363
The Sixth Form College Farnborough is committed to ensuring a smooth transition for care-experienced students from school to the College. We aim to provide all the necessary information, resources and support to enable students to succeed and progress.
We recognise that there are particular challenges for students who have been in a ‘looked-after’ environment and offer the following support:
Moving from school to college - There are a number of opportunities for prospective students to visit the College. Once students are enrolled at the College, we offer activities which help them to settle in and get to know new people. This includes our diverse enrichment programme, which gives students the opportunity to take part in a variety of clubs and societies outside of lesson time.
Financial support - There are two forms of bursary for 16 to 19 year olds that the Government provides via the College. The Guaranteed Bursary is an annual sum of £1,200 paid to care leavers or learners who are looked after by the Local Authority. The Discretionary Bursary is awarded to students to help them overcome the individual barriers to participation they face, so covers costs for transport, equipment, books etc. We also offer support in the form of loans and free school meals.
Support for you - The College is unique in the way that it supports its students. Every student is assigned a specialist Personal Tutor who provides support, advice and guidance to them throughout their time at the College. Our bespoke tutorial programme, which includes the Prospects Diploma, is designed to guide students through the challenges and new experiences of college and to help prepare them for their next steps, whatever they may be.
Academic support - We understand that many care-experienced students may have had a disrupted educational experience. To ensure that students achieve their full potential, the College offers a variety of individualised academic support, from subject specific workshops and one to ones, to generalised study support.
Counsellors - The College provides a free, voluntary and confidential counselling service, which is open to all students. Counselling is a place where students can talk about anything that is on their mind, from feeling overwhelmed, anxious or sad, to issues such as low self esteem or relationship difficulties.
Careers and progression support - The primary focus of our 'Prospects' team is to support and develop our students so they are ready to progress armed with the skills and knowledge that allow them to be successful. The team provides information, advice and guidance to all students and organises specific events targeted at widening the opportunities for care leavers and students who are looked after.
Anne Temple-Hall is the College’s designated care leavers’ and looked after coordinator. Anne is the point of contact for students both at pre enrolment and throughout their time at the College. You can contact Anne on atemple-hall@farnborough.ac.uk or 01252 688308. More information about support for care leavers can also be found on our website.
The University of Bath provide a range of support to help care leaver applicants and students settle in to university. At our Open Days we can meet you to discuss the different support available, and you can speak to current students about their university experience. If you would rather visit the university at another time, we can also arrange this.
We offer guaranteed university accommodation for the duration of your course, as well as providing academic and wellbeing support within Student Services via a designated key adviser. Eligible students can also access a non-repayable care leaver/foyer bursary of £1,000 per academic year, plus £1,000 to help with start-up costs and a further £1,000 on graduation.
UK students who meet certain criteria may be eligible for a university bursary of £3,000 for each year of study (except paid placements), or for the Gold scholarship of £5,000 per year of study (except paid placements)—undergraduate scholarships, bursaries & other funding.
Our support for estranged students, begins before these students enter the University. We will ensure that these students have met and engaged with our dedicated support teams, and that they are aware of all the support on offer. This approach will then be supported by individual meetings and a designated point of contact who supports them throughout their student journey. This approach is valued by our students and is helping to ensure that continuation and completion for these groups is high.
We will continue to ensure that relationships are developed as early as possible with estranged students, to ensure they can build relationships beyond the outreach teams with current students and key staff members at the University who would continue to support them post-enrolment. We will continue to work with charities and other third sector organisations who support students and student influencers to encourage estranged students to apply to HE.
We will continue to provide holistic financial interventions designed to support students financially while also providing them with opportunities to develop skills, connect with peers, and create networks.
Estranged students will be provided with a wide and diverse range of community groups, safe spaces and networks which allow them to feel part of a rich and vibrant community. Students are then able to fully participate in all aspects of university life and not required to work excessive hours to financially sustain themselves at university.
The University of Aberdeen was founded in 1495 to be open to all and actively encourages applications from care experienced students. As a corporate parent, the University provides care and support to help care experienced students realise their full potential in all ways.
Our Access and Articulation team can provide pre-entry support for care experienced students. This help can include things like arranging visits on campus (including in some cases funding for travel), answering questions about the application process and entry qualifications, introducing applicants and offer holders to extensive range of post-entry support services and more.
We recognise care experience under our contextualised admissions policy. This means that care experienced applicants may benefit from a contextual or reduced offer of entry onto most of the University’s undergraduate degree programmes.
We currently offer 365 days or full year contracts in its Halls of Residence to students who have experience of being in care. We can (depending on availability) sometimes offer suitable options to stay in our halls of residence beyond the 1st year of your undergraduate degree and during postgraduate studies. The University also offers advice services to help students find accommodation in the private housing market in Aberdeen if they choose to move out of halls.
We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries which may be able to help care experienced students with the costs of coming to University. Working in conjunction with the Student Association, we also offer a range of support mechanisms that can help students to find part-time work. Support is available for care experience students to apply to the University’s discretionary fund.
The Student Support & Advice team offers a range of different support mechanisms. These include, but are not limited to, the following: support with disabilities and specific learning differences, support with childcare funding, academic concerns, personal issues, issues related to a caring role, financial advice and general advice. Our support for mental health includes an on-site Counselling Service, access to online support through Big White Wall and other mechanisms and initiatives for those with specific mental health conditions or concerns. As part of our programme to improve the Health and Wellbeing of both staff and students, we engage in several different activities and initiatives all designed to help in this area.
We offer help which can assist care experienced students throughout their learner journey. From the start all students are assigned an academic as a Personal Tutor who is an initial point of contact for all queries, and help to improve academic skills and knowledge is available from the Student Learning Service. Students can be paired up with another more senior student as a mentor via the Students 4 Students programme and this mentor can help students get used to the University, its processes and systems, show them round the campus, the city and help with a range of other topics. The Career Service supports students in preparing for their next steps beyond their studies.
More information is available online or please contact:
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At the University of Brighton we want you to get the best out of your course and university experience. If you are a care leaver and planning to study a full-time undergraduate degree, or you might already be studying at Brighton, we have additional support available to help you through your time at university.
