Care Leavers Bursary 2025-26

Students starting at University of Suffolk in academic year 2025-26 who are living in, or having previously lived in, local authority care, could be eligible for a Care Leavers Bursary.

Eligible students will receive up to £500 bursary at each academic level of study for a maximum of 3 years (dependent on successful progression and continuing to meet eligibility criteria).

Students will be automatically reassessed for this bursary every year. In the event a previously eligible student receives a ‘not eligible’ outcome upon automatic reassessment, the award will cease. If the student is intercalating from studies, no payment will be awarded during this period, however the student will be auto assessed upon return to study.

To be eligible for the Care Leavers Bursary, students must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be studying full time or part time (studying at least 50% of the full time equivalent) towards a Foundation/Bachelor’s degree or Integrated Master’s degree
• Be paying full tuition fees in accordance with the published tuition fees for the type of course enrolled on, pro rata for part time students
• Currently or in the past recognised by your Local Authority as a Care Leaver or had other experience of care (e.g. adopted from care or left care with a Special Guardianship Order, spent time in foster or residential care or a formally recognised kinship care)
• Have been assessed by the University as a “Home” fee paying student (Overseas students are not eligible for this bursary)
• Be in continued attendance on the course on which you enrolled as at the date of payment
• Students enrolled on Apprenticeships, CPD and SCITT courses are not eligible for this bursary
• Students whose tuition fees are covered by their employer (sponsored) are not eligible for this bursary

Awards are expected to be paid in two equal instalments, based on the month in which your course started.

Students will be automatically assessed against the criteria following enrolment and notified if eligible. Students will be automatically reassessed for this bursary every year. 

Students starting at University of Suffolk in academic year 2024-25 who are living in, or having previously lived in, local authority care, could be eligible for a Care Leavers Bursary.

The start of an academic year varies and are in line with the course start month. Successful applicants will receive up to a £500 bursary in each academic year of study (for a maximum of 3 years, dependant on successful progression and continuing to meet eligibility criteria) This bursary is assessed every year.

To be eligible for the Care Leavers Bursary 2024-25, you must meet all the following criteria:

• Be a new student to the University of Suffolk in 2024-25 (students who have previously studied at the University will not be eligible)
• Be studying full time or part time (studying at least 50% of the full time equivalent) towards a Foundation/Bachelor or Integrated master’s degree.
• Be paying tuition fees of £8,220 (Foundation degree), £9,250 (Bachelor’s/Integrated master’s degree), £11,100 (Accelerated degree) or £6,168 (HNC/ HND)
• Be in the first year of your course.
• Have lived in Local Authority Care and been assessed as a Care Leaver by the Student Loan Company
• Have been assessed by the University as a “Home” fee paying student (Overseas students are not eligible for this bursary)
• Be in continued attendance on the course on which you enrolled as at the date of payment.
• Students enrolled on Apprenticeships, CPD and SCITT courses are not eligible for this bursary.
• Students whose tuition fees are covered by their employer (sponsored) are not eligible for this bursary.

Awards are expected to be paid in two equal instalments, based on the month in which your course started.

Complete the application form.

• This form can only be accessed by logging in with a valid University of Suffolk student email address (e.g. s123456@uos.ac.uk). If you are a student at one of our partner institutions, please ensure you log in using your University of Suffolk account, not your institutional account.
• Applications are limited to one per applicant.
• If you are having issues logging in, please 'right-click' on ‘application form’, and open the link in an Incognito or Private window and log in using your University of Suffolk email address through there. If the issue persists, please contact studentlife@uos.ac.uk. 

For full bursary and scholarship information, please visit Brightspace.