Care Leaver and Estranged Student Fund

Students who are commencing study in the 2025/26 academic year, may be eligible for the following support:

• £500 payment into qualifying students' bank accounts to help with course and living costs during their studies AND
• A further £500 available in early summer to support with accommodation costs/other planned spending and/or emergencies.

For students identified as care leavers or those who have been assessed as an estranged student by their funding provider (i.e. do not have any contact with parents) may be eligible to receive financial support to help with course and living costs during their studies.

To be eligible, students must meet the following criteria:

• are under the age of 25 on the first day of the first academic year of their course (1 September for courses starting in the autumn term)
• are a ‘Home' student enrolled on a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate course at the University of Northampton. International students are not eligible to apply for this award
• must have been in care, or under a care order, for a period of at least thirteen weeks since the age of 14, or are estranged from their parents. (Students must provide a supporting letter from their Local Authority, support/ social worker, or evidence of estrangement to confirm this)
• must not be living with parents or receiving any financial support from parents. Care leavers who are the responsibility of the Local Authority but live with parents, may still be able to apply for support but this support will be reduced to reflect the circumstances