How can UWS Support Me?

At UWS we have a dedicated WeCare Team in place to support Care Experienced Students, Student Carers and Estranged Students from pre-application through to graduation. The WeCare Team also acts as a key point of contact for students who are Asylum Seekers and Refugees and Military Veterans and their families.

Let us know if you are Care-Experienced, Estranged from your family, or a Student Carer:

  • during the application stage by ticking the box on your UCAS application,
  • by ticking the box during your enrolment at UWS
  • at any point during your studies by emailing WeCare@uws.ac.uk

Declaring this information will allow the WeCare Team to contact you directly about the support available.

Unsure if this applies to you?

If you are unsure if you are a Care-Experienced Student, Student Carer, or an Estranged Student please find the definitions below:

The Scottish Funding Council defines a care-experienced student as

anyone who has been or is currently in care or from a looked-after background at any stage in their life, no matter how short, including adopted children who were previously looked-after. This care may have been provided in one of many different settings such as in residential care, foster care, kinship care, or through being looked-after at home with a supervision requirement.

The Stand Alone Charity who worked to support estranged students, defined estranged students as:

young people under the age of 26 studying without the support and approval of a family network. Young people in this position often have no contact at all with their family and have removed themselves from a dysfunctional situation.

Carers Trust Scotland defines a student carer as:

anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or relative who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support.

UWS Cares

UWS, as Scotland’s leading university for widening access, firmly believes that education should be available to all regardless of background. The following questions and answers relate to care-experienced, student carers or estranged students.

You can become a member of the UWS Cares Working Group. This Working Group is a staff/student group that meets twice a year to discuss support and activity at UWS for care experienced students, student carers and estranged students.

For more information please email WeCare@uws.ac.uk

Join the UWS Union Peer Support Group for Care Experienced students and Estranged students. This is a student led support group offered by the UWS student union.

For more information please email WeCare@uws.ac.uk

 

UWS Union Peer Support Group

The UWS Digital Hardship Fund is available for UWS Scottish Resident students only. 

You can apply for the scheme here:

Application Form for the Digital Hardship Fund

SAAS Care-Experienced Bursary (Not applicable for those in receipt of the Nursing Bursary). Please visit the SAAS website which provides further information on support for care-experienced students and how to apply.

If you’re Care-Experienced and need help with accommodation costs during the summer break, you may be eligible to apply for the SAAS Care-Experienced Summer Accommodation Grant. Please visit the SAAS website which provides further information on support for care-experienced students and how to apply. 

SAAS Estranged Students Bursary (ESB) and student loan. If you’re estranged from your parents/legal guardians, you could be entitled to the undergraduate funding package.

Please visit the SAAS website which provides further information on support for Estranged Students and how to apply.

If you are a Student Carer and the person you care for is financially dependent on you, you may be eligible to apply for the SAAS Student Carers Dependants' Grant

Please visit the SAAS website which provides further information on support for Student Carers and how to apply.

Campus tour arrangements can be made with a member of the WeCare Team - email WeCare@uws.ac.uk

If you are a Care Experienced or Estranged Student, you have priority access to UWS student accommodation, 365 days of the year

Please email WeCare@uws.ac.uk for more information.

Yes:

More information

For further information, please visit the following pages:

Last updated: 20/11/2024