University & Me: A guide for estranged learners

What is Greater Manchester Higher?Greater Manchester Higher is a collaboration of universities and colleges from across Greater Manchester, who are working together to provide high quality impartial information, advice and guidance about higher education.

This guide is to highlight the support available for estranged learners when entering higher education and how to access this.

There is additional information about the support available to estranged learners on the Greater Manchester Higher website: gmhigher.ac.uk/estrangedstudents/. If you would like to receive additional information about routes into higher education, please visit: gmhigher.ac.uk/my-student-journey/my-higher-education-options/

Estranged learners are young people studying without the support and approval of their family network due to a breakdown in their relationship.

This might be their biological, step or adoptive parents, or possibly wider family members who have been involved in their care. Estranged students often differ from care leavers in that they often leave their family network without local authority intervention, although many estranged students may have experienced care. They may have been sofa surfing at college or have experienced homelessness, and sometimes be supported by an organisation or housing provider.1

1ucas.com/providers/good-practice/emerging-cohorts/estranged-students#who-are-estranged-students-

What this guide is for?

Who is an estranged

learner

What is Higher Education? 2Why study Higher Education? 3What support is available? 4 Financial 4 Pastoral 5 Accommodation 6 Other Support 7How to access this support 8Top Tips 10Notes 12Further Information 13

Higher education refers to qualifications and courses that you can take after finishing your Level 3 study. Examples of Level 3 study include A-levels, BTECs or other Diplomas, or an Advanced Apprenticeship.Higher Education can include studying a degree at a university, further education college, undertaking an apprenticeship or a degree apprenticeship.

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Why study Higher Education?• Graduates often earn more money over a lifetime than non-graduates•AccesstomorejobswithaHEqualification• Realise your potential and gain transferable life skills• Make friends with people from all different types of backgrounds• Opportunities to take up a new interest or hobby by joining a society• Study a subject that you’re good at and care about

Jargon breakdown

Throughout this booklet, you may encounter some terms that you have not heard before. Thesedefinitionswillhelptomaketheinformationclear.

Bursary

Bursaries are a sum of money given by universities/colleges to help students pay for their education. This could beusedspecificallytosupportfeesoraccommodation.Bursariesaregivenonlytoaselectnumberofstudentswho meet certain criteria. Terms and conditions will depend on each higher education institution.

Grants

Grants are offered to students from underrepresented backgrounds by charities/trusts to help cover living costs. It may be a one off payment. For more information, please visit: ucas.com/finance/scholarships-grants-and-bursaries

Personal statement

Personal Statements are an important part of the UCAS application. It’s an opportunity to describe your ambitions, skills and experiences.

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Please remember that the information provided in this booklet is a general guide and is not specific to every university. Please contact universities direct to find out more about the specific support they offer.FinancialUniversity bursaries: many universities will offer bursaries for students who are estranged. These do not have to be repaid. Information can be found on the Stand Alone website or the individual university website. Sometimes these bursaries are paid before summer for accommodation.

Priority for emergency student support funds: all universities will have emergency student support funds and an estranged student’s application may be prioritised over other student’s applications.

What support is available?

Alongside university funds, numerous organisations alsoofferfinancialsupportsuchas:

Helena Kennedy Foundation bursary scheme: if you are currently studying at a college or sixth form, you may be eligible for a bursary of up to £2,250 to continue into higher education.

Buttle UK grants:financialhelpforyoungpeoplewho receive no support from parents or guardians to further their education. The support package can be worth up to £2000 and applicants must be aged under 21. Please see the further information section for details.

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Pastoral Stand Alone Pledge: many universities have expressed their commitment to the Stand Alone Pledge to support students who have no contact with their families. This includes providing a named contact for estranged students. Stand Alone also offer support groups and therapeutic workshops for independent students.

Wellbeing support: universities provide students with access to wellbeing and counselling support. Students who are estranged may be prioritised for this support.

Named contact: many universities have a dedicated estranged student contact who will inform students of the support that they can access alongside any support groups that the university have for estranged students. Their details should be on the university

website or they may contact you directly if you disclose you are a young carer on your application.

