Care EXPERIENCED and estranged students

Starting university can be a daunting time, and we want to make sure its as smooth as possible for you. If you have declared your independent learner status via UCAS, we will be in touch with you directly . If you have not declared this but would like support please get in touch with us via email at cle@leedsbeckett.ac.uk. We can be a point of contact for as long as you need while you are studying with us, helping you to make the most of your time at university and complete your course successfully.

If you need support with your academic skills such as referencing, essay writing, stats or researching, then our Library team are here for you. They have subject support and skills guides. If you need more help you can book an appointment with your Academic Librarian or Study Skills Tutor. You can find more information on the Skills and Subject Support webpage.

Your mental wellbeing is important to us, if there is something that is affecting your life and/or studies it might be a good time to speak to one of the wellbeing team to guide you towards the appropriate type of support. All you need to do is fill out self-referral form online and then you’ll be able to book your assessment appointment. You can find out more about the team, fill in the self-referral and look at upcoming events on the Wellbeing page.

You can make the most of our facilities at City and Headingley Campus with a free student membership. Your Active Beckett membership provides access to the gym, swimming pool, athletics track and fitness classes.

For those students who are interested in playing team sports or competing, you can claim a free Athletic Union Membership which includes Active Beckett membership, as well as club training activities and discounted rates for pitch and court bookings. 

The Leeds Beckett Athletic Union has 38* sports clubs, and over 80 teams.

Many of our teams offer opportunities to compete regularly in BUCS (British Universities or Colleges Sport or National League competitions and events but we also have clubs that offer more recreational or training-only opportunities such as boxing, Thai boxing and rowing.

The Athletic Union is managed by the university's sports office team and is governed by the Athletic Union Executive Committee and our sports clubs' committee members. Regardless of your sports interest, the Athletic Union is here to help you have the best student sport experience during your time at Leeds Beckett. 

*Please note that a small number of our clubs are self-funded (Snowsports, Women’s Cricket, Tchoukball) and we are therefore unable to provide a complimentary membership to participate in them.

Here at Leeds Beckett, our Careers team can help you find information on the exciting opportunities on offer to you as a student. This includes helping shape your CV, networking events, part-time roles, placements, volunteering and studying abroad. To find out more about the team please visit the careers, jobs and opportunities webpage.

Staying in Leeds Beckett managed halls of residence? Speak with our Res Life team. If you need support settling into halls or adjusting to university life in Leeds, the Residence Life (Res Life) team can help. They are here to look after your welfare and support you whilst you're living in your accommodation. Whether you're having problems with flatmates, finding it hard to adjust to your new setting or just want to meet a friendly face for a chat the team are available for you. They are available to meet with you at the following halls:

• Arena Village
• Carnegie Village
• Marsden House

They can also provide online support through MS Teams.

Course administrator

If you have a question or a problem relating to your course, your Course Administrator is there to help you. You can find their details in your course handbook.

Academic Adviser or Level Lead

If you need support with the content of your course or how to get the most out of your learning experience, you can speak with your Academic Adviser or Level Lead. You'll be made aware of who your Academic Adviser or Level Lead is at the start of the year, but your Course Administrator can also look them up for you.

LBU-managed Halls of Residence

The Residence Life team can support you with accommodation-based queries and concerns. Whether you're having problems with flatmates, finding it hard to adjust to your new setting or just want to meet a friendly face for a chat, the team are available for you. They are available to meet with you, either in their offices on City Campus or at the following halls: Arena Village, Carnegie Village, Kirkstall Brewery and Marsden House.

Private accommodation

If you are living in accommodation owned by Unipol or you live in private rented accommodation, and the landlord is registered with Unipol, you can contact their Advice Service if you require further support and live in Leeds or Bradford.

You can check if your landlord is registered with Unipol via their online directory.

Leeds Beckett Students’ Union (LBSU) Advice Service offer a confidential, non-judgemental service run by professional caseworkers. The service is independent from the university and offers advice on a wide variety of topics that might affect you during your time at university. These include all aspects of the university regulations and procedures, and they can also support with questions around finance and housing. You can contact the LBSU advice service here.

Our Student Money team can help you when you have questions or concerns about your finances. They offer advice about student funding, benefits, budgeting and debt.

The Money Advice Line runs Monday-Thursday, 10.00-12.00 - 0113 812 5593

You can also request contact from Student Money by completing the online Contact Form. The team aim to get back to you within two working days.

All Leeds Beckett graduates will continue to have access to our careers support for five years from their graduation. You will be able to view job opportunities and events, and get support from our careers advisers.

Log into MyHub to access all your graduate careers support.

As an alumni you'll be invited to join Beckett Connect where you can attend networking events with other graduates and stay connected with the Leeds Beckett community.

We understand that finishing university can feel both exciting and overwhelming. If you're nearing the end of your course and would like support to help you through the final months—whether it's academic or wellbeing-related—we’re here for you.

If you’re starting to think about life after university and want to explore what practical support might be available once you no longer have access to university services, get in touch. We can arrange an appointment to talk through your situation and identify any support that could help.

Undergraduate students can apply to Student Finance England for a tuition fee loan to cover study costs and a maintenance loan for living expenses.

Care leavers will need to submit evidence confirming they were in care or provided with accommodation. This letter should verify that they:

- Were under the care of their Local Authority (LA)

- Have now left the care of the LA

This evidence only needs to be provided once at the beginning of their course.

Students applying as estranged individuals must provide evidence of their situation. The simplest way to do this is by completing the ‘Confirmation of Estrangement Form,’ which is available on their Student Finance account after submitting their application.

Estranged students must submit a 'Declaration of Estrangement form' and supporting evidence each year, unless they have been granted estrangement status for the entirety of their course.

For more information we recommend looking at the Student Finance guide from Stand Alone.

If you are irreconcilably estranged from your parents, you must submit a statement or evidence from a person who has known about your situation for a substantial amount of time and can verify that you don’t have contact with your biological, adoptive or only living parents. This person must not be related to you, be in a relationship with you or be a close friend of the family, though you can send evidence from these people as secondary evidence.

The easiest way to do this is to complete the ‘Confirmation of Estrangement Form’. Students can get this form on their Student Finance account once they’ve submitted their application.

Other examples of acceptable evidence include:

- letter from your social worker

- letter from a doctor that knows your situation

- police report showing any related incidents

- letter from a teacher who knows your situation

- letter from a ‘person of good standing in the community’ (for example a solicitor, religious leader or counsellor)

- Forced Marriage Protection order

You can find out more in our FAQs below or by contacting cle@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Hardship Fund

If you experience financial hardship or expect to face it, and no other funds are available to cover essential living expenses due to loss of income, inability to secure part-time work, or discontinued or no family support, you can apply for a non-repayable grant from our Hardship Fund. This fund has limited resources, and students are eligible to apply only once per academic year.

Within the calculation used to assess the Hardship Fund, there are certain allowances which result in priority being given to certain groups, this includes:

- Care experienced students and students from Foyers or those who are homeless (see other support)

- Students (25 and under) that are estranged from their family 

Please note that awards from the Hardship Fund are not guaranteed and assessments are based on the applicant's income and expenditure.

Applications can be submitted through our website.

Summer Assistance Fund

The Leeds Beckett Summer Assistance Fund offers financial support to eligible students during the summer break when the main Hardship Fund is unavailable. This fund primarily supports students unable to receive parental assistance or work during the summer due to study, family obligations, or medical reasons. As with the Hardship Fund, awards from the Summer Assistance Fund are means-tested and not guaranteed. You can find out more and apply on our Summer Assistance fund page.