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Our commitment to you

We are committed to providing fair access, information, advice and guidance to prospective students who have spent time in local authority care.

Who is a care experienced student?

The University of Reading defines a care experienced student as the following:

  • a student who has spent time in local authority care
  • is registered on a first-time full-time undergraduate course
  • is classed as a 'home' student
  • is under 25 years of age at the start of their course

What does it mean to be an estranged student?

Estranged students are those who are studying without the support and approval of either of their living parents due to a break down in their relationship and this is unlikely to change- this might be biological or adoptive parents and sometimes wider Kinship carers such as grandparents, aunts or uncles. There are many complex reasons for being estranged, and no two circumstances are the same.

Student Finance England classifies estranged students as:

  • a student who has not had contact with either or your parents for 12 months or more, or
  • a student whose relationship with their parents has broken down in the last 12 months and has no expectation this will change in the near future.

SFE will require confirmation of the estrangement from a professional person outside your family who knows about your circumstances, for example a Teacher or Social Worker, Doctor, Counsellor, Housing Support Worker, Police or Student Welfare/Adviser at College/School.

They may also ask you to provide up-to-date evidence of your estrangement every year while you're studying.

To see if you qualify as an estranged student, you can check out guidance issued by the Standalone Charity.

Confidential advice and support

If you are care-experienced or estranged, you can contact Debi Linton (d.linton@reading.ac.uk) confidentially for further information about applying to university in general and the extra support that we provide to care experienced students at the University of Reading.

Looking for more specific information?

You will find more detailed information and contact details below for student financial support, accommodation, admissions, on-course support and our outreach activities.

Students in front of a big wheel

Want to attend an Open Day?

Our Open Days give you the opportunity to get a real feel for the University –  explore our campuses, chat to staff and students, and see if Reading is the right university for you.

If you let us know ahead of time, we can ensure you are able to talk to all the appropriate people on the day.

See our Open Days page for more information.

The Reading Scholars Programme

If you are care experienced, you are guaranteed a place on our Reading Scholars Programme. This Reading Scholars Programme gives Year 12 students a real taste of life as a university undergraduate, providing practical support as participants begin their higher education application process. Featuring input from leading academics and current undergraduate e-mentors, the programme aims to challenge participants academically and enhance their current studies.
Visit our Reading Scholars’ page for more information, including the full eligibility criteria. 
 

Accommodation support

For new care experienced students the initial £250 Accommodation security deposit will be deferred until October, this aligns with student payments from the Student Loan Company.

Care experienced students staying in halls past their first year will be asked to pay a £250 security deposit when accepting their accommodation contract.

The security deposit, less any damage charges, will be refunded once the contract is over.

We can offer 40 week and 51 week accommodation. Students who require to stay the full 52 weeks might have to move during the summer but accommodation will be available. For further information on accommodation please contact Sophia Hagalid, Accommodation Contract Officer at acmo@reading.ac.uk.

THE CARE EXPERIENCED AND ESTRANGEMENT BURSARY for undergraduate students

Care experienced and estranged students are eligible for a bursary of £1,500 for each year of undergraduate study.

Admissions and Applications

We offer you flexible application arrangements, such as a range of interview dates and times.

You can find entry requirements for our undergraduate degrees on our course pages. If you have taken part in the Reading Scholars scheme you may be eligible for a contextual offers of up to a two grade drop in a course’s typical offer. Find out more about contextual offers. 

Pre-entry travel bursaries are available to help you attend post-offer visit days and interviews. For any other questions regarding the admissions process, please contact Lauren Nixon, Admissions Officer (Widening Participation): l.s.nixon@reading.ac.uk.

 

Outreach

  • Looked-after children and care experienced student are automatically guaranteed a place in intensive outreach programmes such as the Reading Scholars Programme, which provides sustained support for Year 12 students wishing to access higher education. We host bespoke visits to campus by individuals or groups of care experienced students who wish to find out more about life and study at the University.
  • We are able to cover all costs associated with participation in intensive outreach programmes for care experienced students, and tickets can be purchased for students in advance as requested.
  • We can also match you with an undergraduate e-mentor on a secure on-line platform, who can offer support in areas such as the UCAS process, including personal statements, subject choice, student budgeting, and much more.

Please contact Debi Linton, Student Recruitment & Access Officer for further information: d.linton@reading.ac.uk.

On-course support

  • We will contact you during the first week of the semester to outline the support available throughout the duration of your course, including individual appointments with a named contact within our Student Support Services and Operations (SSSO) to discuss your support needs and finances if required.
  • Our student services and careers teams support you through a personal tutoring system, resources for recording and reflecting on your personal and academic development, skills development and language courses, alongside high-quality programmes of academic study. Careers fairs, employer presentations, skills development sessions, work on effective applications, interview practice, and career guidance sessions are offered to all students, regardless of background.

For further information about Student Services please contact studentwelfare@reading.ac.uk.

For any queries relating to careers support at the University, please contact Emma Butler in our Careers Centre: e.l.butler@reading.ac.uk

More Support

You will have a named contact in the Student Support Team to support you throughout your course. Our Student Services team support you through a personal tutoring system, resources for recording and reflecting on your personal and academic development, skills development and language courses, alongside high-quality programmes of academic study. 

On Graduation

We will also provide financial support towards the cost of gown hire and 1 photograph for your graduation upon successful completion of your course.

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