All our care leavers are given a designated member of staff to offer one-to-one advice and support from day one, right up to graduation.

When you arrive at the University, our friendly Student Wellbeing and Support Team can help you with personal, financial, academic, or housing matters. They can advocate on your behalf, where appropriate, to ensure you have what you need to make your studies a success. If you’d like an adviser to be involved with your personal education plan, or pathway plan, please let them know via the Student Zone.

Care leavers’ bursary

If you’ve been offered a place to study with us, and you’ve declared to us that you’re a care leaver, the Student Wellbeing and Support Team will contact you over the summer to welcome you and provide you with an application form for the Care Leavers’ Bursary.

The University offers a £3,600 cash award over the duration of the study (£1,200 per academic year). Check here to see if you are eligible for the care leavers’ bursary and any other financial support available at the University.

Your peer mentor

You may find connecting with a peer mentor a helpful way to settle into University and learn about academic life. It’s good to know you have someone there to chat to and learn from their own experiences.

Accommodation

As a care leaver, you’re guaranteed accommodation in your first year of study, and if you need accommodation for 365 days, this can be arranged. Please declare your care leaver status on your accommodation application form.

Further Support

The Student Wellbeing and Support Team offers a wide range of help for mental wellbeing, disability, and finance.

As a care leaver, you are eligible for a free bus pass from Kent County Council (KCC). The KCC 16+ TravelSaver can save you up to 50% on travel to and from campus, and can be used at any time of the day on any day of the year.

Other organisations that offer support to care leavers are:

National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) – www.nnecl.org
Become - www.becomecharity.org.uk