UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER
Finance
Estranged students are eligible for our Undergraduate Access Scholarship, provided they have been estranged from their family for at least six months and have been studying without the support of a family network. This would mean receiving £1,000 a year throughout the duration of their undergraduate course. In addition, estranged students who meet the income eligibility threshold will receive our Manchester Bursary which provides students up to £2000 p.a. for the duration of their studies. Estranged students are also able to access additional financial support from the University’s Living Cost Support fund and have been identified as a priority group to receive this support, particularly during the summer vacation.
Accommodation
We have extended the 365-day accommodation guarantee which is available for care-experienced students to estranged students. We are also committed to reducing the financial burden for students through removing the need for a deposit for University accommodation.
Mental Health
Estranged students can access support from the University’s Counselling and Mental Health Service which offers confidential help with any personal issues affecting study, self-esteem, relationships, sexuality, mental health and general well-being. The University is one of the partners in the Greater Manchester Student Mental Health Hub, the UKs first regional student mental health referral centre. We will provide guidance to staff in our Counselling Service and Student Mental Health Hub to ensure there is full awareness of the issues faced by estranged students. Estranged student will also be assigned a named support contact within the Student Support and Wellbeing Team, to help them access any additional support. The University of Manchester’s Students’ Union also offers a confidential Advice Service. Estranged students also have the option to connect with other estranged students within the University and through a peer- led student union group.
Outreach
Estranged students are one of the priority groups for our Manchester Access Programme, a targeted access initiative for students in Greater Manchester. The University uses contextual data to make lower offers to students from areas of low participation and schools/colleges where attainment is below the national average.
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