What support is available for care leavers?
For all questions and advise please contact aboutuni@brighton.ac.uk
Deciding to study at university is a big step for anybody. You will be entering a world of new opportunities, new friends, and new ways of thinking. At the University of Birmingham, we offer the highest quality academic experience within a supportive environment. But if you are leaving care to come to university, we believe that you deserve a little extra support to help you make the right choices and get the financial help and assistance you’re entitled to. Meaning you can settle in quickly to be able to focus on your studies and enjoy your student experience.
We are proud to provide support to all the students whose circumstances are reflected below.
We define a care leaver as a young person over the age of 16 who has been in care of the local authority and/or Health and Social Care Trust for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14.
We define a care experience student as an individual who has been in care at any stage in their life, no matter how short a period.
When making your application to any university, we strongly recommend that you tick the box on your UCAS application. This will help identify you to the relevant staff who will then send you information about the support they can offer.
We have been working hard with our current care-experienced students to create a support system which best reflects the requirements, are support includes but is not limited to below. For the full details of our support visit -
www.birmingham.ac.uk/careleavers
The University of Bradford is committed to supporting Care Experienced students with their Higher Education journey. Our commitment is reflected in our membership of the Care Leavers Covenant, and has been ranked 1st in England on the Social Mobility Index (SMI) for the third year running.
As a Care Experienced Student, you may encounter some unique challenges in the transition from a sixth form or college to higher education, or indeed in returning to education after a few years away. If you have been in the care of a local authority as a child, we can give you the support and advice you need to help you have a full, enriching and enjoyable experience at Bradford.
We’re able to give advice about student finance and can provide one-to-one support throughout the application process through our dedicated pre-admission advisor. We can also arrange individual visits to campus to see the facilities and for you to meet academics and current students. We’re also able to arrange meetings with current University of Bradford students who have previously been in care. As part of our contextualised admissions process, known as University of Bradford Progression Scheme, care experienced students will automatically receive an offer equivalent to one A level grade (8 UCAS points) lower than our standard entry criteria. Students also have the opportunity to receive an additional 8-UCAS-point-deduction (maximum deduction of 16 points in total*).
To support your transition to University, students will be invited to join the “Step Up to HE programme. Once you are with us, our dedicated post-admission contact can offer advise on all
financial, accommodation, and transition support matters. At Bradford we offer a whole range of supportive opportunities from our Care Experienced Students Grant through to our Peer mentoring Scheme to ensure you get the most out of your studies and are fully supported throughout your university journey.
If you would like to know more, please visit our dedicated care experienced student webpage or email us on:careexperienced@bradford.ac.uk.
We’re committed to ensuring that care-experienced students can succeed at the University of Bristol. We want you to feel safe, supported, and able to reach your potential. Therefore, we provide support and guidance from application through to graduation.
Defining Care Experience
At the University of Bristol, we have a range of support available for students with care experience, but some support may differ based on whether a student is classified as a ‘care leaver’ or ‘care experienced’.
Our definitions are;
‘Care Experienced’ - Students who have spent 3 months or more in formalised* local authority care (at any age).
‘Care Leavers’ - Students have been in local authority care for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14 and are still in this care on their 16th birthday.
*Students who have spent time being cared for by a relative or friend without a formal arrangement, such as a Special Guardianship Order, are classified as having been in ‘Kinship Care’. At the University of Bristol, informal kinship care does not fit our definition of ‘Care Experienced’; however, it might fall into the category of ‘Estrangement’.
We provide a named contact to support you at the application stage, as well as during your time studying with us.
If you have any questions about your application to Bristol or about the support available to you as a care experienced student, you can visit the webpages for Care leavers and Estranged students.
The University of Chester has a dedicated support package for care experienced students who study with us. This support includes:
The University defines the following as eligibility criteria for the care experienced students support package:
“A young person who has been in care for at least 3 months prior to their 18th birthday. Such care could be in foster care, residential care (mainly children’s homes), or other arrangements such as a Special Guardianship Order.”
If you would like to get in touch to discuss the support that we can offer then please contact Amy Williams at studentexperience@chester.ac.uk
UCL recognises that when applying to and entering higher education, care experienced young people can face particular difficulties that their peers are less likely to experience. We are committed to supporting care experienced young people and encourage them to apply to study at UCL.
Access UCL
UCL runs a contextual offer scheme for students from groups that are underrepresented at UCL. Eligible students can receive a reduced offer of up to two grades below the standard UCL offer for the programme they have applied to. Care experienced applicants who will be under the age of 25 on their first day at UCL will automatically be eligible for Access UCL. Please see the website for more information.
Events and activities
Are you currently at school, college or sixth form? Are you in care, or have experienced some time in care when you were younger? We strongly encourage you to take a look at our wide range of widening participation activities. Whether you want to have a taste of university life, experience a subject of interest, or learn some study skills required for higher education, then make sure you submit an application to one of our programmes. UCL’s Access and Widening Participation team also offers bespoke opportunities for care experienced students. See our webpage to see the list of opportunities.
Applying
For all our widening participation activities we prioritise students from care experienced backgrounds, as long as they also possess the academic potential to meet UCL’s minimum entry criteria. To make sure we can identify you and give your application additional consideration, please make sure to select that you ‘are currently in care, or have been in the past’. If you are uncertain if you meet the care experienced criteria or grade requirements, please contact Jalal Pour and Michele Sahiri via wp.pre16@ucl.ac.uk who can discuss your situation with you.
Group visits
If you are a Virtual Head/Teacher, LAC Care team, or charitable organisation and would like to know about applying and studying at UCL and/or would like to arrange an activity for your students, then please contact Jalal Pour and Michele Sahiri wp.pre16@ucl.ac.uk. We would be delighted to host a day or activity for you.
UCL support for current care experienced students
If you are applying to UCL, or currently studying at UCL, and would like to learn more about the various forms of support UCL has to offer care leavers, then please visit our dedicated webpage. If you have any questions or concerns, or would just like to speak to someone in person, please contact UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team.
