Care Leaver and Estranged Student Bursary 2023 entry

The Care Leaver and Estranged Student Bursary is an annual bursary of £3,000 plus an additional £500 on graduation to support with moving on costs. Please note the Care Leaver and Estranged Student Bursary is not paid in addition to the University of Surrey Bursary.

About

The Care Leaver and Estranged Student Bursary aims to support students who are:



Care Leavers - You have been ‘looked after’ for at least 13 weeks by a local authority at some point since you were 14 years old, and were in care on or after your sixteenth birthday.

Or, 

Estranged Students - You are estranged from both parents/carers. By estranged we mean that either:

  • You have not communicated with either of your biological or adoptive parents for a period of time before your course began
  • Your parents cannot be traced or it is not possible, practical, or safe to make contact with them
  • Your parents have significant mental or physical health problems which prevent you from contacting them
  • Both of your biological or adoptive parents are deceased.

Eligibility criteria

In order to be eligible:

  • You must be a full-time undergraduate student
  • You must be a UK student
  • You must be paying full tuition fees (therefore NHS-funded students and students who are being funded are not eligible).

How to apply

The Student Success Team will contact eligible students using the information you provide the University on Enrolment.

Please note the schemes detailed are subject to OfS (Office for Students) approval and therefore our bursary schemes may change in order to meet regulations.

Contact details

The University’s point of contact for care leavers and estranged students is Ellie Shephard. You can contact her via email e.shephard@surrey.ac.uk

For enquiries regarding this bursary, please contact studentsuccess@surrey.ac.uk.

Male student in Heart and Soul cafe

Scholarships and bursaries

There is a range of support available to help finance your studies.