Student Accommodation: A secure home makes a world of difference for care experienced and estranged students
Student accommodation is a big topic of interest in the sector right now, and we wanted to focus that lens in on how it can really transform lives for estranged students (studying without family support) and students who are care leavers/care experienced.
The Unite Foundation is celebrating 10 years of providing our transformative accommodation scholarship for undergraduates, which has seen over 600 young people from these backgrounds across the UK go to university.
So, what exactly do we offer?
Having somewhere of your own to call home matters to everyone, regardless of background. For students who are going to university, student accommodation can often be that first steppingstone away to independence in their adult lives.
But for care experienced and estranged students, it can be something even more – someplace safe and secure to firmly build the next steps of their lives upon. Our Unite Foundation scholarship covers accommodation and bills for these students for up to 3 years of university study. That includes all through the holidays too, so they don’t have to wonder accommodation worries during Christmas or summer. Our scholars can even stay the summer after they graduate for free, so they can plan their next moves.
The students receive support from our team to help them settle in, keep in touch, and offer opportunities for employment and enjoyment. Recent independent research from Jisc even revealed that UF scholarship students stayed on course and enjoyed significantly better completion and grade outcomes. They are more likely to stay at university: our students progressed from their 1st to 2nd year of programme within two academic years at the same percentage as non-care leaver students! This was also a statistically significantly higher percentage to the general population of care-leavers at university.
So, how can students get a scholarship?
This year we have are over 100 accommodation scholarships available with partner universities across the UK – at more universities than even before, having just expanded the organisations we work with. Students can apply for the scholarship via our website https://thisisusatuni.org/unite-foundation-scholarship/ and you’ll find an application guide in there, which also answers FAQs.
This year’s application process closes on Thursday 1st June 2023. Any questions, drop our small but very friendly team an email at Info@UniteFoundation.org.uk.
What about applicants who aren't successful?
Students who aren't successful this year can also re-apply in future years too as long as they are under 25 and doing their first undergraduate degree. We also support students with a free UK-wide community, for any Higher Education students from this background, they don’t need to be on the scholarship.
Top three other sources of support
Signpost the care leaver/estranged student named contact and Widening Participation team at your HE institution. Many providers offer bursaries and even free accommodation to students, so be clear about what support you can offer them.
Check out the Unite Foundation's Signposting & Support page.
Encourage students to get in touch with Propel (for care experienced applicants), and look at the EaCES Handbook and the Scholarship Hub for other grants, scholarships and wider help.