Care experienced students are guaranteed 365-day accommodation in UCL halls for their first year and can apply to remain in 365-day accommodation for the remainder of their study if needed.
Care leaver students who come to UCL are able to receive a Care leaver bursary of £1,000 per year as well as the UCL Undergraduate bursary of £2,500 per year (provided care leaver status is approved by Student Finance).
UCL also takes part in the Unite Foundation Scholarship which offers free accommodation to care leaver and estranged students for the duration of their course, meaning they can study, meet new people and plan their career without worrying about the cost of accommodation.
UCL’sTransition Programme supports all new first-year undergraduate students in adapting to university life, assisting new students in dealing with the social, academic and personal issues that are specific to UCL. As a first-year student, you’ll be allocated a Transition Mentor, a second- or third-year student from your department of study. They will introduce themselves to you in your first week and mentor you during your first term, as you settle into university life.
Named contact for care experienced students
UCL’s designated contact for care experienced students is Mitesh Vagadia. In his role as named contact Mitesh is there to answer questions from care experienced students before and once they are at university, put them in touch with the right services at UCL and make sure they are getting the support they need. You can contact Mitesh by email or through the ask UCL student enquiries system.
At the University College of Osteopathy we are committed to supporting students who are care leavers, and recognise the challenges care leavers may face when considering participating in higher education.
We take pride in being a friendly, supportive community and being able to offer all our students the individual support they need to make their time with us a success. Our academic staff know all our students individually and our Student Services team are here to help with everything from an informal chat to academic support, access to counselling and referrals to other support services.
In addition to our open days we can offer tailored opportunities for care experienced students who would like to find out more about studying with us and osteopathy as a career. This may include one-to-one tours of our facilities, visits to our teaching clinic or opportunities to chat to members of our staff or students directly to discuss any questions or areas of concern. Please contact Mubarik for more details.
Care leavers can also access financial support for their studies at the UCO. Our Young Carers and Care Leavers Bursary supports care leavers on our undergraduate courses, covering full course fees for each year of study and providing an annual payment of £3,000 to support other study and living costs. Visit our Financial Support page for further information.
Care leavers who are not yet academically ready to undertake our degree courses may be offered the opportunity to complete our one-year Access to Higher Education Diploma free of charge. This nationally recognised qualification prepares students for our osteopathy and nutrition degrees, but may also enable students to study other forms of healthcare with different Higher Education providers.
To find out more about how we can support your student journey or to request a visit or chat with one of our team please contact Mubarik or visit our care leavers webpage.
The University of East Anglia encourages young people with experience of living in care to attend our outreach and enrichment events. We offer individual visits, group events, activities offering insight into specific academic subjects, and residential events over the summer months. We can cover your transport costs to UEA through our student Travel Fund, to ensure your journey will not be a barrier to attending an event. Please get in touch with Liz Ferguson within the university’s Outreach team to find out more about any of the above.
For information about taster visits, residential events and other pre-university outreach and enrichment activities contact Liz Ferguson, Outreach Officer at inclusion@uea.ac.uk
UEA’s undergraduate care leaver students can access a dedicated bursary for up to four years of study. Visit our Fees & Funding page for full details of the bursary and eligibility criteria.
The University offers comprehensive advice and guidance for its current students through the Student Services including a named contact for care leaver students.
The University of Exeter is committed to supported students that are care experienced. We offer support and guidance from pre application through to graduation.
During our admissions processes we recognise the impact that being in care can have on a student’s attainment. Applicants we define as being a care leaver or care experienced will qualify for contextual offer to that we publish as our typical offer.
The University of Exeter offers financial support to students that are care leavers in the form of a full tuition fee waiver for UK undergraduates and PGCE students and a Care Leavers’ Bursary up to the age of 25.
We also offer 365-day accommodation and a support meeting to discuss accommodation options and individual requirements.
We provide a travel bursary of a maximum of £150 to cover the costs of visiting the University whether to attend a Campus Tour, an interview, or an Offer Holder Visit Day.
All students that are either care leavers or care experienced will have access to a named contact who is able to provide information, advice, and support on all aspects of student life.
We set out our full provision for care-experienced young people on our care leaver website
The University of Greenwich has been supporting care leavers and care experienced students for over ten years and was one of the first universities in the country to be awarded the Buttle Kitemark for our commitment to enhancing the progression of care leavers into higher education and supporting those who study with us.
Our Designated Members of staff are here to help and encourage you to access the opportunities offered by the University of Greenwich whilst assisting you with any support that you might need in your education journey. In the past, we have assisted our students with a range of challenges such as career choices, UCAS personal statements, accommodation, finance , academic and well-being, or just had a cup of tea and a chat.
We also have close links with local authorities where we support young children in care through youth and homework clubs, to encourage attainment and facilitate progression into further and higher education.
We are signatories of the Care Leaver Covenant and members of NNECL and the Care Leaver Progression Partnership (a partnership of organisations in Kent and Medway, committed to improving the post-16 education and training experience for local children in care and care leavers).
Our offer, in brief, to care leavers studying at the University of Greenwich:
Please take the time to visit our website, where you will find:
We also work in partnership with carers, local authorities, schools, and colleges. Please contact us at careleavers@greenwich.ac.uk with any questions you may have. The earlier that you get in touch, the more we can support you in your journey
As a care leaver you may have concerns about studying at university - both on a personal and financial level. We can offer you support throughout your academic journey.
One of our dedicated Support Co-ordinators, specifically trained to work with care leavers and vulnerable adults, will meet you before the academic year begins to discuss any concerns or worries that you may have and answer any questions. You will also be able to access ongoing support throughout your studies.
If you would like to know more, please get in touch at careleavers@hud.ac.uk or see our Care leavers webpage and finance page.
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The University of Kent is committed to supporting students who face barriers to accessing Higher Education. We believe that anyone who has the academic ability to study at university should have the opportunity to do so. Amongst the audiences that we prioritize in our outreach and widening participation work are care experienced students, and work for this group forms a key commitment within our Access and Participation Plan. We also have ongoing support for students once they are registered at University of Kent.
