Support for care leavers

  • Oxford Brookes are proud to have been awarded the Quality Mark for Care Leavers by Buttle UK, which recognises the support we offer to care leavers applying to study at Oxford Brookes. As a care leaver you will likely be entitled to a lot of additional support including a bursary, guaranteed accommodation, as well as help and advice from student support. Please see below for more detailed information.   Buttle

  • If you are eligible for a HE Maintenance Grant from the Student Loan Company and have been in care since the age of fourteen, then you may be eligible for the Transition from Care Bursary of up to £2,000 a year.

    All care leavers are entitled to guaranteed accommodation in our halls of residence for 52 weeks as long as the following criteria are met:

    • Oxford Brookes must be selected as your firm choice on your UCAS form
    • All university course entry requirements are met and you have received an unconditional offer

    Accommodation is usually in our popular Cheney Student Village for the first 50 weeks. For the final two weeks of the year your room will likely be transferred to a different halls.

    To find out more about halls of residence and other accommodation available please visit our accommodation pages.

    There is an excellent support system available to students that have been in care, for example Upgrade which is an advice service regarding any problems you may be having with your studies. More information on support can be found at:

    For more advice on general tips about the application process, please see our how to apply pages.

    When completing your UCAS application form, you will need to indicate that you are a care leaver. From there, we can take the steps to help you with the support you need.

    If you have already applied and not declared that you are a care leave please contact the Wellbeing Service Manager, Diane Harrison on +44 (0) 1865 484652 to establish your eligibility for a bursary and guaranteed accommodation.

    Download our resources and arrange visits for your students at our schools and colleges pages. You can also find many useful resources and activities on the National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) website.

    Have a look at this short film made by care leavers about challenging stereotypes and preconceptions.

    If you need more information about being a care leaver and applying to Oxford Brookes, contact Diane Harrison, Wellbeing Service Manager on +44 (0)1865 484652 or email diane.harrison@brookes.ac.uk. If you would like to know more about the activities we run for care leavers, or would like to visit the University, please contact UK Recruitment and Partnerships on +44(0)1865 484945 or email schools.liaison@brookes.ac.uk. We are more than happy to help.