Support Available for Care-Experienced Applicants and Students
At Peterhouse, we welcome applications from all backgrounds and understand that care-experienced and estranged students may have specific needs and concerns when considering or starting studying at Cambridge. The information below outlines the commitments made by the College to care-leavers and support available across the University of Cambridge.
If you are care-experienced or estranged and have any questions or concerns about applying to Peterhouse, please do not hesitate to contact admissions@pet.cam.ac.uk. If you are a care-experienced offer-holder you can expect to hear from the Admissions Office in order to assess what additional support you might want or need.
The University of Cambridge has signed up to the Care Leaver Covenant, which commits to the provision of support and opportunities for young people leaving the care system, and the Stand Alone Pledge, demonstrating our commitment to estranged or independent living young adults wishing to pursue Higher Education.
Under these agreements, the University has agreed to ensure at a minimum:
- Accommodation available for 365 days per year (i.e. including the vacation periods) whilst studying.
- Payment of the enhanced bursary, with the option of receiving the first installment in advance of the first term to help with the costs of travel and essential items.
- Free, accessible storage to access outside of term time, if required.
- College accommodation available for up to 10 weeks after graduating.
Jennifer Adams-Massmann is the Peterhouse Champion for Care Experienced and Estranged Students and can be contacted for any guidance or support.
There is a range of support available to care-experienced student when applying to Peterhouse, or the University of Cambridge. When applying it's important to indicate in your UCAS application that you've spent time in local authority care. This information is held in strict confidence by the College but will be used to ensure you receive all the support available to you. Indicating that you’re a care leaver doesn’t mean that you’ll be singled out or separated from other applicants – the information simply enables us to ensure we have appropriate support in place.
For more information, see the UCAS Care Leavers Guide.
There is currently no option to indicate on the UCAS form is you are an estranged applicant. If you are estranged, we advise that you use the Extenuating Circumstances Form or contact the Admissions Office to notify us of your circumstances.
Travelling to Open Days or Events
The Cambridge Admissions Office has an open day travel and event fund to enable children in (or previously in) care to attend events organised by the University. To be eligible you must be in Year 11 or above, and have spent at least three months in the care of a UK Local Authority since starting Year 10.
More more information please click here.
Travelling to Interview
Care leavers who are invited to attend an interview as part of their application to Peterhouse will be eligible for support with their travel expenses. Please get in touch with the Admissions Office as soon as possible for further information and to apply for support.
Realise offers guidance and support to students who are considering higher education in general as well as Cambridge specifically. The team also offer a central point of contact for care-experienced and estranged students who want to understand the support available to them at the university.
If you are a care-experienced or estranged student whether considering Cambridge or currently enrolled, you can receive support and guidance from the Realise Team.Foster carers and social workers are also welcome to contact the team.
The team can be contacted at realise@admin.cam.ac.uk
Realise Mailing Lists
For care-experienced or estranged prospective students: Linked here.
For current students who are care-experienced or estranged: Linked here.
For those supporting care-experienced and estranged youth, including foster carers, social workers, teachers or school coordinators: Linked here.
Mentoring and Social Opportunities
Realise provides both ad-hoc mentoring as well as structured regular mentoring for students who would benefit. Care experienced and estranged students can also take part in regular social activities to build their social network, invites are circulated via the mailing list linked above.
The Cambridge Bursary Scheme offers non-repayable bursaries for living costs to eligible students. If you are a Care Leaver (or estranged student) you may be eligible for a higher level of Cambridge Bursary, called the Enhanced Bursary.
Independent students and care leavers are eligible for extra funding that can amount to a maximum total of £8,350 a year. To see exactly how much you could be eligible for, see the guide linked here.
College-owned accommodation is guaranteed for most undergraduate students studying at Cambridge for the duration of their course, and care-experienced or estranged students are able to access year-round accommodation as required.
There are other students at the University who are care experienced and/or estranged. The students' union (CambridgeSU) runs a campaign called Class Act, which promotes the interested of current students typically underrepresented at the University.