Mentoring networks: many universities offer a mentoring network to help students adapt to university and their new surroundings. These networks may take place online before students arrive at university. Contact your university to learn about any support or mentoring networks that they offer.

Student Union: some universities have Student Union led groups or university supported peer led groups for estranged students, which can be useful to reduce isolation.

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AccommodationOne of the great experiences of university is living in student accommodation and making new friends. To make living easier universities can support care leavers in the following ways.

365 Accommodation: many universities offer estranged students the chance to stay in university owned accommodation all year round.

Guarantor support: many universities also offer independent students a guarantor scheme to help with rent.

The Unite Foundation Scholarship: this is offered in partnership with 27 universities and provides free accommodation for the duration of your degree. To be eligible you need to be under 25, a statutory care leaver or estranged from your family, holding UK home fee status and applying to a partner university. Please note that the Unite Foundation cannot guarantee this scholarship.

Support with finding accommodation: if you would prefer to live in your own place, the university accommodation team may have a list of approved contacts, and some universities may be willing to act as guarantors or provide a list of approved guarantors. If you have been homeless, then social housing providers can provide you with support and ensure you have a stable place to live.

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What support is available? (cont)

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• Letter from one of the following professionals confirmingyourcircumstances (including length of time you have been estranged for): social worker, support worker, doctor, teacher, solicitor, religious leader or counsellor.

• Police reports showing related incidents.

• If you are having issues with this, you should contact the estrangement person at your university, as they will be able to help you gain independent status without waiting for a long period of time.

How to access this support

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Financial supportIf students are aged under 25 at the start of the academic year, they are considered ‘dependent’ andtherefore,theirstudentfinanceismeanstested on parental income. However, estranged students can apply as Independent Students, so theirfinanceiscalculatedsolelyontheirownincomeand not their parents – allowing them to access more financialsupport.

To be eligible to be considered as an Independent Student on the basis of being ‘irreconcilably estranged from your parents’ you should not have had any contact with both your biological and adoptiveparentsforasignificantperiodoftime,usually considered to be 12 months or more.

This can be evidenced in any of the following ways:

• Confirmation of Estrangement Form: this can be accessed through your student financeaccount,ensuresomeonewhoknowsyour situation completes this. This could be someone at school or college or if you become estranged whilst applying to university or at university, a member of the estrangement team at your university.

University support Tick the box: tick the box on your UCAS application to let your university or college know that you are estranged. This allows your university and college to contact you and let you know of the support that you are entitled to. This willremainconfidentialandonlybesharedwiththose who need to know.

Personal statement: a personal statement is a chance for you to explain why the university should accept you on their course, including how your experiences both inside and outside the classroom have given you skills and personal qualities ideal for a student. This will not negatively affect your application.

Referee: the referee that you include in your UCAS application could inform the university of your circumstances.

Enrolment: you may be asked at enrolment if you are estranged. Again, it is important to tick this box to let the University know.

Contact the named contact: once you join your university, contact the named contact and inform them that you are estranged. They will be able inform you of the support available and make sure you’re getting everything you’re entitled to. You can contact them at any time during your course to let them know you are estranged if you decide not to disclose this initially.

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Top tips

Contact your university choices before you apply to see what support they can offer

Declare your estrangement early: this can be done through contacting your university or explaining your circumstances in your personal statement, this will allow

you to share how your experiences have prepared your for your course

Register as an independent student when completing student finance

When applying for grants and bursaries, check that you meet the eligibility criteria and check the deadline, some grants and bursaries may have early deadlines

Here are our top tips for estranged students, who are interested in applying for university:

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Notes

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Further InformationGreater Manchester Higher: gmhigher.ac.uk/estrangedstudents

Student Finance England Estrangement Evidence Form: sfengland.slc.co.uk/estrangement.aspx

UNITE Foundation Scholarship: unitefoundation.co.uk/get-a-scholarship

UCAS Information for Estranged Students: ucas.com/estranged-students/applying-university

UCAS Personal Statement Guidance: ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/writing-personal-statement/es-tranged-students-your-personal-statement

Buttle UK grant: buttleuk.org/need-support/young-people

Helena Kennedy Foundation: hkf.org.uk/hkf-awards

Stand Alone Pledge: standalone.org.uk

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