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Care Leavers, Care Experienced & Estranged from Family

At the University of Cumbria we want to ensure that all students, who wish to, can access higher education and that they can participate effectively in all areas of university life.

If you are a care leaver, care experienced or estranged from your family, there is a wide range of support available for you.

 

The University of Cumbria use the Student Finance England (SFE) definition for care leaver.

Generally, you’re a ‘care leaver’ if at any point from the age of 16 to the first day of your first academic year, you have not been under the legal care of your parents; and, for three months or more, you have been in the custody or legal care of, or have been given accommodation by, a local authority (LA).

You can apply for student finance as a care leaver if:

  • You have not been under the legal care of your parents and for at least three months, you have been in the custody, legal care or have been given accommodation by an LA and the care ended on or after you turned 16 and before the first day of the first academic year of your course.
  • You must also not have returned to the care of your parents between the age of 16 and the first day of the first academic year. However, you could still qualify as a care leaver if you’ve returned to live with your parents, but are still under the care of the LA. For example, if you have returned to your parental home for a trial period of reunification but are still receiving the same support from the LA, then you can still qualify as a care leaver for student finance purposes.

Read the SFE Care Leaver Guide to find out more.

Care experienced means you 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.

Young people aged 25 or below, studying without the support and approval of either parent due to a breakdown in their relationship. This might be biological, step or adoptive parents, or possibly wider family members who have been involved in your care.

 

Your dedicated support contacts

We will support you through both your entry into university and during your time with us.

  • The Money Advice Team are your dedicated point of contact throughout your studies; they will be on hand to meet regularly and they will support you from the very beginning. You can even access support before you start.​
  • You will be contacted by a Student Support Adviser (Money Advice) about our support package if you declare, via Student Finance, that you are a Care Leaver or an Estranged student.

 

Support available to you

Financial support
  • As a student who is a Care Leaver or estranged from their family, you will be prioritised for the Cumbria Bursary which could be up to £1000 per year for each year of a three-year full time degree.  To be eligible, for consideration, you must give consent to share financial information on your Student Finance application, which must have been assessed prior to the start your course.
  • The Student Support Fund is available to students experiencing financial difficulty or unexpected financial emergencies. Visit the Student Support Fund web page for more information and to download an application form.
  • The Student Opportunity Fund is available to support your employability through professional and/or personal development. Visit the Student Opportunity Fund web page for more information and to apply.
  • You will also be able to access pre-entry information regarding extra funding you may be eligible for, budgeting support and any other queries you may have. More information can be found on the Money and Finance webpages.

 

 Accommodation

 

Academic support

  • Head Start is a short online course designed to bridge the gap into higher education. It introduces you to:
    • Effective learning approaches
    • Accessing and evaluating information
    • Academic writing
    • Referencing

You will be invited to join Head Start before you arrive at university. See Head Start  for more information.

  • Skills@Cumbria is our student services team, supplemented by specialist Academic Skills Advisers who can support you with your studies. You can contact them via the Student Enquiry Point. 

Getting in touch with us

The Student Enquiry Point (StEP) is a simple way to contact Student Services. Using the Student Enquiry Point tile on the Student Hub or by visiting one of our campus physical StEP desks, you can book an appointment or send an enquiry relating to the wide range of services provided.

To find out more about the services we offer, explore our guide to student services.

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