Disrupted Education

Young people who have faced educational disruption

Warwick recognises that some students can face particular obstacles when accessing higher education. We are committed to ensuring that these obstacles are mitigated as far as possible.

Emily Watkins and the Widening Participation Lifecycle Team is responsible for supporting students at the University are independent because they have left a care background, independent students who are estranged and the University's Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Sanctuary Scholars. The team are more than happy to help with any questions or queries you or your supporters may have.

Click on the relevant box below for further information on the support available.

Contact us

Emily Watkins

Widening Participation Lifecycle Officer

Email:

What we mean

'Disrupted Education' is a term used to describe students who have experienced significant, personal barriers to their education. They may, for example, be:

From a care experienced background where they have been supported by their local authority/council (such as in a foster placement, children's home or kinship arrangement)
Independent because they are leaving the local authority care system to come to University
An independent student who is not supported by their parents (usually referred to as 'Estranged')
From a Sanctuary-seeking background, such as a refugee or asylum seeker

UCAS has introduced boxes on the university application form in the 'More about you' section so that you can highlight your circumstances to universities when you apply. There is more information about this on UCAS's webpagesLink opens in a new window for specific groups of students.

You can find out more about the support available from Warwick for students who have experienced disruption to their education below.

Young people who are Care ExperiencedLink opens in a new window

This webpage is useful for students who have been looked after for at least 3 months at any point in their childhood. This care may have been provided in many different settings, including:

Living with foster carers
Living in a residential children's home
Being looked after at home under a supervision order
Living with relatives under a guardianship agreement

Independent students who are Care LeaversLink opens in a new window

This webpage is for young people under the age of 25 who were in the care of their local authority for at least 13 weeks at any time since the age of 14, and were in care on their 16th birthday.

This care may have been provided in many different settings, including:

Living with foster carers
Living in a residential children's home
Being looked after at home under a supervision order
Living with relatives under a guardianship agreement

This is also relevant to students under 19 who have left care and have been living independently.

Independent students who are EstrangedLink opens in a new window

An 'estranged student' is a young person under the age of 25 who is studying without the support and approval of both of their parents due to a breakdown in their relationship – this might be their birth, step or adoptive parents, and sometimes their wider family members.

Students in this situation are able to apply to Student Finance England (or equivalent student finance bodies in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) as ‘Independent and Estranged’. You could apply for student finance as an estranged student if:

You haven’t had any contact with both of your parents for 12 months or more; or
Your relationship with both of your parents has broken down within the last 12 months and you don’t expect this to change in the near future.

Sanctuary-seeking studentsLink opens in a new window

The webpage focuses on Warwick as a University of Sanctuary, including information about our Sanctuary Scholarships:

Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship Postgraduate Taught Sanctuary Scholarship Doctoral Sanctuary Scholarship

Students with caring responsibilitiesLink opens in a new window

If you are a student with caring responsibilities, balancing your caring role with your university studies might sometimes be a challenge, but there are lots of places where you can access support while you’re at Warwick.

This webpage has more information about support services available at Warwick and in the wider community.