Pre-registration support
We can answer any queries students or supporters have about the University, and can also make arrangements for them to visit if they would like to have a look around before term starts.
We will contact all students who have ticked the care-experienced box on their UCAS form informing them of the support available. The University will only share this information with those who need to be informed, e.g. the member of staff who supports care leavers post-registration.
Students can request a meeting with the care leaver support staff and your Personal Advisor before you start at the University, or at any time during your degree, to ensure you are receiving all the support that would be helpful for you.
We also have Insight visits for students in Year 11 and above to visit either our Canterbury or Medway campus. They will meet with the Pre-registration Designated Member of Staff and have the opportunity to ask questions about support available at university, accommodation, student finance etc. There will be an opportunity to go on a tour of the campus with a Student Ambassador, who can give insights into university life. Each Insights Visit is bespoke, and requests to see or find out particular things can be discussed.
To speak to Shauna-Aine O'Brien, our pre-registration Designated Member of Staff, please email: stjo@kent.ac.uk to find out more about any of these opportunities, or to ask any questions.
On-course support
We have a dedicated member of staff in our Wellbeing Team whose role is to provide both practical and emotional support to all care-experienced students. She can help with any questions students might have about any aspect of being at university, including:
The member of staff for care-experienced students can make contact with a PA on a students' behalf if they would like them to, and can also attend meetings with students and their PAs if they visit you at the university.
The team are here to offer support at key moments in a students' university journey, including registering and moving into accommodation, and welcome week.
Please contact Rachel Levy, r.levy@kent.ac.uk for more information about on-course support
Finance
University of Kent offers a one-off cash bursary to care-experienced students in their first year at Kent, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria.
They should also be entitled to the Kent Financial Support Package – the amount is subject to change but is usually between £1,000 and £1,500 at each stage of a students' course (starting from stage 1), and is paid in two instalments, in December and March.
Completing university
We may be able to help with graduation costs. Students will be contacted directly regarding this when they are approaching graduation.
To find out about current opportunities, and to see the full range of support available at University of Kent, please visit our web page: Support for Care Experienced Students at University of Kent - The Guide
The University of Law is committed to supporting care experienced students during their journey into higher education and throughout their studies. We realise that enrolling at university can be nerve-wracking and we’re here to support all students during transition, enrolment and right through to graduation.
We offer tailored support to any student who has spent any time in local authority care, not just those that are defined by the more restricted legal definition.
We offer outreach activities for care experienced students such as campus visits and attendance at careers events. We also offer individual campus tours for any students interested in studying at one of our campuses.
We have a contextual admissions process in place for care experienced undergraduate students. If an applicant for one of our UG courses (excluding our degrees with foundation years) either ticks the ‘care leaver’ box in the UCAS form and/or details their experience in care in their personal statement we will make them a contextual offer of one grade lower than the standard offer for that course.
The University of Law’s unique teaching model is designed to provide students with a professional, contemporary and supportive learning environment with plenty of practical, interactive engagement. That's why we keep our contact hours high and our teaching groups small.
Pre-entry, students also have access to our named contact, Helena Bowring, for support and advice
Study at one of our 14 locations across the UK, online, or at one of our International campuses in Hong Kong and Berlin. All campuses are well-equipped, and are close to thriving commercial hubs, leading law firms and transport links:https://www.law.ac.uk/locations/
The University of Law, have signed up to the Stand Alone Legacy Pledge. This demonstrates our commitment to continuing support for estranged students studying without the support of a family network.
We are doing this as we believe that students from all backgrounds should be able to benefit from the life-changing opportunities higher education offers, and that once in higher education that everyone is able to succeed on their chosen path.
We offer a range of support to our estranged students:
• The first is lower grade requirements, called a contextual offer. Estranged students would need to achieve DDD at A Level or equivalent. We offer this as we understand that personal circumstances may have an impact on grades at school or college and that grades may not reflect someone’s true potential. This applies to all our undergraduate courses (excluding our foundation degrees and apprenticeships).
• We provide estranged students with a named contact to speak to at the University before they join us and during their studies. Students are also invited to visit their chosen campus for a personalised 1-2-1 experience.
• Estranged students are contacted by their campus Wellbeing Advisor within the first month of their course start date, who can also signpost to study skills, the library, disability and inclusion services and can refer to our Employability Service within 6 weeks of their course start date. Students can also access this service before they start their course.
• We don’t have our own halls of residence at the University, but our accommodation team provide support in seeking accommodation for 52 weeks of the year.
• We also provide a bursary of £2000 per progressive academic year for full-time students (if you are eligible for the full package of maintenance support from Student Finance England (or equivalent for Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland) only)
• Students can access advice from the money and housing team about student finance and budgeting in addition to a contribution towards graduation costs.
If you are an estranged student, we encourage you to select the UCAS tick box to indicate your circumstances. You can also put this information in your personal statement or have your applicant referee include this in your reference.
Founded in 1921 as a living memorial for people who had made sacrifices during the First World War, the University of Leicester from Year 1 to Year 100 has been a university dedicated to supporting students in making the transition into higher education easy whether it be from a battlefield or from college. This is why at the University of Leicester we are especially committed to supporting students from care backgrounds prior to starting their course, throughout their studies and post-graduation.
Prior to starting your course, our Outreach team work tirelessly to provide young people opportunities to experience higher education in order to broaden horizons and support career planning. We offer activities such as summer schools, subject taster days and university campus visits. Additionally, we run two year progression programmes to allow young students to receive high quality guidance and advice so that they may reach their full academic potential. These progression programmes prioritise the inclusion of young people in care so that they may get the best support possible. As well as this, we also facilitate individual sessions for young people where appropriate, working closely with local authority virtual schools, colleges and other organisations to target and select students effectively. All of our pre-16 outreach activities can be found here and our post-16 activities can be found here.
Once at university we guarantee to provide enhanced financial, educational and pastoral support to care leaver students so that they can have the best university experience possible. We will provide a named contact in the student welfare service, offering advice and guidance on student finance, accommodation, careers and other transitional support.
