Students without parental support (estranged)

If you are under 25 years old at the start of your course and will be studying without support from both of your parents due to a breakdown in your relationship or if both of your parents are deceased, you may be eligible for our support.

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. Continue reading to find out how to do this.

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.

Guidance for prospective students

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

• UCAS guide to support for estranged students at university
• UCAS guide to writing a personal statement if you are estranged
• EaCES Handbook written by estranged and care-experienced students (EaCES) – find out more about applying to university and the support you can access
• the national charity Stand Alone guide to applying for student finance as an estranged student.

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

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.