The University of Roehampton is proud to offer the Care Leaver and Care-Experienced Student Bursary to support students who have experienced local authority care and are beginning an undergraduate degree with us.
This bursary provides financial support and accommodation assistance to help care-experienced students succeed during their time at Roehampton.
If you have experience of local authority care, we strongly encourage you to let us know. Sharing this information helps us ensure you receive the financial support, accommodation and tailored guidance available to care-experienced students.
Care Leaver definition:
For the purposes of this bursary, a Care Leaver is defined as a young person who has been looked after by a UK local authority for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14, including some time after their 16th birthday. Care leavers must also not have returned to live with their parents between leaving care and starting their university course.
If you are unsure whether you meet this definition, please contact the Wellbeing team at wellbeing@roehampton.ac.uk, who will be happy to advise.
What the bursary provides:
Eligible students will receive:
- £2,000 per year of study for up to four years while enrolled on an undergraduate programme at Roehampton.
- 52 weeks of university accommodation for the cost of a 38-week contract, where on-campus accommodation is required.
If you do not require university accommodation, this element of the bursary can be waived. The accommodation benefit is only available where university accommodation is taken.
Eligibility criteria:
To receive the bursary you must:
- Meet the legal definition of a Care Leaver (see above).
- Be enrolled on an undergraduate programme at the University of Roehampton, including Extended Degrees.
- Hold Home fee status.
Additional information:
- Bursary payments in Years 2, 3 and (where applicable) Year 4 are subject to successful academic progression. Payments will not be received for repeat years.
- Payments are made in two instalments each year, in early November and March.
- Once your eligibility is confirmed, you will not need to reapply each year.
How to receive the bursary
If you meet the eligibility criteria above, please follow the steps below. To apply for this bursary please complete the following steps:
Step 1-Declare your Care Leaver status
When applying for Student Finance, declare your Care Leaver status.
Students who declare their status through UCAS or Student Finance may be contacted directly about this bursary.
Step 2-Confirm your Care Leaver status with the University
Email the Wellbeing team at wellbeing@roehampton.ac.uk to confirm your eligibility.
Please provide one of the following forms of evidence:
- Confirmation from Student Finance England
- A letter from your Local Authority
- Confirmation from your Leaving Care Team
Any information you share about your care experience will be treated confidentially and sensitively. This information will only be used to ensure you receive the support and funding available to you.
If your Care Leaver status is already confirmed through Student Finance England, additional evidence may not be required.
Step 3-Eligibility confirmation and support
The Wellbeing team will confirm your eligibility and notify the Finance and Accommodation teams.
They will also share information about additional support available to care-experienced students and can arrange a meeting with you if you would like further guidance.
You can also find more information about available services here Student support
Step 4-Payment and accommodation
Once eligibility has been confirmed:
- The Finance team will arrange payment of your bursary in early November and early March each year.
- The Accommodation team will contact you to confirm your accommodation contract where applicable.
The Wellbeing team offers dedicated support for care-experienced students throughout their time at Roehampton. If you would like to speak with someone before or during your studies, the team will be happy to support you.
If you have any queries or concerns relating to support for care experienced students please contact wellbeing@roehampton.ac.uk or book to speak with your Student Wellbeing officer via the Student Support webpage.