Care Experienced Bursary 2024-25

The University of Bolton is proud to offer the Care Experienced Bursary to help support students who have experience of living in care and meet the relevant eligibility criteria.

Am I care-experienced? What does this mean?

Being care experienced means you will have spent time living with any of the following:

• with foster carers under local authority care

• in residential care (e.g. a children’s home)

• looked after at home under a supervision order

• in kinship care with relatives or friends, either officially (e.g. a special guardianship order) or informally without local authority support.

Sometimes you will see the term ‘care leaver’ used. Although this has a slightly different meaning, it is often used interchangeably with ‘care experience’.

The University of Bolton Care Leavers Bursary University of Bolton

What evidence do I need to show I am care-experienced?

To apply for the Bursary you will need to provide evidence you have lived in a Care setting for at least 13 weeks, between the ages of 14 and 18.

If you are struggling to get evidence, please get in touch with us using the contact details below, as we will assess each application on a case by case basis, taking into account your individual circumstances.

Amount

The award for full-time students is £1,000 cash per academic year.

If you are studying part-time, payments will spread over the anticipated duration of your course with the amount awarded each year based on the number of credits studied.

This bursary includes an additional one-off payment of £500 upon successful completion of the course of study.

Eligibility

To qualify for the bursary you must be able to demonstrate that you:

• have lived in a Care setting for at least 13 weeks, between the ages of 14 and 18

• will be under 25 years of age on the first day of the first year of your course.

• are a home (UK) student paying tuition fees to University of Bolton in 2024/25 and subsequent academic years via a tuition fee loan or self-funding.

• Are studying a full-time or part-time undergraduate course which is delivered on the University of Bolton main campus.

• commencing your course in September 2024 or January 2025.

You will not be eligible to apply if you are:

• a student whose tuition fees are paid by a sponsor or employer

• externally enrolled and/or pay your tuition fees to another institution

• studying on an Apprenticeship programme

• undertaking industrial or work experience on a full time basis

• studying abroad

Payment of the Bursary

The Bursary will be paid each academic year by eight monthly instalments on the 18th of every month. Payments will be £125 per month, payable direct into your nominated bank account. An additional payment of £500 will be paid upon successful completion of your course.

If your course begins in September, payments will be made every month from November to June. If your course begins in January, payments will be made in March, April, May, June, November, December, January and February for each year of study. Payments for courses starting in other months will be adjusted accordingly. Please note, payments cannot be backdated. If you submit a successful application after the date that month’s payments are made, you will receive your first payment in the next calendar month.

Payment is subject to continued attendance and satisfactory progression on your course.

How To Apply

Please visit the Blackbullion funds page: https://www.blackbullion.com/

For further information on the Bursary please contact the Student Funding Advisor:

Tel: 01204 90 3733

E mail: studentfunding@bolton.ac.uk

Additional Support, Advice and Guidance

You can also contact the Student Funding Advisor for budgeting advice, as well as financial health checks to ensure you are receiving the correct student funding.

For Information, advice and guidance on a wide range of academic, pastoral and student life issues, please contact our team of Student Advisors:

Tel: 01204 90 3733

E mail: studentadvisors@bolton.ac.uk

For support with your course please contact your Personal Academic Tutor.

Terms and Conditions

Payment of the bursary will be terminated if you withdraw, transfer to another institution or fail your programme of study. Payments will be suspended if you interrupt or suspend your studies. Information given is provisional and may be subject to change.