Care Leavers and Estranged Students Bursary

This bursary is for students aged under 25, who come to York as care leavers or who are irreconcilably estranged from their parents.

  • Funding: Annual awards over the duration of your course
  • Academic year: 2024/25
  • Open to: UK (home) students
  • Qualification level: Undergraduate

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.

The value of the award is:

  • Year 1: £3,000
  • Year 2: £2,500
  • Final year: £2,500, plus £1,000 to be paid at the end of semester 2 to assist with graduation and interview costs.

Bursaries guide for current students

This bursary has been partly funded through kind donations from York alumni and supporters to the University of Opportunity fund.

Through the University of Opportunity fund, we're committed to ensuring there are no gaps to access, success, award and progression for any student.

Donations to York are facilitated by our Office of Philanthropic Partnerships and Alumni. They work with bursary students to broaden understanding of the impact of philanthropy, and may contact some recipients about whether they would like to be involved in this work.

Eligibility

Open to UK (home) students only.

The Care Leavers and Estranged Students Bursary is open to students 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.

The term ‘estranged student’ describes someone who has no communication with both of their biological or adoptive parents, and the situation is likely to remain permanent.

The Care Leavers and Estranged Students Bursary is for students aged under 25, who come to York having been in the care of their UK local authority; or who have come through the national Foyer Federation (foyer.net), or who are irreconcilably estranged from their parents.

How to apply

We will automatically assess your eligibility based on your residual household income using the information supplied in your application for Student Loans. Assessments are run in October, January and April. Bursaries are awarded based on your eligibility on the date of the assessment, and allocated on a prorated basis.

  • If you are a Care Leaver, we will automatically assess your eligibility based on the information supplied in your Student Finance England application. There is no need to apply for the bursary directly.
  • If you have received confirmation of your independent student status by Student Finance England because you are irreconcilably estranged from your parents we will automatically assess your eligibility based on the information supplied in your Student Finance England application. If both of your biological or adoptive parents are deceased you can contact our dedicated contact for independent students if you need assistance in establishing this status with your Student Finance provider.

Please make sure your information is up to date before 1 April 2025, as no awards will be made after the final bursary assessment run in April 2025.

How we allocate

If you are a Care Leaver, regardless of if you live on or off campus, the bursary will be paid to your bank account for Year 1 and all subsequent years of your course. Further information will be included on the award letter.

If you live in private sector accommodation and are eligible to receive the Care Leaver’s accommodation subsidy, the subsidy will be paid to you alongside the bursary directly into your bank account in three instalments. The instalment dates will be included on the award letter.

If you have been assessed as independent by Student Finance England, and chose to live on campus during the first year of your studies, the bursary will be paid directly to Accommodation Services. If you live off campus, the payment will be made to your bank account. Further details will be included on the award letter.

For subsequent years of study, the bursary will be paid as cash directly to your bank account. Further details will be included on the award letter. Students who remain in accommodation owned by the University of York will have the option of having their bursary directly applied to their accommodation fees instead of paid to their bank account.

Careers and Placements' On Track programme for 2024/25

The University offers an exclusive opportunity for 2nd-Year undergraduates who've received either a York Bursary or a Care Leavers and Estranged Students Bursary to participate in On Track.

On Track is an opt-in programme that offers opportunities in a range of activities designed to help students develop key employability skills over the year. This includes access to professional development workshops and one-to-one coaching aimed to build confidence and professional networks along the way.

If you're a 2nd-Year undergraduate, and have received a letter about your bursary eligibility, look out for an invitation to a briefing session in October 2024. This will come from the Careers and Placements team via Handshake.

If you receive your bursary award letter after the date of the briefing, and would like to know more, contact Careers and Placements.

Contact us

If you have questions relating to any of our funding opportunities, please see the contact details on the specific scholarship or bursary page.