Support for care leavers & estranged students

We have a lot of support available for care leavers and estranged students at each part of your Goldsmiths journey - from before you arrive through to when you graduate.

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Support ranges from personalised campus tours, priority for university preparation schemes, and support if you're applying for accommodation. Details of all of this can be found below. 

What is meant by 'care leaver' or 'estranged student'?

care leaver is defined as a person who has been in care for at least 13 weeks or more. This includes unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

At Goldsmiths we also recognise kinship care – the care of children by relatives (including distant relatives) and family friends. You can find out more about this on the Buttle website

An estranged student is defined as someone who has no contact with their family. You can find out more about this on the Standalone website.

Your Named Contacts 

At Goldsmiths, we have named staff contacts who are here to support you on your educational journey through advice and signposting: 

  • Megan Bastable (She/They), Widening Access and Participation Officer 
  • Patrick Pink (He/Him), Student Success Lead  
  • Muhammad Bhuta (He/Him), Wellbeing Adviser 

Open days and outreach activities

We understand that care leavers and estranged students may have a number of questions about university. We can offer support in a variety of ways, from personalised campus tours, to tailored information and guidance from our designated named contact in the Widening Access and Participation Team. 

If you have any questions or would like to book a personalised campus tour, please get in touch with Megan at Outreach(@gold.ac.uk)

UCAS

UCAS is the service that you use when applying to university. Letting us know your status when you apply to Goldsmiths allows us to keep you informed about the support available to you.

If you are a care leaver or estranged you can select this as an option on your UCAS application. There's more advice for care leavers on the UCAS website. Please note that being in kinship care is now included in UCAS’s definition of care experienced.

UCAS also has a range of options regarding your residential status if you are a refugee or asylum seeker. There is more guidance on the UKCISA website.  

Interviews and applications

We understand that any applicant’s background and life experience – for example, a period of time spent in care – may affect their educational attainment, work experience and other achievements.

If you identify as a care leaver on your UCAS application (or if you’ve let the Admissions team know that you’re an estranged student or experiencing kinship care) you will be given special consideration, and we will take a holistic assessment of your potential as a student.

This could mean that you are considered for a place even if you have achieved (or are predicted to achieve) grades a little lower than the standard entry requirements. 

If you have been made a conditional offer of a place, your care leaver status will again be taken into account if you don’t meet the conditions of your offer.

Find out more about the application process

Financial support

If you're studying full-time you may be eligible for a tuition fee loan

Goldsmiths scholarships 

There are a range of scholarships or bursaries that may apply to you, so be sure to look at our Scholarship Finder when choosing to apply to us.  

For example, we offer an unlimited £1000 a year to Undergraduate students who have experience of being in care or estranged from their families. All you need to do is fill out a short form before you start your degree to apply. 

We also have an International Response Scholarship available for refugee and asylum-seeking applicants. 

Careers support 

We can offer careers support even before you've arrived at Goldsmiths. Once you've applied for a place here, you can get in touch with our Pre-Entry Careers Consultant to arrange a one-to-one meeting to discuss planning for your future. Contact the Careers Service for more information. 

Accommodation 

We offer a range of accommodation options at Goldsmiths

We understand that care leavers and estranged students may have housing barriers that they need to pass and that the thought of organising accommodation out of term time might be daunting. Because of this, we can work with you to organise bespoke contracts that can include the summer term. If this support is something that would benefit you just let us know when you are applying for a place in accommodation. As a care leaver or estranged student you’ll be assigned someone in the team who’ll be your named contact, so you’ll always have someone dedicated to supporting you.

Student Success Team 

When you start at Goldsmiths, you will receive an enhanced Welcome Package that includes a Welcome Goodie Bag, a Meet-Up to support you in making new friends, practical advice such as how to apply for our scholarships and bursaries, and much more. You will also receive priority access to any Student Success events and activities

One-to-ones

During your time at Goldsmiths, you will have the opportunity to book one-to-ones every term with Megan or Patrick, your named contacts.

In these one-to-ones, you can talk about your experience at Goldsmiths and be signposted to any teams or services who can provide you with further support should you need it, such as our counselling service, study skills support and disability team.

We also have an additional named contact in the Goldsmiths Wellbeing Team, if you need more detailed guidance on accessing Goldsmiths and external mental health services. 

Student Support Services

Student Support Services can help you with all aspects of being a Goldsmiths student. The team can help you with:

  • Your student finance and budgeting
  • Disability-related questions
  • Your wellbeing, including referrals to a doctor/GP surgery and information about how to access our counselling service
  • Study support
  • And much more

To find out more and get in touch with a member of staff within one of their services, visit our Student Support page

Working while you study: student ambassadors and student engagement agents

A great way to earn money while you study is to become a student ambassador. A great way to earn money while you study is to become a student ambassador or student engagement agent (SEA). We regularly recruit ambassadors and SEAs to represent Goldsmiths in an interesting range of activities working with young people on and off campus. You can meet new people, gain skills, and develop your CV.

Careers

As a Goldsmiths student you can make the most of our free on-campus Careers Service. The service will help support you with all aspects of your career planning and development, and can help you enhance your employability. 

Students' Union 

Goldsmiths Students’ Union (SU) exists to represent all students, and provides support, services, entertainment and activities where you can get to know people. It’s run for students, by students, and we're proud to have a Care Leaver and Estranged Students Officer, the first role of its kind in the country. The Union also runs a free and confidential advice service, and can provide access to a huge variety of digital resources to help break down any barriers to student life, including information on things like employment and housing. Find out more about the Students' Union.

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