If you are a care leaver under 25 you may be eligible to receive the University of Leicester’s bursary for care leavers which is currently £2000 per academic year (2020/21). For more information, you can visit our scholarships and bursaries webpage.
Additionally, we offer care leavers 365 days access to our university accommodation and offer pastoral support from our dedicated student residential advisors in their accommodation site on request.
For more information about the University of Leicester or to find out when our next events are, please visit: www.le.ac.uk
If you are a care leaver or care experienced student at the University, we have a dedicated Wellbeing Advisor, Rebekah Cavill, who can help co-ordinate support for you with internal and external services, including social services.
We will try to make your transition to University as easy as possible and give advice on pre-application and guidance for offer holders. We can also offer support with accommodation all year round or support finding somewhere else for the whole year.
Please email studentwellbeing@lincoln.ac.uk for more information.
There is also financial advice available and specific bursaries or grants, please contact our Student Funding Team for more information on studentfundingteam@lincoln.ac.uk.
More information is available on our webpages
Coming to university can be an exciting time, but we understand that it can also be a time of change and many students have concerns or worries. At the University of Liverpool, we are committed to supporting care leavers prior to starting their course, and throughout the duration of studies.
If you decide to come to the University of Liverpool, we can provide a package of support that will help during your time in Liverpool including 365-day accommodation and a range of scholarships and bursaries including the Care Leavers Opportunity Bursary worth £3,000 per year of study (excluding NHS funded courses).
Caroline O’Connell is the University of Liverpool’s named care leaver contact, and she is part of Student Welfare Advice and Guidance (SWAG). During your studies you will be supported by one of our Advisers within SWAG who can assist you with any queries or concerns, they will also act as a link between the University, your Local Authority and any other internal or external services as required. For further information please contact Caroline at money@liverpool.ac.uk or by telephone 0151 794 5863.
In conjunction with the support offered by Student Welfare Advice and Guidance (SWAG), the University of Liverpool’s Widening Participation and Outreach (WPO) team would be pleased to hear from care leavers who are interested in the opportunity to come to campus for a bespoke individual visit. During the visit you will receive information and guidance to support transition to university, meet current students (and where possible tutors) from your subject area of interest, and have a tailored campus tour.
The University of Liverpool has well-established tradition of supporting care experienced students into higher education. We are committed to helping care experienced students progress into university and want to ensure students view Liverpool as a realistic option for their studies. To help care experienced students during this particularly challenging time we have introduced a reduced offer of two A-Level grades (or equivalent) on our entry criteria. Any applicant that indicates that they have experience of local authority care within their UCAS application will qualify for the two grade reduction. Please note, this offer does not apply to medical or dentistry applicants.
If you would like more information about this reduced offer policy, please feel free to get in touch with the Outreach Team at the university – btoleman@liverpool.ac.uk
Additionally, if you engage with the WPO team, the University can offer:
Support with transport to enable participation in the University’s Open Days and Applicant Discovery Days on campus
If you go on to study with us at the University of Liverpool, you will also have the opportunity to apply to work as a Student Advocate with the WPO team.
Please contact Ben Toleman for more information: btoleman@liverpool.ac.uk
The University of Manchester is keen that young people who have experienced care or who are care leavers take advantage of Higher Education opportunities.
The support for such young people can vary (e.g. some may already be living independently in the local area) so we hope that what we provide is what is needed whether it be financial support (e.g. bursary/scholarship), housing support (accommodation for 52 weeks) or careers support (for part time work now or after graduation).
The University of Manchester Care Leaver/Care Experienced student information can be found here including details of our bursary.
A more detailed guide can be found at here.
For any enquiries (including from prospective students), please contact our designated named contact
Emma Lewis-Kalubowila : elk@manchester.ac.uk
At the University of Nottingham, we are committed to empowering care experienced and estranged learners. We offer a variety of additional support, from application through to the completion of your studies. All support offered is completely optional and you can decide to opt in or out at any stage.
Application Stage:
We provide a named contact to support you at application stage (Blake L) and we provide information and ongoing support if you receive an offer to study with us. We can support you with any questions or concerns you may have.
Starting University:
We can offer you 365-day accommodation and the option to waive the upfront deposit for accommodation booked through our university portal. We offer a Care Leaver and Estranged Accommodation Bursary, which provides support towards the costs of university accommodation in the first year of study for eligible students. For more information, visit our accommodation bursary page.
Studying with us:
Once at university, you will have a named contact in the Support and Wellbeing team (Elizabeth Hodgson) who can offer advice and support. We offer a Care Leaver and Estranged Bursary which is currently up to £2,000 per year of study for eligible students, and a guarantor scheme, should you choose to live in private rental accommodation
from your second year.
If you have any questions about the support available to you as a care experienced or estranged student, please contact us via care@nottingham.ac.uk. You can view more information about our support on our webpages for care experienced students and estranged students.
Going to university is exciting, but it can be daunting too. We are committed to helping care-experienced students access the support and funding they need to start University and thrive. We have a designated advisor who will guide you and make sure you have all the information you need to access a wide range of services. She'll be on hand if you need help at any time on your journey into and through higher education.
We offer:
We have signed up to the Care Leaver Covenant and are committed to supporting our care-experienced students.
For more information please visit the website using the following link:
At the University of Sunderland, we aim to ensure that every care-experienced student is supported to achieve their full potential during their time here. We can be with you every step of the way through your student journey to provide personalised support based on your individual needs.
We understand that you might have specific questions or concerns when considering higher education. We can help with everything from accommodation, student finance, arranging social events to meet other students and having regular catch up meetings to help you stay on track. This support is available as and when you need it, from pre-application to graduation and beyond. Any contact is kept confidential, and your choices are always respected.
If you are care-experienced and either a UK full-time undergraduate student, or a student studying a full-time taught postgraduate course, then you could be eligible for the University of Sunderland bursary of £2000, based on progression to the next level of your course.
