Care Leavers and Estranged Students Bursary
This bursary is for students who are under 25 when they start their studies, and who also meet one of the following conditions: come to York as a care leaver (or through the national Foyer Federation), or who are irreconcilably estranged from their parents (or both parents have passed away).
Students with household income of less than £35,000 may be eligible to receive a value of award as follows:
- First year of study: £3,000
- Subsequent years : £2,500
- On completion of your programme you may also be eligible to receive a further £1,000 to assist towards graduation and interview costs
Care Leavers and Estranged Students Bursary contact details
Dedicated support for Independent Students
+ 44 (0)1904 324140
student-independent@york.ac.uk
Eligibility
Open to UK (home) students only.
The 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.
For full eligibility criteria, see our Bursaries page.
How to apply
Bursaries are automatically assessed on the first working day of October, January and April. In order to be eligible to be included in the automatic assessment run, students must have their Student Finance application completed and means tested and ensure that they or their sponsors do not withhold consent for the information to be shared with the University.
- The University will offer an accommodation subsidy to students who are eligible for a York Bursary and meet the legal definition of being a Care Leaver or have spent 13 weeks or more being supported by the Foyer Federation. The Accommodation Subsidy is available to students when their local authority (or other external body) is not paying for their accommodation.
- Bursaries are paid on a prorated basis. More detailed information can be found on the bursaries webpage.
This bursary has been partly funded through kind donations from York alumni, and supporters to the University of Opportunity fund.
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.
Careers and Placements' On Track programme for 2025/26
The University currently offers an exclusive opportunity for undergraduates in receipt of either a York Bursary or 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.
Details of the 2025/26 On Track programme are still to be confirmed. If you're an undergraduate, and receive a letter about your bursary eligibility, look out for further information from September 2025. This will come from the Careers and Placements team via Handshake.
If you receive your bursary award letter later on during the 2025/26 academic year, and would like to know more, contact Careers and Placements.