Higher education (university)

If you would like to go to university we can advise and help you with some of the following:

student finance to pay for tuition fees and living costs
maintenance loans
travel costs
somewhere to live during the holidays
bursaries and grants

All universities have a student union. They will help you with any questions you have and make sure you're getting all the support available for you.

You must claim any benefits or apply for a student loan the same way as any other young person.

Financial support

We'll continue to support you while you are at university.

We'll give you a £2,000 bursary and support you with the following:

travel costs to visit universities
help towards rent during the Easter, Christmas and summer holidays
moving to and from university (up to £200)

You'll be able to use up to £200 of your setting up home allowance to pay for household items, such as a duvet, pots and pans, and other essentials.

Any other funding will need to be agreed by our management team.

You may also be entitled to more support from the university who often have funds and grants for care leavers. You should contact your chosen university to discuss what is available. Your personal advisor can help you contact them.

Applying for university

Speak to your personal advisor or social worker if you're thinking about applying for university. They can help you apply for student finance.

More help

You may find the following websites useful when you're applying for university.

UCAS - Undergraduate Getting Started - Care Leavers: support with finance, settling in, and accommodation for care leavers.

The University of Greenwich has lots of resources to help you write your personal statement:

The Propel website offers advice and information about how different institutions support care leavers. You can use it to find out about all year round accommodation, bursaries and grants and key contacts.

Find out about student finance.

Education options for care leavers