What is a care leaver?
You can apply for student finance as a care leaver if you meet all of the criteria listed below:
- You have been in the care of, or given accommodation by, your local authority
- You were in care for at least 13 weeks
- Your time in care ended after you turned 16, and
- You have not returned to the care of your parent(s) before the first day of the first academic year of your course
What do I need to send to prove that I am a care leaver?
You can provide evidence of being a care leaver by sending Student Finance England:
- a letter from your local authority, or
- a letter from your case worker or social worker
This letter must confirm:
- that you were looked after by a local authority (this includes being placed in foster care by your local authority)
- the dates that you were in care, and
- that you have not returned to the care of your parent(s) prior to the first day of the first academic year of your course
You only have to send evidence of your care leaver status when you first apply for student finance for your course. For any years of your course after that, you will be awarded the maximum amount of maintenance loan that you are entitled to (if you want it).
What does this mean for my student finance application?
If you get student finance as a care leaver, you will not be asked to provide any of your parent-s financial details. You will be assessed as an independent student and will be awarded the maximum amount of maintenance loan you are entitled to.
Remember to always apply for student finance as soon as possible.
If you have any other enquiries about financial support for care leavers, you can contact either the Specialist Support team or Funding Advice team by submitting a case through the Student Hub online portal.