Support for Students with Care Experience and Care Leavers

Transitional Support

Step Ahead

You'll be invited to attend the Step Ahead Induction

Practical Support

Luggage can be provided to help with your packing before you arrive

Kitchen and bedding packs can also be provided for when you arrive

Support while you're studying

Financial support

We offer a Care Leavers' Bursary to students who meet all of the criteria.

Free sports membership

You can make the most of our facilities at the York Sport Village and York Sport Centre, with a free off-peak membership or discounted full membership. Our dedicated contact will be in touch with you to offer this at the beginning of the academic year. 

Social events 

There are social events that take place throughout the year to make sure that you can meet with other independent students including a Christmas Party and Christmas Day Lunch.

Graduation celebration

To make sure you get to celebrate your achievements we arrange an additional graduation celebration event and leaving gift.

College Music Scheme

Free access to music facilities and opportunities in your college.

Accommodation

Accommodation subsidy for the duration of your course

We will offer an accommodation subsidy (currently capped at £130 per week), to students who meet all of the following criteria:

• You are studying an undergraduate degree course
• You are a UK student, with a 'Home' fee status. If you're unsure whether you're classed as a UK or international student for fee purposes, check your fee status
• You will be under 25 on the first day of your university course
• You have care leaver status and have been assessed as a care leaver by Student Finance

Depending on which accommodation you choose, this means that your accommodation could be entirely free, and gives you the flexibility to choose something which you feel will suit you best. 

For example, if you choose accommodation which costs £147 per week, once the subsidy has been applied of £130, the cost to you would be £17 per week. 

The accommodation subsidy can be applied to either on campus or off-campus accommodation.

The package is available for each year of full-time study for the duration of the course, reduced by 50% for full-year sandwich placements or study abroad years.

Flexible accommodation contracts

For new undergraduate students, if you accept York as your firm choice and apply for University accommodation by 31 July 2025, we guarantee you an offer of a room owned, managed or approved by the University. You'll also be able to stay in University accommodation for 365 days of the year should you need to.

The sooner we know that you're a student with care experience, the better we'll be able to help. Even if you're making a late application, let us know as soon as possible. Our 40 and 44-week lets cover both the Christmas and Easter holiday. If you want to live in York over the summer you can apply to live on campus for the summer nearer the time if you choose to do this.

Many students will move into private sector accommodation for their second year. As you won't know what your plans are yet, we'd advise you to select a 40 or 44-week let length to keep your options open. If you choose one of these shorter let lengths, we still guarantee you a room over the summer so that you can stay longer if you would like to. We suggest you don't choose a 38-week let length as this would mean moving your belongings out of your room during Easter.

We understand you may require additional information to help make your accommodation choices and are happy to discuss individual requirements.

You can get in touch via email at accommodation@york.ac.uk or by phone on +44 (0)1904 322165.

Please visit our accommodation web page for further information.

Support renting private sector accommodation

After your first year at York, you may decide to rent private sector accommodation that requires a UK-based rent guarantor. If you don’t have a UK-based guarantor, the University will act as your guarantor through the Rent Guarantee Scheme.

Storage of belongings

We can pay for storage of your belongings during the summer break or if you decide to do a sandwich placement or study abroad year.

Dedicated contact

Dedicated contact

Starting university is a daunting time for most students. At York, we have a dedicated contact for students with care experience so that you have a single point of contact both before you get here and during your studies at York.

Daniel Hall is the key contact. If you have indicated on your UCAS form that you have care experience, Daniel will automatically be in touch with you. However, you can also get in touch at any time if you have any questions, or concerns, relating to university life (even if you did not disclose your care experienced status on your UCAS application).

Daniel can:

• meet with you when you start at York
• offer support throughout your studies and direct you to other appropriate University services
• keep you updated with news and opportunities through regular communications
• put you in touch with other students with care experience at the University, if you would like this. There are a number of social activities that you can go along to - they are a fun and informal way to meet other students.
• put you in touch with a current student who can meet you on arrivals day, help you settle in and take you for lunch. Where possible, this student will also be a student with care experience.
• offer you tailored budgeting advice that will help you manage your money effectively and meet your essential costs, while still being able to enjoy yourself!

Daniel's contact details:

• Email address: student-independent@york.ac.uk
• Phone number: +44 (0)1904 324140

We recognise that you may not want to tell anyone else at the university that you are a student with care experience. This information will be kept confidential and will only be shared if you give consent to share.