University info for care experienced young people
Information and links to further support if you are applying to university and have experience of care.
Applying to do a degree at college or university
UCAS support
If you are in care, or have experience of being in care in the past, there’s lots of support available in higher education to help you with all aspects of applying to university including support on finance, accommodation, and settling. UCAS has a wealth of information which you can access via the link below:
https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/individual-needs/care-experienced-students
Tick the box
As a care experienced student applying to study a degree via UCAS, there is an option to ‘tick a box’ to let universities know that you/ a student is care experienced.
UCAS has produced an informative blog giving students three clear reasons why ticking the box is helpful. Click the box below to read the article.
There is more information about the Tick the Box campaign on the websites of The Fostering Network and Propel.
https://www.ucas.com/connect/blogs/students-care-experience-three-reasons-tick-box
Student finance (for a degree)
When applying to university, many students are worried about managing their money – and for students from a care background, this may seem like a particular challenge. Care experienced students can apply for full support from Student Finance England without providing any information about their household income. You will receive loans to cover your tuition fees (up to £9,250 per year) and maintenance e.g. rent, bills, food etc (£12,667 for courses in London, £9,706 for courses outside London).
In addition, you may be eligible for further financial help as a care experienced student, such as:
- A higher education bursary, which you don’t pay back – see ‘Local Authority support’ at the bottom of this page for information about the offer from each region.
- Bursaries from the university or college: Many universities and colleges offer bursaries for care experienced students that you don’t have to repay, and some offer grants or loans to help you manage any additional expenses (e.g. specialist equipment). Speak to the university or college directly, or check the Propel website.
- Charitable organisations: There are a number of organisations offering grants, bursaries and scholarships, including Unite Foundation, Buttle UK, and the Care Leavers’ Foundation.
See the pdf below for support information from the four local universities in the Study Higher region (Buckinghamshire New University, University of Reading, Oxford Brookes University, and University of Oxford).
Local authority (LA) support
Local councils are often able to support care leavers in a number of different ways. The links for each local council support plan, in our regions, can be accessed by clicking on each name in bold below:
Berkshire is covered by the following: West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham, Bracknell Forest, Reading and Slough.
Other information and support:
Estranged and Care Experienced Students (EaCES) have created a webpage and handbook to summarise all of the advice and information they have collated about support for students in similar situations to themselves about higher and further education and to allow their own lived experiences and stories to be shared.
Within the EaCES Handbook you can find support and Advice on:
The basics: applying to Uni, definitions, emergency help, support and student finance guides.
Practical support: accommodation, careers and mentoring, LGBTQ, mature and PHD, privacy and disabilities.
Finances and employment: benefits, free stuff, grants and scholarships, student finance guides, employment rights
Relationships: becoming estranged, domestic abuse, healthy relationships, sex education and support with family matters.
Taking care of yourself: bereavement, life skills, mental health and wellbeing, self confidence, unlearning unhealthy behaviors and sex and relationship education.
Community and activism: academic research, activism, claiming your history and culture, creative corner, meeting up and lived stories and experiences.
To view the EaCAS Handbook, click the button below.
https://sites.google.com/view/eaces-handbook/the-eaces-handbook
Leathersellers’ Foundation Undergraduate Student Grant Programme
The Leathersellers’ Undergraduate Student Grant Programme aims to support care leavers intending to study an undergraduate degree at a UK university. Grants of up to £5,000 for 4 years are available to care leavers (defined as anyone who was the subject of a care order in the UK before they were 18), whose financial situation may hinder them from pursuing their undergraduate studies.
For more information and detail on how to apply please click here.
Foster Talk have published their university 2022/23 guide which has a students’ personal story and information about the support available at some universities beyond that of our partners above.
Download a copy by clicking the button below.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o_OrQGRv5xQwizgz8gB2SDodnmYgOsgz/view?usp=sharing