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:
Support for Care-Experienced Students
Pre-entry
- Our dedicated NCL Cares Team provide support, advice and information to care-experienced individuals and their supporters throughout their higher education journey.
- Care-experienced applicants are automatically eligible for our supported access route to study at Newcastle University, PARTNERS (essential conditions, including grade requirements, still apply). Through PARTNERS, applicants can:
- Receive a lower contextual offer of up to three grades below the standard offer
- Join an online schedule of pre-entry information sessions on topics such as; health and wellbeing, student finance, accommodation and life at Newcastle University*
- Take part in the PARTNERS Academic Summer School, which aims to prepare you for higher education study in your chosen subject and to offer a taster of life as a Newcastle University student*
- We offer travel reimbursement for students in Years 12 and 13 who are visiting Newcastle University as part of their journey to higher education.
- This may include: Open Days; Offer Holder Days; Applicant interviews; or other one-day outreach events hosted by the University.
- If you’d like to take advantage of this support or have any questions, please contact visit.bursary@ncl.ac.uk.
When you arrive
- Early accommodation arrival at start of first term, if required
- Our ResLife Team offer moving in support and a meet and greet service on arrival to your University accommodation site. The Team also host regular social activities throughout the year and during vacation periods.
- Subsidised to The Big Welcome activities, in partnership with Newcastle University Student Union (NUSU)
During your studies
- Regular contact with your named member of staff throughout your studies
- Undergraduate students are eligible for a bursary of £3000 per year**:
- £2000 Opportunity Scholarship, paid in 3 instalments across the year
- An additional £1000 Summer Support Bursary to assist with living costs over the summer break
- Eligible for the Newcastle University Student Union's Activities Access Fund of up to £350 to help with costs of joining clubs and societies
- Regular contact from the University's Student Wellbeing Adviser Team and individual referrals for mental health support where appropriate
- Tailored careers advice, and bespoke information sessions and appointments on student finance, scholarships and budgeting
- Free summer storage of your belongings at the end of first year
- 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).
** This bursary is available to UK undergraduate students who have been identified as care experienced and/or estranged by Student Finance England (SFE), Wales or Northern Ireland or the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. Certain exclusions apply including placement years, and students who are eligible for NHS funding. Full details can be found here.
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 will contact you once your application is received to tell you more about the NCL Cares Team and the support available to you.
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 dedicated Team 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:
NCL Cares Team
Email - nclcares@ncl.ac.uk
UK Recruitment & Admissions | Newcastle University | King's Gate | Newcastle upon Tyne | NE1 7RU