We can provide personalised support based on your individual needs. This could include acting as a central point of contact for you throughout your studies, supporting you with any issues or concerns you might have. You can meet with us one-to-one for a coffee and a chat, or contact us via phone, email, or Microsoft Teams. We can offer support every day that the University is open.
We can also help you find accommodation for 52 weeks of the year if you arrange it in advance, provide employment support and help with academic queries such as taking time out of your course. We work closely with teams across the University who can offer further information, advice and guidance to ensure you have the best possible experience during your time with us.
We can also provide care-experienced students with a network of support through key relationships with local authorities, personal advisers, virtual schools, schools/colleges and charities.
More information is available on our website: go.sunderland.ac.uk/care-experienced. To find out more, please contact Wendy Price and the We Care Team on 0191 515 2216 or by email at care.contact@sunderland.ac.uk
The University of Salford is proud that for more than 10 years we have been at the forefront of supporting our care leaver students, working in partnership with local authorities and other organisations to provide great support.
We pride ourselves on being a friendly, accessible university. Some of our staff work nationally to make sure that care leavers have all the support they need in place to access and succeed in higher education. If you are deciding which university is right for you, we run many events, often in collaboration with other local universities and local authorities, to ensure you have all the right information to make the right choices, so get in contact and we can tell you what is happening.
We can also arrange a visit just for you to have a look around, meet other care leavers at uni and check out the support on offer.
Throughout your time with us we will keep in contact with you – you are always welcome to come and see the care leaver support team and speak to them confidentially about anything.
We offer flexible accommodation, for 52 weeks a year if needed, specialised counselling and wellbeing services, support for asylum seekers, careers and employability, disability and learning support, support for caring, homelessness – anything really!
We also encourage all our care leavers to work as a paid student ambassador at events for other care experienced young people, where you can share your knowledge and experience and help others to follow in your footsteps.
Whatever questions you may have, we are here to help, so just ask! Email as at careleaver@salford.ac.uk
The University of Southampton is an inclusive environment and we aim to ensure that all students have an exceptional student experience. We understand the unique challenges faced by care leavers when entering higher education and if you choose to attend the University, you can access our support package specifically designed to offer you guidance from application, through to graduation and employment.
We offer support for looked-after children and care leavers by working in partnership with local councils, schools, colleges and other Universities regionally. For students wanting to find out more about studying at university and/or considering applying to the University of Southampton, we offer individual pre-application visits, providing the opportunity to speak to staff so you can learn more about the support available, and meet current students to hear first-hand about their university experience.
We recognise the additional challenges care experienced students can face whilst studying at university and offer the following support package:
At the University of Southampton, we provide advice and offer support to estranged young people from application to graduation, and are proud to have taken the Stand Alone Legacy Pledge. Going to university can be a daunting experience for many individuals and we understand the hurdles independent students may face. We want to make your transition to university as smooth as possible and ensure you have access to all the support you might need, to give you the best chance to succeed, and therefore offer a comprehensive package of support:
*Details correct at time of writing and all subject to students meeting eligibility criteria.
For further information, please visit our website and if you have any questions, please contact Savanna Cutts, Student Inclusion Manager.
At The University of Sheffield we are committed to ensuring that students who have experience of being in care have a successful and enjoyable time studying with us.
We're committed to ensuring that you get the support you need at each stage of your journey. Our team of experts are able to understand the often complex requirements that you may have if you’re care experienced or have become estranged from your family.
We're a signatory to the Care Leaver Covenant.
Support before you apply
Whether you're just starting to think about your future or you're looking for more information about support at university, we're here for you.
If you're care experienced or estranged from your family, we can help you research your options and work through the UCAS application process. Everything we do is supported by our student ambassadors - current students who are care experienced or are estranged from their families.
Visiting Sheffield
Visiting campus is a great opportunity to speak to us about applying to University. We can arrange to meet you at one of our undergraduate open days or if you'd like to visit on a different day, one of our student ambassadors, who may have similar circumstances, can take you on a tour of campus.
You don't have to do this alone. You're welcome to bring a supporter - whether it be a friend, guardian or social worker. We even have an Access+ Travel Bursary that may help towards your travel costs.
Making your application
If you're care experienced or are estranged from your family, you may be eligible for a contextual offer equivalent to one grade below the standard A Level entry requirements for your course, as part of Access+.
Simply tell us your circumstances using our Access+ eligibility declaration. We'd also encourage you to complete our Disrupted Studies Application form, to help us put your application into context.
Financial help
As an estranged student or care leaver, you may be eligible for a university bursary. This bursary is automatically awarded each year of study.
Unlike a loan, you don't have to pay it back.
You could get up to:
£10,000 for full-time students
£5,000 for part-time students
Accommodation
We guarantee that care experienced and estranged students living in University accommodation can stay on campus for the full year and that you'll live with the majority of new students. Our award-winning student residential support service, Residence Life will provide a busy calendar of social events and Residence Life mentors are always on hand to offer advice and support.
You'll be asked for a deposit when confirming your booking. If you're experiencing any financial challenges, contact the Student Fees and Funding team who can explore your options with you funding@sheffield.ac.uk.
You can stay in University accommodation throughout your studies and as a returning student you'll have the chance to choose your room early before most bookings open.
Accommodation guarantor scheme
If you’re a care leaver or have become estranged from your family and do not have anyone to act as a guarantor, you might be eligible for our accommodation guarantor scheme. The guarantee could help cover your rent if you fall into financial difficulty and cannot pay.
Arrival and welcome
After accepting your place we’ll get in touch about joining the University and make sure you're aware of all the support you can access.
You'll have a designated contact in our Student Experience, Diversity and Inclusion team who you can talk to about any concerns you have before you arrive.
A student mentor could support you when you arrive on campus. This will be a second or third year student who will show you round your department and the University, offering one-to-one, confidential advice and support. You'll usually be matched with a mentor from your department and, if possible, the same course.
You'll have the chance to take part in Orientation Week. It's a great opportunity to make friends and learn more about the city and campus. You’ll be able to attend virtual talks and take part in social activities with staff and student ambassadors.
