Support for Care Leavers
We're committed to supporting students who are under 25 and are care leavers, care experienced, or are estranged or otherwise independent of a family.
Going to university can be a big move, but we've got professional teams and Student Mentors on hand to offer you the support you need.
We define a care leaver as a young person (up to the age of 25) who has been looked after by the local authority for more than 13 weeks since they were 14, including some time at age 16 or 17.
We define care experienced as anyone who is currently in care or has been in care at any stage of their life, no matter how short. This care may have been provided in one of many different settings, such as in residential care, foster care, kinship care or looked after at home with a supervision requirement.
Our Student Services team will contact you if you're known to be care experienced. We'll be able to tell you about the different services that are available to support you during your time at Falmouth. We can also liaise with the local authority, social services, and any other outside agencies if you'd like us to. If you'd like to get in touch with us directly you can email careleavers@fxplus.ac.uk.
We know that settling into university life can be daunting. That's why we provide sessions you can freely attend to help make your transition as smooth as possible. There'll be events covering things like how to enrol, how you'll learn and community life.
At Falmouth, we offer a different type of admissions process, where applicants demonstrate their abilities through a pitch, performance or portfolio. This allows us to assess the individual behind the academic grades and form a more well-rounded evaluation of each applicant.
Our Outreach team supports students from backgrounds that are statistically less likely to attend university, and helps them to access undergraduate study at Falmouth. We hope to remove some of the barriers that applicants who are care experienced may face by offering a support package based on your needs.
Support can include things like: personal statement advice, mock interviews, portfolio feedback, interview adjustments and bursaries to travel to campus or your interview. You can access this kind of support by emailing outreach@falmouth.ac.uk.
Here at Falmouth we have a Student Mentor scheme that matches second-year students with new first-years, to help you settle in and to answer any questions you might have.
Each course also has its own Student Mentor Facebook group, where students can chat to a mentor about what to expect from student life at Falmouth. Find out more on our Student Mentor Scheme page.
We can offer accommodation 365 days a year, plus early entry into halls of residence if you need it. You can get in touch with our Accommodation Office, and our friendly team will be able to talk you through the accommodation support options that are available to you.
T: +44(0) 1326 253639
E: accommodation@fxplus.ac.uk.
For support relating to private sector accommodation:
Richard Wilkins, Private Sector Accommodation Liaison Officer
The Students’ Union are proactive in their approach to represent every individual at the University and provide a world-class student experience to all. The Students’ Union advice service is on hand to provide guidance on a range of subjects.
In addition to the Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan from the Government, Falmouth University offers a number of other sources of financial support.
The Pendennis Bursary is designed for students who are care leavers and those in similar circumstances without any family network or support. The bursary amounts to £1,000 in each full year of study and is intended to help with the cost of any deposits and additional accommodation required during the academic year. In addition to the £1,000 bursary, recipients of the Pendennis Bursary will receive welcome vouchers to the value of £100 to spend at ASDA when they arrive at Falmouth in their first term. Eligible students can be identified to us via colleagues from within or outside the University, and we would encourage students who feel they may be eligible for the Pendennis Bursary to contact the Student Funding team.
Find out more on the Pendennis Bursary page.
You'll receive a welcome pack upon arrival at your halls of residence at the start of your course, which includes vouchers and essential items.
At graduation you'll also be able to claim funding to cover the costs of hiring your cap and gown, a photograph during the ceremony and two tickets.
Employability
If you're a care experienced student we'll provide tailored employability support to you through our student Employability Service. This includes:
A Talent Coach
Where we've been notified that you're care experienced, we'll proactively reach out to you to offer support with your career development. You can also contact the Employability Team directly by emailing employability@falmouth.ac.uk.
Our Talent Coaches will introduce you to the support available through the Employability Service including an introduction to student development and an overview of the services available to you, including online tools and platforms, career events and support with job search and finding part-time jobs.
Networking workshops
These workshops will outline the importance of building connections for your career. We'll also introduce you to Handshake, an exclusive network which provides thousands of opportunities for UK-based students and graduates.
Graduate timeline workshop
This session will provide you with support when securing placements and gaining access to graduate-level roles.
WP Internship
This internship programme is designed for any students who meet certain participation criteria, which students who identify as care experienced or a care leaver are eligible to access. This will be paid employment with a local employer for 30 hours in total and will help boost your employability.
We are committed to the Care Leavers' Covenant
Our schools and colleges projects are aimed at supporting you in starting your Higher Education journey, regardless of the university you may consider. Many of our projects will offer you guidance around the applicant journey and help you to make informed decisions about your career aspirations.
With over 150 student groups on offer, there’s something for everyone at the Students’ Union. You can explore the full list on the SU website, connect with peers who share similar interests and build your personal networks.
The University hosts a wide range of exhibitions, events, lectures, talks and performances throughout the year which are open to students, staff and the public. These are advertised on the Events page as well as in our weekly student newsletters.
We encourage you to co-create or be involved in a diverse range of projects based in the local community, within organisations and charities. This will not only help you to identify and support others with the same life experiences, it will also help you to network and improve your employability.
