Care leaver's support

Information and Advice 

If you are care experienced and thinking about coming to university, or are already studying here at the University, we can offer you support and guidance on any welfare concerns you may have. The service is completely confidential and aims to be flexible and responsive to your needs.  

Bursary Support 

If you are care experienced and due to start an undergraduate course, you are eligible to access the £2500 Care Experienced Bursary over the course of a 3-year programme or £3250 if you are engaged in 4-year study programme comprising a foundation or sandwich year.  

To receive the bursary, you need to meet the following criteria: 

• You must be a UK or EU student on a full time or sandwich course and are paying the full fee yourself or by a sponsor (e.g. NHS courses). 
• You must have been in care for a minimum period of 13 weeks spanning your 16th birthday (meeting the Student Finance England definition). 
• You must be aged 25 or under at the time of enrolment with the University. 
• Your care leavers’ bursary will be dependent on you being eligible for statutory funding or an NHS bursary. 
• You must be in receipt of the full Maintenance/Special Support grant in the current academic year. 

The University will pay the bursary in instalments, typically, £750 in the first year, £750 in the second year and £1000 in the final year. If you are undertaking 4 years of study including either a foundation or sandwich year a further £750 bursary award will be paid in that qualifying year to a maximum of £3250. 

Further support through the University

Eligible care-experienced students can apply for financial support through the University Hardship Fund which is non-repayable.  

More information

For further details about care experienced support visit our care leavers page. If you you are still unsure and would like to discuss your individual circumstances please contact us below.

What do we mean by care experience?

This is where we can  evidence  that you are covered by the following UCAS definition of care experience: 

Being care experienced means you will have spent time living with foster carers under local authority care, in residential care (e.g. a children’s home), looked after at home under a supervision order, or in kinship care with relatives or friends, either officially (e.g. a special guardianship order) or informally without local authority support*. ​ 

Kinship care – family or friends care – is where a child lives full-time or most of the time with a relative or close family friend, usually because their parents are not able to care for them. You can find out more here:  https://compass.kinship.org.uk/advice-and-information/what-is-kinship-care/. 

*Please be aware that informal kinship care can be very difficult to evidence, but we would like to try to consider your circumstances where possible. You may be able to evidence this through something such as a: 

• A letter from a local authority social worker (this could include a copy of a completed IC1 form claiming support for a child informally living with a carer, signed by a registered social worker) 
• A letter from a school/college or other education setting, or other relevant professional, who can evidence your situation. 
• Any evidence of relevant benefits paid to your carer (e.g. child benefit being claimed by someone other than your birth parents (as listed on your birth certificate) or Guardian’s Allowance).