Care Leavers and Foyer Residents

Care Leavers

The University of Bath is committed to supporting students who have been in Local Authority Care or are from Foyers. Studying at University is an exciting experience but it can also be a time of anxiety and confusion for any student, we aim to help support you during this time.

If you started your course from September 2008 onwards then your Local Authority has a duty to pay you a £2,000 Bursary if you are studying a Higher Education course. It is advisable to contact your Local Authority Leaving Care Services in order to find out about the funding they have available for you.

In addition, The University of Bath offers students who meet the definition of "care leavers" a  bursary worth £1,000 per academic year. Before completing the application form and reply slip please ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria and have read the terms and conditions for the Care Leaver Bursary.

Please return your completed application form and/or reply slip  to The Student Services Centre, 4 West, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY. Only new students will need to complete the reply slip whereas all students need to complete the application form each year.

If you wish to discuss your circumstances please contact the Student Services Helpdesk on 01225 385538 or see us in 4 West

We can help you by:

• Acting as a link between the University, you and your Local Authority, before and during your course.
• Making you aware of various services that the University of Bath offers.
• Being someone that you can simply chat to about anything you are unsure about.

You may be eligible for support from our National Scholarship Programme or Bursary Scheme. There are eligibility criteria and you should check our webpages for more information. In order for the university to determine your eligibility we will require a letter from your Leaving Care Adviser or Personal Adviser to confirm your status. The University will contact you about this.

We understand that every student's circumstances are different and we consider all requests for additional support carefully. We also understand that as a Care Leaver you may not want or need additional support.

The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 definition states that a Care Leaver is someone who has been in the Care of the Local Authority for a period of 13 weeks or more spanning their 16th birthday.

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Foyer Residents

If you are a Foyer Resident student or been homeless prior to coming to University you may encounter challenges in addition to those which the majority of students in Higher Education face.

The Student Funding Team may be able to offer you help if you are experiencing difficulties with your finances, or are considering leaving Higher Education because you are finding it difficult to budget your day-to-day living costs and rental payments.

Coming to University should be an enjoyable experience and we are here to ensure that limited finance is not a barrier to your participation and the successful completion of your chosen course of study.

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