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Support for Care Leavers and Care Experienced Students

Find out about bursaries, accommodation support, financial assistance, wellbeing support and personalised advice available for Care Leaver and Care Experienced students at Herts.

On this page:

What support can I get?

The Student Success team is dedicated to helping Care Leaver and Care Experienced students succeed throughout their time at Herts and beyond.

Depending on your circumstances and eligibility, support may include:

Support available

Details

Personalised support

A dedicated point of contact, individual advice and guidance throughout your studies

Financial support

Care Leaver bursaries, graduation bursaries and access to the Student Opportunity Fund

Accommodation support

Access to year-round accommodation and the Care Leaver accommodation discount

Study support

Assistance with the provision of a laptop to support your studies

Opportunities and activities

Student Success events, opportunities and Ambassador Scheme activities

Support is tailored to your individual circumstances and needs.

Who is eligible for Care Leaver support?

The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 defines a Care Leaver as someone who has been in the care of a Local Authority for 13 weeks or more, including a period spanning their 16th birthday.

The University of Hertfordshire uses this definition when assessing eligibility for Care Leaver support, including financial bursaries.

If you are a full-time undergraduate Home student aged 18 to 24 and have Care Leaver status recognised by Student Finance England (SFE), you may be eligible for additional support, including bursaries.

What is a Care Experienced student?

Care Experienced is a broader term that refers to anyone who has experience of being in care.

Care Experienced students can access support from the Student Success team, including:

  • Personalised advice and guidance
  • Ongoing support during your studies
  • Short-term financial assistance where appropriate
  • Opportunities, events and activities through Student Success

Some financial awards, including Care Leaver bursaries, are available only to students who meet the University's Care Leaver eligibility criteria.

Financial support and bursaries

Students who meet the University's Care Leaver eligibility criteria may be able to access:

  • A Care Leaver bursary worth £1,800 per year of undergraduate study (subject to eligibility checks)
  • A graduation bursary
  • Access to the Student Opportunity Fund

The Student Success team can provide further information about eligibility and available funding.

Contact the Care Experienced Support Team

If you would like to discuss the support available or check whether you are eligible, contact the dedicated Care Experienced support team:

Email: careexperienced@herts.ac.uk

We'll be happy to talk through the support, funding and opportunities available to you.

Find out more

For more information about eligibility, support packages and available funding, visit the Student Success website:

Care Experienced Student Support

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Student Success Team - Care Experienced

Centre for Education and Student Success

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Hutton Hub, college lane campus