Support for care experienced and estranged students

If you are an estranged student, have spent time in foster care, residential care, or arrangements outside of family, we can offer you extra support to help you succeed during your time at university.

student and staff member in conversation

At NTU, we appreciate that it can be daunting coming to the University, especially without the support of a traditional family network. So, if you are an estranged student, have spent time in foster care, residential care, or arrangements outside of family, we can offer you extra support to help you succeed during your time at university.

Practical and wellbeing support

If you are a care- experienced or estranged student at NTU, you are not alone. In fact, you are a part of a community of hundreds of other students with less ‘traditional’ parent or carer relationships. This means that our Student Support Advisers (SSAs) have lots of knowledge and experience of supporting students with similar needs.

Our SSAs can help you by:

Providing general information and signposting
coordinating support
delivering support on a range of wellbeing, practical and study-related issues.

If you are a care-experienced or estranged student and would like tailored support from one of our SSAs, please contact the SSA team to make an enquiry.

Please note: Any student, or a third party acting with the student's consent, can ask also for help using our support and wellbeing referral form.

Arranging accommodation

Our SSAs can help you arrange accommodation in our halls of residence over the summer. If you'd like this support, complete our short support and wellbeing referral form.

You can also choose to return to our halls of residence in your second and final years. Find out more about NTU accommodation.

Money

NTU Care Leaver and Estranged Student Bursary

You may be eligible to receive this bursary of £1,000 for each year of your course, if you :

are studying on a full-time course (including a Foundation Degree, Certificate of Higher Education, Higher National Diploma or Higher National Certificate, and
were under 25 when you started this course, and
have an approved application for UK Student Finance,
and have been assessed as independent because you are a care leaver or estranged from your parents.

No application is required, and you will receive it in addition to any other NTU Bursaries and scholarships you may be eligible for.

Not Assessed as a Care Leaver or Estranged Student?

Please contact the Student Money Team for advice if Student Finance has assessed you as a care leaver or estranged, but you meet any :

- have been in local authority care in the UK at some point since the age of 16; or

- have been looked after by relativese under a court order since the age of 16; or

- have been a foyer resident in the UK; or

- have had no contact (either verbal or written) with either of your biological/adoptive parents for 12 months or more prior to starting your course; or

- Have experienced a relationship breakdown with your parents within the last 12 months that you don’t expect this to improve in the near future.

Maximum maintenance funding from 2026/27

From the 2026/27 academic year, eligible care leavers applying to Student Finance England for undergraduate fundingwill automatically receive the maximum level of maintenance loan.

This applies regardless of:

age
marital status
household income

Additional Financial Support

If your funding does not cover your essential living costs, of your experience unexpected financial difficulties, you may be able to get extra financial help from the university.

Many care leavers and estranged students are eligible for funding through:

Money Advice and Budgeting Support

NTU’s Student Money Team can help you:

understand your student finance entitlement
provide evidence of your care leaver or estranged status
access the maximum funding available to you
manage your budget and finances

If you receive the NTU Care Leaver and Estranged Student Bursary, you'll be invited to meet with a money adviser for additional financial guidance.

Financial support often comes from different sources and may be paid at various points throughout the year. Keeping track of payment dates and planning your spending can help you stay on top of your finances. Explore NTU’s budgeting tools and resources for practical support.

Employability: Careers and placement support

All NTU students from a care experienced or estranged background have access to dedicated specialists within the Employability team.

Your contact will help you access career consultants, job fairs and employability workshops. They can also help you to access any employability funding and support you might be eligible for.

Extra Support

You can get more information from organisations and charities providing advice and support.

The Care Leavers' Association

The Care Leavers' Association is a national user-led charity. It aims to improve the lives of care leavers of all ages. See their quick guide to rights and entitlements.

Become

Become is a national charity for children in care and young care leavers.

All of Us - The community for estranged and care experienced students across the UK

All of Us is a dynamic student led community which helps people connect, share information, and feel they belong. The community is united by a flag co-designed by estranged and care-experienced students using colours representing diversity and equality.