Support from your local authority
You may be eligible for some support from your local authority, the council covering the area where you live.
can help you to understand the support you can expect from your local authority or contact your local authority Leaving Care Team directly. You can also search for support offered by individual local authorities at
Undergraduate applicants
In addition to the support available from Student Finance England and your local authority, ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ provides several bursaries and scholarships for which care-experienced students are eligible to apply. These include the following:
- ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Care Experienced and Estranged Student Bursary: When you complete your UCAS application form, you will have the opportunity to share with your chosen universities whether you have been in care or are estranged from your parents or carers. The question for care-experienced students is ‘Have you been in care?’ and for estranged students ‘Would you consider yourself estranged from your parents?’ The LEAPS website contains video guides to locating and completing both the and student declarations. If you answer ‘Yes’ to either of these questions, the information will be shared with ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and you will automatically receive the Care Experienced and Estranged Student Bursary when you enrol at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳. Find out more on our Care Experienced and Estranged Student Bursary webpage.
- ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Undergraduate Bursary Scheme: If you apply for a means-tested loan via Student Finance England, they'll share your information with ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳. Bursaries are automatically awarded to any UK undergraduate student with a household income of up to £50,000. Find out more on our ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Bursaries webpage.
- ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Scholarships: We offer a range of different scholarships for students from different backgrounds, including some which prioritise applications from care-experienced students such as the Uggla Family Scholars Programme, and we encourage all offer holders to apply. To be considered, you need to complete and submit an Undergraduate Scholarship Application Form by the deadline of 02 June 2025.
Uggla Family Scholars Programme
ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ typically awards up to seven Uggla Family Scholarships each year to undergraduate students from the UK and care experienced students are especially encouraged to apply. The total scholarship for 2025 entry for UK Uggla Family Scholars will be £22,325 per year. Alongside receiving financial support, the Uggla Family Scholars Programme will provide comprehensive support, a portfolio of opportunities and mentoring throughout the duration of your studies. You can find out more by visiting our Uggla Family Scholars Programme webpage.
Please note that the deadline for the receipt of ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Undergraduate Scholarship Applications for offer holders with Home fee status is: 02 June 2025. All scholarship decisions will be made and communicated by the end of August 2025.
More information about all of ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳’s undergraduate funding options can be found on the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ fees and funding webpage.
Student Support and ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Access Funding
provides further financial support to students when they are enrolled at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳. This funding includes the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Access Fund, which is available to some groups of students who require assistance with general living costs, and the Student Support Fund, which supports students at all levels of study facing unforeseen financial hardship.
ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Students' Union Hardship Fund
In addition to the above, the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Students’ Union has a which provides students with short-term funding to cover basic living expenses in the event of unexpected circumstances. There are a number of additional funds available for individual students, for example to help support with Gender Expression, Graduation or Childcare. You can read more about these
University of London Scholarship
For students who are care leavers, care experienced (Scotland), or estranged from their family who meet outlined eligibility criteria found on the , this scholarship provides, free of charge, a catered standard single study bedroom at Nutford House or a catered en-suite room at College Hall, commencing the start of the 2024-2025 academic year, for up to five full-time students, registered at included University of London Member Institutions, including ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳. For more information, visit the .
Postgraduate applicants
In addition to the , as a care-experienced student, you're also eligible to apply for a number of ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ awards and scholarships.