Care Leaver Bursary

Additional financial support to care leavers in each year of their studies.

Introduction

If you are a care leaver, we are committed to providing you with as much support as possible during your time at Manchester Met.

Our Care Leaver Bursary offers financial support for each year of your course.

The bursary is £1,000 per year for eligible full-time undergraduate students. Eligible part-time students will receive a pro-rata amount based on the number of credits to be completed within the year.

How it works

Who is eligible? 

To receive the Care Leaver Bursary, you must:

  • be a UK home student enrolled on a full-time or part-time Manchester Met undergraduate degree
  • be a care leaver and are receiving support from your local authority’s leaving care service
  • have applied online to be income assessed by Student Finance
  • have a UK Student Support Number (English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland students)

Who is a care leaver? 

A care leaver is someone who:

  • is under the age of 25*
  • has been looked after by their local authority for a period of at least 13 weeks from the age of 14
  • was in care on or after their 16th birthday

*Students who are 25, but who returned to full-time education before their 25th birthday and are being supported by their local authority leaving care team will also be eligible for support.

How to apply

Applications are open from Monday 23 September 2024 to Friday 30 May 2025.

Call our helpline on 0161 247 1045 and ask for the Care Leaver Bursary and we will send you a link to complete a short online application form. 

If this is your first time applying, you will need to submit evidence to confirm your care leaver status such as a letter or email from your personal advisor from your leaving care service. It is likely to be the same evidence that you submitted to apply for your maintenance loan to Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, Student Finance Northern Ireland, or Student Awards Agency Scotland. 

We aim to assess applications within four weeks.

Can I apply every year?

You can apply every year. If you received a bursary payment last year, you must re-apply this year as the bursary is not automatically reassessed. We rely on an application from you each year.