Estranged students

UWE Cares eligibility and how we assess you for support.

If you are permanently separated from both of your biological or adoptive parents or if both of your parents are deceased, and you are under 25 at the start of your course and a Home (UK) undergraduate student, you can access support from UWE Cares as an estranged student.

Estrangement means you have little or no contact with your parents and this is unlikely to change.

You won't be eligible to access UWE Cares support simply because:

  • your parents don't support you emotionally or financially
  • you don’t get on with your parents
  • you don't live with your parents.

You need to show Student Finance evidence that your relationship with both your parents has permanently broken down or that both of your parents are deceased.

Eligibility and how we assess your application

The steps below explain how we assess for UWE Cares Support and explain the eligibility criteria for the UWE Cares Bursary and accommodation offer.

You must complete all of these actions to be eligible for our support and to be assessed for the UWE Cares bursary and accommodation offer.

  1. Step 1

    To be eligible for our support you must:

    • be a Home UK undergraduate student
    • be able to evidence your status as an estranged student to student finance bodies – read the Stand Alone Student Finance guide for more information about the evidence student finance bodies need to see
    • be under 25 years old when your university course starts
    • be studying your first undergraduate degree, studying at least 30 credits per year.

    UWE Cares support

    Bursary and accommodation support

    For bursary and accommodation support you must meet all the above criteria and be income assessed by your student finance body as having a household income under £25,000. 

    The quicker you apply for student finance the better. This will help UWE Bristol to assess your eligibility for our UWE Cares bursary and waiving of the advanced rent payment for UWE Bristol accommodation. It will also enable us to give you the support you might need before you join us.

    If you are not sure whether you are eligible or you are a current student and want to be assessed for support, please contact us at UWECares@uwe.ac.uk.

  2. Step 2

    Please refer to our application guidance if you need help.

  3. Step 3

    If you are an estranged student, it's important that you let UWE Cares know you are coming to study with us at UWE Bristol. This helps us make sure you have all the info you need to access support and events when you begin your course.

    If you are an applicant, you can fill out the survey we send to your UWE Welcome portal when you receive your offer or contact us at UWECares@uwe.ac.uk.

  4. Step 4

    If you are eligible for the UWE Cares bursary, you will also be eligible for UWE Cares accommodation support.

    When you choose UWE Bristol as your firm choice on UCAS, you’ll receive an email from our Admissions team inviting you to apply for student accommodation.

    Applications for UWE Bristol's accommodation options will open at 13:00 on 13 June 2024.

    We will give you more information about applying for accommodation when you contact us.

Guidance for prospective students

If you're thinking about studying at university and you are estranged from your parents, the below resources can help:

Please tick the estranged box on your UCAS application. This will help universities to offer you extra support.

"I feel that you, UWE Cares, have gone above and beyond to support us estranged students and I couldn't have asked for a better team. Thank you for everything!"

Kyle, UWE Bristol student

Kyle UWE Bristol student

Awards

UWE Bristol has won five national Pledge Awards from the charity that supports estranged adults, Stand Alone, celebrating and recognising our university as one that provides excellent support to estranged students.

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