Aberystwyth University - Care Leaver Bursary

What the Care Leaver Bursary gives you

You will receive up to about 2,070 EUR per year (up to 1,800 GBP), which will be paid on top of any other study grants you receive. There are two levels: a full scholarship of approximately 2,070 EUR (1,800 GBP) per year and a partial scholarship of approximately 1,150 EUR (1,000 GBP) per year. The funding is awarded for the full standard duration of your degree programme (approximately three years), provided you pass your exams. You are also guaranteed a place in university-managed accommodation for the duration of your studies. Aberystwyth University in Wales offers this scholarship to help students who have grown up in care with the costs of starting their studies.

Who can apply

• University: You are a full-time undergraduate student at Aberystwyth University.
• Care background (full bursary): Before your 16 birthday, you spent at least 6 months in state care, or you have a ‘Pathway Leaving Care Plan’ (an official plan to support young people as they leave care).
• Care background (part bursary): Before your 16 birthday, you spent 3 to 6 months in state care, which had an impact on your schooling.
• Age: You are under 24.
• Subject: Any subject counts.
• Study year: You can apply in any academic year.

How to apply

Please contact the University’s ‘Centre for Widening Participation and Social Inclusion’, which administers the scholarship. A university committee decides on the award, and its decision is final.

How realistic are your chances?

The eligibility criteria are quite strict: you must be studying in Aberystwyth, be under 24 years of age, and provide evidence that you were in state care as a child. This keeps the eligible group small, meaning that only a few people are competing for this grant. If you meet these criteria and can provide evidence of your experience in care, your chances are good. This is a grant aimed at a specific target group, not a competition based on academic results.