You’ll be invited to our care experienced and estranged student socials throughout the year, where you will have the chance to meet other students - not just first years!
You'll also be invited to drop-ins in October (which run throughout the year) to meet our support team and grab a free Your wellbeing
A support network
Your designated contact in the Student Experience, Diversity and Inclusion team will keep in touch and help with any issues you have. Wellbeing advisors in your faculty and a contact in your department will also be on hand to provide support.
Your mental wellbeing is really important to us. Our Student Access Mental Health Support service will help you explore the broad range of psychological support available to you.
Academic support
You can get a support plan to help you access additional academic help and identify any other challenges that you may need support with. All our students are allocated a personal tutor and departments have support staff to help with any issues you might have.
Careers and next steps
Our Careers and Employability Hub is available to help you throughout your studies and for as long as you need us after graduation.
Whatever your starting point, and whatever support you need, the Careers and Employability Hub can help you reach your full potential.
You may also be eligible for dedicated additional support through Equal Opportunities in Careers.
Contact us
If you have any questions about applying or visiting us, get in touch. You can find out about anything from arranging priority consideration for your university accommodation, to concerns about studies and student life.
If you have any queries about funding, get in touch with our finance team. funding@sheffield.ac.uk
You can also view our webpage here to find out further information about support available.
Strathclyde Cares is our range of support and activities specifically for those from looked-after backgrounds. We are committed to encouraging more applications and supporting our care leavers from the application stage through their degree and beyond. We are happy to provide tours of the university and subject departments, and our Care Adviser, Debbie Duncan, can talk you through the application process. The University of Strathclyde will make a guaranteed offer when meeting minimum entry requirements to those who have spent time in care, to recognise the additional barriers you might have faced during your education. We will keep in touch throughout the application cycle to ensure you receive support and information on your journey and will support you during your transition to Strathclyde, As a student with us, you can receive year-round accommodation, you will be guaranteed an interview to become a student ambassador, and you will be matched with a mentor – a friendly member of staff who will support and advise you throughout your time with us. We can also help with graduation costs when you are ready for the next stage of your career.
Support we offer:
Accommodation we offer:
Financial support we offer:
The University of Surrey is dedicated to offering proactive and targeted support, information and advice to care experienced students throughout their time at the University.
From 2022 entry, our contextualised admissions scheme will be implemented, and care leavers will be prioritised for this – students will receive a reduction in entry requirements, equivalent to one A-level grade lower. They will also have a dedicated staff member to reach out to offer-holders, an e-mentor and invitations to exclusive events to support transition.
Care experienced students will also be offered a £3,000 bursary with a £500 ‘Moving On’ payment from September 2022, if students meet the eligibility requirements. They can also apply for a £250 access fund for the Surrey Sports Park, as well as a £250 Access to Learning fund to help with purchasing books, IT equipment or anything else to support their learning.
Priority for on campus accommodation is given to care experienced students, with year-round accommodation available on request. Our University of Surrey guarantor scheme is available to care experienced students.
The Student Success Team offers care experienced students an initial point of contact on entry to the University, alongside welcome packs and exam care packages throughout the year. The team also offer regular pastoral support, signposting, advocacy and bespoke goal setting and time management resources.
Care experienced students have access to a dedicated point of contact within the Careers Service, and they are also prioritised in the University of Surrey Employability Award.
Finally, care experienced students can join our Care Leavers’ Network, providing the opportunity to feed back to the university about their experience, as well as a space to support each other and to socialise.
Detailed information for Care Leavers can be found here: Student communities | University of Surrey
Care Leaver Bursary details can be found here: Care Leaver and Estranged Student Bursary | University of Surrey
We welcome applications from care-experienced students at the University of Sussex. We offer a range of support that aims to make your transition to higher education as smooth as possible, as well as offering stability while you're studying with us.
Pre-entry, you’ll have access to a named contact (Melinda Finn) for support, who you can contact with any questions you have. It’s reassuring to know you’ll receive special consideration by admissions staff on results day, just in case things don’t go as planned.
For 2020 entry, you’ll receive a Care Leaver Award of £500 per year, plus an additional £500 in your first term to help with the new costs of being a student. And you can order a bedding pack free of charge if you need one. You’ll have the option to remain in University-managed accommodation for the duration of your course (52 weeks per year, each year of study).
During your time at Sussex you’ll have access to support via your dedicated Care Leaver Adviser in the Student Life Centre, who you’ll meet when you start at Sussex. And you’ll be able to access advice and tailored opportunities via your Care Leaver Careers Consultant, such as summer internships.
You'll have priority for applying for paid student work as a co-creator, working with the University on various projects around the student experience. If you find yourself in financial hardship during your time at Sussex, you’ll have priority if you apply for the University’s hardship fund.
At the University of Sussex we are committed to ongoing support for estranged students. We recognise the importance of providing targeted interventions to allow this cohort of students to flourish academically, and to feel a sense of belonging during their time with us at the University of Sussex.
At the University of Winchester, we recognise the diverse lived experiences of Care Experienced and Estranged students. We are committed to supporting any student who has spent time in care or who is estranged from their family.
Access and Pre-entry Support
Our work spans outreach, admissions, partnerships, and practitioner development, ensuring that applicants are supported at every stage of their journey.
· Targeted outreach, bespoke visits and personalised information, advice and guidance (IAG)
· Contextual admissions and supported application routes
· Collaboration with local authorities and practitioners
Support for Current Students
All students who identify as Care Experienced or estranged have access to a comprehensive package of support, including:
· Dedicated named contact with a designated Student Journey Coordinator
· Access to year-round accommodation support, including emergency or temporary housing
· Practical and academic support, including mentoring and careers guidance
· Funding and financial well-being support, tailored to individual circumstances. This may include a cash bursary (subject to eligibility), employability funding and support to access external grants and charitable funding.
To find out more, please visit the University of Winchester Care Leaver and Estranged Student webpage
The University is committed to helping looked-after children and care leavers access higher education, and as part of this commitment we offer the Aspire2Uni programme, which is a progressive programme launched in year seven that continues through to year 13.
