Support for Care-Experienced Students
We’re committed to supporting students who have experience of being in care. You’ll receive ongoing support whilst studying at Newcastle, and we can provide advice and guidance before you apply on all topics relating to higher education.
Who are Care-Experienced Students?
At Newcastle University, we deem a care-experienced young person as someone who has spent any time in care during their life. This could include any of the following experiences:
- Living with foster carers
- Living in a residential children's home
- Being looked after at home under a supervision order
- Living with friends or relatives in kinship care – either through a formal arrangement (e.g. a Special Guardianship order) or an informal arrangement without local authority support
If any of the above criteria apply to you, you can find details of how we can support you below. If you are unsure if you meet the criteria, please get in touch with our Care-Experienced Student designated contact: Scott Douglass, Student Recruitment Co-ordinator, scott.douglass@ncl.ac.uk
Support for Care-Experienced Students
Pre-entry
- Care-experienced students are automatically eligible for our supported access route to study at Newcastle University, PARTNERS (essential conditions, including grade requirements, still apply)
- A named member of staff at Newcastle University who you can contact for support with your application to Newcastle University, any questions you might have, or for queries about any other Newcastle University service
- Online and in-person schedule of pre-entry information sessions on topics such as; health and wellbeing, student finance, subject specific Q & A’s and life at Newcastle University*
- A place on the PARTNERS Academic Summer School aimed at preparing you for degree study in your chosen subject and to experience life as a Newcastle University student*
- Reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses to Open Day/Offer Holder Day events on campus
When you arrive
- Alcohol free accommodation available
- Early accommodation arrival at start of first term, if required
- Meet and greet service on arrival to the city, or to your University accommodation site
- Buddying Scheme, where you'll be matched with a current Newcastle University student who will support you as your start your university journey
- Free Fresher’s wristband
During your studies
- Regular contact with your named member of staff throughout your studies
- Up to £2000 per year via the Opportunity Scholarship for eligible students (based on household income)
- Eligible for the Newcastle University Student Union's Participation Bursary of up to £280 to help with costs of joining clubs and societies
- Priority access to Student Health and Wellbeing Services
- Tailored careers advice for care-experienced students
- Bespoke information sessions and appointments on student finance, scholarships and budgeting
- Free summer storage of your belongings at the end of first year
- Newcastle University will pay YourGuarantor fees - a guarantor scheme for private accomodation
- Free graduation package (gown hire and photography)
*Available only to students applying to Newcastle University via the PARTNERS Programme. Care-experienced students are automatically eligible for PARTNERS (essential conditions, including grade requirements, still apply).
How to let us know that you are a care-experienced student
The easiest way to tell us about your care-experience is by ticking the box on the UCAS application. You will be asked to share the duration of your care-experience but you will not have to share any further information at this stage.
When you tick the box, we can see that you may require support and they may get in touch with more information about how we will do this – and to tell you more about your options.
You can find out more about how to apply to University as a care-experienced student, on the UCAS website
Contact
Newcastle University has a designated member of staff who can offer advice and information to care-experienced individuals and their supporters. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions:
Scott Douglass (scott.douglass@ncl.ac.uk) - Student Recruitment Co-ordinator
Newcastle University | King's Gate | Newcastle upon Tyne | NE1 7RU