Support for young, estranged students

Our UniCares team provides financial, pastoral, and educational support to estranged students, from application stage through to graduation and searching for employment.

We recognise that students with little or no family support often face additional challenges whilst at university and we are committed to supporting you with difficulties you might have so that you can make the most of your time here.

I was worried that becoming an independent student would be held against me, so it was useful to have UniCares in my corner backing me and reminding me that my circumstances weren't my fault.

You can read about Ashkan and Diego’s experience as estranged students at City St George’s.

To get in touch with the UniCares team, please fill out this form and we will be in touch as soon as possible.

Who is a young, estranged student?

The term ‘estranged’ refers to someone under the age of 25 who has permanently lost familial contact with their parents or guardians due to a breakdown in the relationship.

Being estranged does not necessarily mean having no family contact at all. You may still be in touch with siblings or other relatives, such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles.

Students may be estranged before starting their studies, or they may become estranged at any point during their time at university, and estrangement can occur for many different reasons. Each case is different and individual.

Students who have sought refuge in the UK without their family, may be considered estranged. Please get in touch with UniCares to discuss your personal circumstances.

Evidence

To register with the UniCares programme as an estranged student, you must have received a confirmation of your estrangement from Student Finance England. Estranged students are often designated as ‘independent students’ by Student Finance. This means that if you are eligible for student finance and don’t live with a partner or spouse you will usually be entitled to the maximum income assessed support. There are usually additional Student Finance forms that you need to complete to confirm you are estranged.

You may ask a third-party for support pre-enrolment to fill out the Confirmation of Estrangement Form and submit it as part of your application for student finance. You may also provide SFE other forms of evidence:

• A letter from a social worker (if you have one)
• If you claimed welfare benefits before the age of 18, a letter from your local Job Centre Plus office showing that you received benefits because of your personal circumstances
• If your relationship with your parents/guardian broke down while you were still at school or college, a letter from a teacher, personal tutor, or support worker, to confirm your situation
• If you have needed to visit a doctor because of the circumstances relating to your estrangement, a letter of confirmation from your doctor.

Letters should be on headed paper and signed by the referee (with their contact details included).

Otherwise, you may request support from the UniCares team after joining City St George’s to complete the form with you. UniCares, as the designated team for estranged students at the University, can act as a third-party for

Pre-entry support

City St George's offers pre-entry advice and guidance through the Widening Participation and Outreach team. There are a range of events and activities on offer for students thinking about university as well as for those who would like more support in preparing them for university.

As an estranged student, you are guaranteed access to pre-entry support such as application advice, pre-induction events and Taster Weeks and UniFocus Days. Please email the wpteam@citystgeorges.ac.uk to find out more.

We have a contextual admissions scheme which is designed to support eligible students, including those who are estranged, to enter the university. It offers an alternative grade offer as well as access to pre-application and post-application support.

We strongly encourage applicants to ‘Tick the box’ on their UCAS application. This will inform your chosen universities and give you access to the support available.

Accommodation

As an estranged student, you are prioritised for City St George's student accommodation throughout your undergraduate degree provided you have City St George's as your firm choice by the UCAS deadline. We work closely with City's Accommodation Advisers to ensure you are allocated accommodation that best meets your needs, including out of term time.

We will support you to secure 365-day accommodation where available.

Most landlords, including student halls, will require a third person to act as a ‘guarantor’ before a tenancy agreement can be completed. This person is usually a family member who agrees to pay the rent in case of a shortfall from the tenant and they might be liable to other costs that might incur during the tenancy.

• Contact the UniCares team

Accreditations and Awards

We are proud recipients of the NNECL Quality Mark, an accreditation demonstrating our dedication to supporting care-experienced students.

We have also received the NEON Widening Access Initiative (Retention and Progression) Award in 2022.