At the University we provide advice and support from application to graduation to those who are estranged from their families.
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We understand that estranged students may have concerns regarding their accommodation and financial stability and arehere to help you throughout your course.
Estrangement can occur at any time, if your circumstances change and you become estranged during your studies at the University, we encourage you to contact us.
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The term estranged student is used to refer to students who are aged 24 years or under, when starting their degree with us, and studying without the support of their family.
Estranged students typically have no contact with their parents (either biological or adoptive) or wider family, who were involved in their primary care, for a variety of reasons. St
You can find further details on our estranged student definition here.
Students will need to provide suitable evidence of being assessed as an estranged student by Student Finance to receive the Estranged Student Support Package and Bursary.
The term 'estranged student' is used to refer to students who are aged 24 or under, when starting their degree with us, and studying without the support of their family.
Estranged students typically have no contact with their parents (either biological or adoptive) and sometimes with their wider family for a variety of reasons.
You can find further details on both our Estranged and Care Experienced definitions here.
Students will need to provide suitable evidence of being assessed as an estranged student by Student Finance to receive the Estranged Student Support Package and Bursary.
Estranged Student Bursary
Eligible students are entitled to our Care Leaver & Estranged Student Bursary of £2,000 per academic year. For more information on eligibility please click here .
Estranged Student Welcome
To aid in your transition to the University, eligible undergraduate students in their first year of study, can be provided items or funds to help you settle in. This Welcome Pack or Getting Started Fund will be provided after your Welcome Meeting.*
* Specific offer may differ depending on year of entry.
Ignite Your Success
Care leavers and estranged students will automatically be a part of the University's Ignite Your Success Programme* where they can access a range of workshops, mentoring and other opportunities. Care experienced students are eligible to apply for the programme but not guaranteed a place. Find more information on the Programme here.
*This place is conditional on providing evidence to verify your Care Leaver or Estranged student status, please see the attached links here for suitable evidence and definitions.
Southampton Undergraduate Bursary
Eligible estranged students are also likely to receive the Southampton Undergraduate Bursary. This is in addition to the Care Leaver Bursary.
Student Support Fund
The University’s Student Support Fund is designed to help should you find yourself in financial hardship at any point during your studies. Further information can be found here .
Additional Funds
Those in receipt of Estranged Student Bursary are also able to apply for additional university funds such as the Health & Wellbeing Fund, Technology Grant, Commuter Fund and Placement Support Fund during their studies. Further eligibility criteria may apply for full details see here.
Open Day and Applicant Visit Day Travel Bursary
We offer a travel bursary of up to £100 to estranged individuals to help with travel costs to University events for applicants. View our application form for more information and details on how to apply.
Halls Accommodation
Estranged students are guaranteed access to University Halls accommodation for 365 days a year*. If you are starting in the 2026/27 academic year, you must apply by 1 July 2026 to be guranteed an offer in Halls.
Please apply for a standard university accommodation contract at your preferred halls site, and your Dedeciated Point of Contact will discuss your requirements with you in more detail once you have moved in. Further information on our halls sites can be found on the accommodation homepage .
* To make use of this care leaver guarantee applications for halls will need to be submitted by certain dates.
Private Rented Accommodation
For those who don’t wish to live in university accommodation, we encourage you to search for properties on the Southampton Accreditation Scheme for Student Housing ( SASSH ) website.
Agents and landlords may ask for a guarantor for each tenant before agreeing to let a property. A guarantor is where a third party, based in the UK, agrees to guarantee your rent will be paid.
If you do not have a someone who can act as guarantor you may wish to consider University Halls Accommodation, as a guarantor will not be required.
Dedicated Points of Contact
David Munn works for the Student Inclusion Team and is the University’s dedicated point of contact for care leavers and estranged students. If you need any advice or are experiencing difficulties and not sure who to contact, he will be happy to help you and where needed direct you to the appropriate service. You can contact David on studentinclusion@soton.ac.uk.
Michelle Fisher is an Adviser in the Students’ Union Advice Centre which gives independent and confidential support. They're able to provide assistance in a number of areas including Student Finance, housing and academic issues. You can get in contact with Michelle by emailing advice@susu.org or by calling 023 8059 2085.
Wellbeing
Talking to someone about what is troubling you can make a big difference to how you're wellbeing; the Student Wellbeing team is available for you to speak to about any emotional, mental health or wellbeing issues. Contact the Student Hub , if you ever need to reach out to them.
Personal Academic Tutor
Your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) is there to advise and support you with any issues which may affect your studies. We would encourage you to meet with your PAT and, if you feel comfortable, explain your situation so they are able to support you and your individual needs.
Your Student Office can help put you in contact with your PAT, you can email them at studenthub@soton.ac.uk.
You can apply for student finance as an estranged student if you haven’t had any contact with either of your parents for some time, or your relationship with your parents has broken down within the last 12 months and you don’t expect this to change in the near future.*
If you're assessed as estranged from your parents, you will not be asked to provide your parent’s financial details. Student Finance understand that it may not be possible for some students to ask their parents for their income details.
Common examples of estrangement can include students living in supported accommodation or living with other family members such as aunts, uncles, or grandparents. Each application for estrangement is reviewed on your own circumstances.
The Student Inclusion Team can support current students who become estranged during their studies to complete a Confirmation of Estrangement Form for Student Finance. If you need assistance with this please get in contact.
Prospective students may need to supply supporting evidence supporting evidence; this can include the following:
The person you ask must normally have historic knowledge of your situation, as well as being able to verify that you’ve not had contact with your parents for a substantial period of time. Letters from other family members, family friends or partners also aren’t accepted but can be used as secondary evidence.
Proving estrangement can be difficult, we recommend you to try and gather as much evidence as you can. This will give Student Finance the best possible chance of understanding your situation. Try to ensure you’ve explained your circumstances clearly, sometimes making a timeline of key events can help if you’re comfortable doing so.
Applying to external funding bodies can sometimes take longer than you expect. We recommend that you start looking to apply for Student Finance in February or March.
*Please note, you won't be assessed on the basis of estrangement if you just live separately from your parents, they're unwilling to complete income assessment forms or if they're on a low income and cannot help support you financially.
There are many ways to get involved with university life and these can be a great way of developing a peer support network.
The Student Inclusion Team offer a Transition Day specifically designed to support new estranged undergraduate students to help to give them the best possible start at Southampton.
You’ll find out more about studying at the University and the support that is available to you when you join us. Eligible students will be contacted by email with more information on the Transition Day in August. If you don't hear from us and think you're eligible then please contact studentinclusion@soton.ac.uk.
Clubs and Societies
The University of Southampton Students’ Union has over 200 societies covering a wide range of interests; these are a great opportunity to meet new people and maybe even try something new.
University Activities & Events
The University and Students' Union put on a range of activities and events throughout the year . To stay up to date with everything that is happening on our campuses make sure to check the University's MySouthampton App Events tab and Students’ Union Events Calendar .
This includes SUSU's Give It A Go (GIAG) activities which range from crafternoons to day trips.
Become a Student Ambassador
Becoming an ambassador is great way to both meet other students and learn new skills, all while earning money. Working as a student ambassador can provide you with a huge range of paid opportunities to get involved. Further information and how to apply can be found here .
The following websites, have some useful advice and tips.
The University cannot accept responsibility for external websites.