For some Young Adult Carers the stat of the new school year mean thoughts really turn to plans after exams which many include univesrity.
If this is you leaving home to go to university can be a daunting process for anyone, but especially for someone who has a caring responsibility at home. Leaving the person you care for can be tough, and leave you with lots of questions.
To help with this, UCAS have put together a document to help you figure out if the university you are thinking about will be able to support you as a Young Adult Carer.
They highlight a 5 step process for applying:
- Research – check out if the university offers support to carers, this information should be on their website. You can contact student services to ask them about the support on offer.
- Go to the open days – this might not always be possible, but maybe you have a friend who would like to look at the same university as you, could you share a lift with them? Visiting the university is a good way to see if it is a good fit for you, you can meet with student services and discuss your caring responsibilities and what support you would need.
- When applying tell the university about your circumstances doing this will allow a university to put support in place. There are a few ways of letting them know,
- Share about your caring responsibilities on the ‘more about me’ page of the application.
- With your consent your referee can mention about your situation in your reference. They can also let the university know if your caring role will have an impact on your studies or exam results.
- You can make contact after your results or confirmed place, or if there is any changes in your circumstances it is always good to let them know.
- When applying use your personal statement to highlight your skills, strengths and positive attributes your caring role has allowed you to develop.
- It might be you study from home or move away but it is good to think about the practicalities such as: finances as well as applying for student finance think about an bursaries that you might be eligible for. Think about budgeting, taking into consideration day to day living, equipment, travel costs etc. You also look at our tips for students starting this year
You can always Chat to your Young Adult Carer adviser if you need more support, or if there is anything we can do to help.
