Young carers

• Financial assistance

  Scholarships are available to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. The scholarship committee will take young carer responsibilities into consideration when assessing scholarship applications and applicants should ensure they include any further mitigating circumstances in their application.

  Student Services can also liaise with students to conduct a financial health check to ensure that young carers have access to all entitlements. Young carers are also a priority group for awards from the Discretionary Fund which provides additional financial assistance.

• Young carer support coordinator

  All students considering applying to university require a great deal of information to make the best decisions for their future. Students who have had experience of being a young carer may need additional information during the application process.

  The University of St Andrews has named young carer support coordinators, who act as a point of initial contact for young carers who are thinking of applying to the University. The coordinators also offer ongoing support and impartial guidance as required and can direct applicants and current students to relevant support services within the university.

  If you have any questions about applying to the University of St Andrews or are currently studying at the University and would like more details about the support that the University offers, please contact:

  Joanna Fry - for pre-application enquiries

  Access Manager: Widening Access and Transitions
  Phone: 01334 46 2346
  Email: youngcarers@st-andrews.ac.uk

  Fiona Whelan - for current University of St Andrews student enquiries

  Assistant Director of Student Services
  Phone: 01334 46 2720
  Email: youngcarers@st-andrews.ac.uk

  If you are a young carer and a current high school student in Fife, you may also be eligible to participate in our widening participation programmes. Please contact our First Chances Team by emailing Fchances@st-andrews.ac.uk if you think this may be applicable to you.

  Advice and support are available from Student Services, including personal support from our counselling and support team and academic support to ensure young carers are aware of what their responsibilities and rights are with regard to attendance and assessment. 

  The Students’ Association Carers, Commuters, Mature and Flexible Learners Forum (CCMFL), organises activities, meet-ups and resources for commuter students, students who are parents or carers, mature students, evening degree and part-time students. The CCMFL Officer is the Chair of the Forum and is a member of the Students’ Representative Council which represents all students at St Andrews. You can contact them by emailing ccmfl@st-andrews.ac.uk.

• Applying

  The University of St Andrews is committed to increasing the numbers of young carers going to university. If you meet the definition of a young carer as outlined above and you are applying to the University through UCAS, please make sure you indicate this on your UCAS application, either in the personal statement or reference. This enables the young carer support coordinator to contact you with more information about the support we can offer.

  When making offers to students who are young carers, the Admissions team will look at each application on an individual basis.  Admissions officers will also take into consideration any mitigating circumstances affecting students who have been or are young carers, as per the contextual admissions policy.