Canterbury Christ Church University - Care Leaver's Bursary

Benefit

You will receive 1,400 EUR per year (£1,200), up to approximately 5,600 EUR (£4,800) over four academic years. Payments are made in three instalments per academic year. If you live in university accommodation, half of the grant will automatically be applied towards your rent; however, you may also choose to use the full amount towards your accommodation costs. No payment is made during a repeat academic year. This grant is provided by Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) in the United Kingdom for students who have grown up in care.

Eligibility

• Degree: You are studying for a Bachelor’s degree or a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) at the CCCU. A foundation year is also recognised, but vocational training is not.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• Care background: You are a former resident of a care home or are currently in residential care. You were placed in care for at least 13 weeks under a care order at the age of approximately 16, or you are recognised by the Foyer Federation, or you were otherwise homeless.
• Age: You are under 25.
• Residence: Your main place of residence is in the United Kingdom. Applicants of any nationality are welcome to apply.
• Financial need: Your annual household income is £25,000 or less.
• Course fees: Your tuition fees amount to more than £6,355 (full-time) or £4,765 (part-time).
• No double funding: You will not receive any further financial support from the CCCU, such as the CCCU grant, at the same time (except in the event of repeating a year).

How to apply

There is no separate application form. You should indicate your status as a former resident in your UCAS application. The university’s ‘Student Wellbeing’ team will then contact you to verify your status and eligibility. Once this has been confirmed, they will nominate you for the grant. You may be asked to provide evidence of your background, usually through your local authority.

How realistic are your chances?

This scholarship is very narrowly defined: you must have a background in child and youth care or in the field of homelessness, be under 25 years of age, be living on a low income in the United Kingdom, and be studying at the CCCU. As very few people meet all these criteria, competition is low. If you clearly meet the criteria and can provide evidence of your involvement in child and youth welfare, your chances are good.