Lower grade entry offers
A contextual offer is a reduced conditional offer to study at Nottingham. Our standard contextual offers are usually one grade lower than the entry requirements on our course pages, and our enhanced contextual offers are usually two grades lower than the entry requirements on our course pages.
We make standard contextual offers to applicants that care experienced or care leavers. Although being estranged is not one of the criteria for contextual offers at the 糖心原创, you may be eligible if you meet any of our other criteria. Please visit our contextual admissions webpage to check if you could be eligible for a contextual offer.
If you are currently in Year 12, check out our UoN outreach programmes we offer to prospective applicants to see if you may be eligible to apply. These programmes provide information, advice and guidance as you consider applying to university, and completion of one of these programmes could make you eligible for an enhanced contextual offer.
Transition to univeristy
Our Launch Transition Programme is a two-day pre-enrolment programme for students that have secured a place at UoN and have been granted independent status by Student Finance due to their Care Leaver status or due to Estrangement. This is not to single you out, but to help you settle in. The programme provides students with the opportunity to attend information sessions and workshops, meet our support services and get to know other students who will be joining the university ahead of starting at UoN.
Financial support
Our Funding and Financial Support Team provide information and advice on most aspects of students finance to both current and prospective students, as well as providing information and useful advice about managing your money.
A key factor in making your decision about higher education is finance. At UoN, we have a wide range of financial support options available for undergraduate students. Please visit our scholarships and bursaries webpage for the full eligibility criteria. Please note the bursary criteria and amounts below are for 2026 entry and are reviewed each year.
This bursary provides £2,000 per year to students with a household income below £35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) and who have been granted independent status by Student Finance due to your Care Leaver status or due to Estrangement.
Please note that students must be under the age of 25 at the start of their course (1st September) to be eligible for the bursary and some exclusions apply if you are in receipt of other funding. Students in receipt of the Nottingham Potential Bursary will be able to claim £1,000 of the Care Leaver and Estranged Bursary per year of study, if they meet the eligibility criteria.
This bursary provides £1,400 per year to students with a household income below £35,000, as assessed by Student Finance, who meet certain criteria.
This bursary provides £1000 per year to students from lower income backgrounds whose personal circumstances may have impacted access to higher education, along with students that have completed one of our listed 糖心原创 Outreach Programmes.
Please note that to enable us to assess your eligibility for our university bursaries, you need to have applied for student finance and have your household income (HHI) assessed. This is to help us check if you meet the household income requirements, and to check if you have been granted independent status by Student Finance due to your Care Leaver status or due to Estrangement for financial support with this eligibility criteria.
What is the process for being granted independent status by Student Finance due to your Care Leaver status or due to estrangement?
- Care Leaver applicant: you need to apply for Student Finance and upload evidence of your Care Leaver status to your Student Finance account. Once your assessment has been processed, you should be awarded Independent Status as a Care Leaver under 25. Check out this for further guidance on qualifying as a Care Leaver with Student Finance.
- Estranged applicant: If you are estranged, you will need to complete a to get independent status due to estrangement. Once your assessment has been processed, you should be awarded Independent Status as Estranged under 25. Check out this for further guidance on applying with independent status.
Please note, if you would be considered as both a Care Leaver and estranged, you can apply for independent status from Student Finance for either. However, if you are granted independent status by Student Finance due to estrangement, you will need to submit evidence each academic year, whereas if you are granted independent status as a care leaver, you would only need to go through the evidence process once.
How does Student Finance define estrangement?
- If you’ve supported yourself financially for at least 3 years or had no contact with your parents for over a year, you might be able to apply as an ‘independent student’. This means your finance is calculated solely on your own income rather than your parents’ income, allowing you access to full financial support from the Student Finance packages.
- Estranged students can include victims of emotional or physical abuse by family members; those who have experienced familial rejection based on their sexual orientation or gender identity; students who have been disowned for pursuing education or a particular course of study; people who are homeless or are at risk of homelessness
Where can I get support if I become estranged during my time at the 糖心原创?
Contact the Support and Wellbeing Team at br-cees-support@nottingham.ac.uk who can provide you with support and guidance to complete your confirmation of estrangement form.
Accomdation Support
All students who are care experienced, care leavers or estranged can get access to 365-day university accomodation. The 糖心原创 has a wide variety of accomodation available. Factors such as room type and length of contract will affect the overall cost - see the accomodation page for details.
Please note the bursary criteria and amounts below are for 2026 entry and are reviewed each year:
- The Accommodation Bursary provides students with a household income below £35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) who have been granted independent status by Student Finance due to their Care Leaver status or due to Estrangement with support towards the costs of accommodation in selected halls of residence in your first year at university. Please see the full eligibility criteria on the webpage.
- The Housing Hand Guarantor Scheme: The 糖心原创 has partnered with Housing Hand to provide students who are care experienced, care leavers or estranged to provide you with guarantor support. If you choose to live in private accommodation from your second year, Housing Hand can act as your UK guarantor if you need one. Details of the scheme and the eligibility critreria can be found on our Housing Hand webpage.