Over the course of the programme, the University organises a series of ongoing outreach days and enrichment opportunities designed to raise aspirations, break down barriers, and inform progression to higher education.
Group, on-line and 1-1 (if appropriate) is also provided for young people and Virtual Schools, working in partnership with the University, provide any academic support required to aid progression.
In addition to the programme and open to all, the University organises a series of dedicated higher education awareness days for pre- and post-16 looked-after children, and for the influencers of looked-after children, such as carers, designated teachers and other professionals.
We can also offer you one-to-one application support and advice, or arrange any bespoke provision required.
Once you have made the decision to study at the University of Wolverhampton, we can provide you with pre-entry advice, personalised signposting to student support, a mentoring scheme, 52-week accommodation, financial and mentoring support. See our website for details.
At the University of York, widening access for care experienced learners is a priority and we are signatories of the Care Leaver Covenant. Our approach to widening access for care experienced learners is personalised, all-encompassing and far reaching.
We work with children’s services and local councils to provide bespoke events, activities and programmes for young people and their supporters, from primary school onward. Care experienced pre-entry learners are provided personalised information and advice, one to one campus visits (including paying for transport and overnight accommodation for you and a guest), and a dedicated single point of contact who will support you from pre-entry to graduation and beyond.
In order to ensure that your student experience is fulfilling, our offer of support can include the following:
We’re really committed to supporting our care experienced students to achieve their full potential and have an exceptional and transformational experience. More information on our full range of support is available on our website To find out more, please contact our dedicated contact, Fran Hornsby, on student-independent@york.ac.uk.
Xaverian is an “Outstanding” Catholic Sixth Form College based in Manchester. Located a short distance from the city centre, the College offers a wide range of A levels in addition to a number of BTEC courses to almost 3000 16- to 19-year-olds with students traveling from across the Greater Manchester region to attend. The College prides itself in the work it undertakes to improve the social mobility of its students. Alongside academic excellence, we have a number of High Achievers’ strands for Medics, Oxbridge, the EPQ and more. With over 71% of students progressing to university, many are the 1st generation in their families to go on to Higher Education. Whilst significant numbers of students live within geographical areas rated by the Index of Multiple Deprivation as the most deprived (IMD1 54% & IMD2 18%), the College is committed to removing barriers to learning for all.
Transition process
As part of the transition process from school to college, we will work closely with the associated virtual schools to identify applicants who are then invited to follow our admissions process with the full support of the College’s designated lead for children with a social worker, Mrs Sarah Martin.
You can contact Mrs Martin via s.martin@xaverian.ac.uk or by calling: 07534 421938.
Where possible Mrs Martin will attend the final Year 11 PEP meeting of applicants to offer guidance on post-16 choices and ensure the transition process is as smooth as possible. This support continues through the College’s Taster Days, Course Consultation telephone calls, and the student’s Enrolment to make sure that all relevant support is in place for the start of College.
We are developing partnerships and pathways for our care-experienced students from local virtual schools through to our local higher education providers.
This is to ensure that care and support is available during the students’ two years at College and beyond into higher education, training or employment.
Financial support
Students will be supported to apply for the bursary for 16-19-year-olds that the Government provides via the College. It is an annual sum of £1200 paid to care leavers or learners who are looked after by the Local Authority.
Mrs Martin will also liaise with social workers and parents/guardians via PEP meetings to support students to apply for funding via the virtual schools and children’s services to with items such as subject-specific equipment, payments for college trips and extra tuition.
Pastoral support
All students are allocated a Pastoral Tutor who they will see on a weekly basis. The allocated Pastoral Tutor will support and guide their students through all aspects of their College life providing, not just academic support, but wellbeing support and progression advice. All students are allocated a Pastoral Manager who will monitor and review their progress at several stages throughout their time at Xaverian.
The College also offers an onsite Counselling Service and has good links to other support services such as CAMHS, Emerge, M-Thrive and TLC.
Careers support
Our Careers Team can be accessed throughout a student’s time at College and can support students in investigating a range of destinations following the completion of their courses. They can also facilitate work experience, provide support for creating a CV, provide a range of services to support students’ UCAS applications, and advise on the nuances of progression.
Our Careers Team also organises numerous events throughout the year in partnership with universities and employers from across the UK, giving students the opportunity to meet and converse with employers, Apprenticeship providers and representatives from Further and Higher Education.
York St John University has a proud history of widening access and participation in higher education. This continues to be a central part of the institution’s culture, demonstrated through our mission, values and our whole institution approach to equality, diversity and social mobility.
Our outreach and student support teams are passionate about minimising the barriers which can prevent students from accessing and succeeding in Higher Education.
Pre-Entry Support
Our Contextual Offer Scheme looks at more than academic grades to make sure all students get the chance they deserve.
We take many things into account when we offer a place on one of our courses. As well as academic potential, we also look at factors which often prevent students from coming to university, including time spent in care. Based on these factors we assign applicants points which may then reduce the offer we make and bring university within closer reach.
Full details on the points and the eligible courses can be found on our website.
A designated member of staff from our Specialist Support team will also contact all those
applicants who tick the “in care” box on their UCAS form and advise them about the support available once they arrive at York St John University, as well as provide any help with the transition into Higher Education.
On Course Support
The Specialist Support team offers dedicated advice and guidance to all our diverse student communities, including care leavers.
We recognise that some students benefit from specialist support during their studies to
ensure they get the most out of their University experience, and we provide 1 to 1 support for a range of different circumstances. A designated member of staff can also liaise with Local Authority Leaving Care teams, as well as other York St John teams, on an ongoing basis to offer joined-up support to individual students.
You can contact the team at specialistsupport@yorksj.ac.uk for more advice or information.
Care leavers are guaranteed University accommodation all year round if they would like it in their first year. They are also prioritised if they apply to return to University accommodation after their first year.
Care Leavers are automatically entitled to a YSJ Care Leavers Scholarship which provides
£800 cash for each academic year of study that the student is eligible. They can also apply for the Find Your Future bursary which offers a further £500 per academic year, following engagement with our Careers or Opportunities teams.
