If a student is under 25 and meets the legal definition of care leaver, they are entitled to a one off bursary from their Local Authority.
In addition to this, relevant government funding bodies (e.g. Student Finance England) provide grants and loans to all eligible students in Higher Education. As the amount awarded is calculated based on household income, care leavers and estranged students are usually entitled to the highest available amount.
Imperial Bursaries are awarded for each year of study and are on a sliding scale based on household income, so students from a care background are usually entitled to the maximum amount of financial support. The award may vary from year to year, so please check for the relevant year of entry. It does not need to be paid back. The award is automatically awarded based on the assessment made by the relevant government funding body.
Care leavers and estranged students who are in a receipt of an Imperial Bursary will be offered the chance to receive their Bursary two months earlier than the usual first payment date in November.
The College also has a Student Support Fund for students who need emergency financial support.
Some care leaver charities also offer financial support to eligible applicants, please see the Useful Links section below for some possible sources of support.