Care Experienced and Estranged Student Support
Support for care experienced and estranged students, from application to beyond graduation.
If you've been in the care of a local authority, or you're not in contact with your parents, Queen Mary has specific support in place for you, including some you can access before you've even applied.
Letting us know about your circumstances is entirely your choice. Doing so simply helps us put everything below in place for you. Any information you share is seen only by staff who need to know, and used solely to help you.
Three reasons to tell us you're care experienced
- It connects you to the outlined support below.
You can tell us now, on your UCAS form, or any time after. - It's considered in context.
If you apply to Queen Mary we will use this to assess your eligbility for a reduced, contextual offer to study with us. - It's confidential.
The information you provide is shared only with staff who need to know, and only ever to support you.
Our support for you
For full information about the support available, see our welfare advise page for Care experienced students.
Before and during your application
Applying to Queen Mary
In care for at least 13 weeks during secondary education? You may qualify for a reduced grades offer through our contextual admissions policy. We can also support you in the following ways:
- Our outreach team can guide you through the application, whether or not your school can help.
- Priority access to outreach programmes like Access to Queen Mary, without standard eligibility scoring.
- A travel bursary covers costs to attend open days and taster events.
Funding your studies
Funding as an independent student
If you Apply to Student Finance England as an independent student your funding won't be based on parental income, normally the maximum loan. We also will support you through:
- Queen Mary Bursary which is awarded automatically awarded if you have independent-student Student Finance or have a household income below £35,000.
- A dedicated bursary towards summer vacation costs for care experienced and estranged students.
- Financial Assistance Fund that can provide extra grants if your income doesn't stretch to essential costs.
Somewhere to live
Guaranteed housing, plus additional options
Every new undergraduate is guaranteed accommodation for year one, with up to a 51-week rental agreement available for care experienced students.
- Our guarantor service supports you when entering private accommodation.
- A Welfare Adviser can check what additional financial support you're entitled to as some local authorities cover summer accommodation costs.
- The Unite Foundation Scholarship could provide a free en-suite room, with rent and bills covered, for up to three years for successful awardees.
While you are here and beyond
Our support extends beyond enrolment
Your Welfare Adviser stays with you throughout your studies. You'll also get a dedicated Careers Consultant, free social events, and national peer communities for care experienced and estranged students.