Posted 10 July 2023

At Leeds Arts University, we are dedicated to providing holistic support to our care-experienced students, and are dedicated to their empowerment and success.  

No one student’s journey to university looks the same and we appreciate and welcome students from a wide range of backgrounds.  

We understand that students who are care-experienced have faced unique circumstances and have overcome barriers on their way to university. We are committed to providing bespoke support, to help alleviate pressure and assist care-experienced students with any challenges they may face.

As a care-experienced student at Leeds Arts University, you are in complete control of the support you access and any support you choose to engage with will be taken at your pace.  

Student Advice and Wellbeing Support 

Whilst being an exciting time, starting university can drum up a whole host of mixed emotions and it’s natural to feel not quite yourself sometimes. If you feel out of sorts, or something is worrying you, it’s not always easy to share with your support network. We can sometimes worry we may become a burden to our loved ones or may be concerned about what others might think or say if we share how we are feeling. We understand the importance of having someone to talk to in confidence.

The Student Advice and Wellbeing Team is there to support our students. Our dedicated team offer one to one support and guidance regarding any concerns you may have. An advisor would work with you to determine next steps regarding your care and would offer ongoing support during this process if needed. The team also offer one to one sessions to students who may not need to access additional services and need a listening ear.

We also have various group work sessions that run throughout the year including Art Therapy sessions which are led by our Art Therapist. Within this team, we also have a Mental Health Advisor and Counselling service who can offer short term, therapeutic support.  

Financial support

We offer a bursary of £3,000 per year to undergraduate students who are assessed as care-experienced, using the criteria provided by Student Finance England. The bursary will be paid in three instalments of £1,000 at the start of each term. 

Eligibility for the Care Leavers Bursary will be based on the information submitted to the Student Finance England each year. Eligible students will receive confirmation of eligibility and payment dates. 

On the UCAS application, students are asked if they are a Care Leaver or a looked-after young person. It is important to tick this box if these circumstances apply to you because there may be extra financial support available. Those applicants, who have ticked this box when applying to Leeds Arts University, will be contacted by dedicated care-experienced student contact Elizabeth Crickmore to find out if there is any additional support needed before the start of term.  

As a student at LAU, you may also be eligible for other Undergraduate Finance funding depending on your circumstances. You may also be eligible for the Hardship Bursary if you find yourself managing an unforeseen circumstance that has put strain on you financially. Each application is accessed on a case by case basis.  

Accommodation 

We have accommodation available in modern, purpose-built properties which are located within the student area of Leeds. The accommodation is surrounded by excellent local amenities and is a 20 minute walk from the University. Accommodation is provided for 365 days where required.   

Named contact for care-experienced students 

For care-experienced students who wish to speak with someone who has a working knowledge of the challenges surrounding Care and the processes and support options available, we have a dedicated care-experienced contact, Elizabeth Crickmore, who is there to support students throughout their university journey. Elizabeth can assist with anything that may be worrying you in and/or outside of university and is more than happy to offer a listening ear if you just need to talk. To talk to Elizabeth please email elizabeth.crickmore@leeds-art.ac.uk