Edinburgh College is a proud Corporate Parent and we take our responsibility to support care-experienced students very seriously. Our role includes supporting you through the college application process, ensuring you have a positive learning experience and providing support during your studies.
What Does Care-Experienced Mean?
Care-experienced individuals may have been, or are currently in, the following situations:
- Foster care – Living with another family
- Residential care – Living in a children’s unit
- Kinship care – Living with friends or relatives
- Care leaver – Someone leaving care or no longer in care, and under the age of 26
- At home – Living with parent(s), but with formal social work involvement
Support for Care-Experienced Students
Disclosing on your application that you are Care-Experienced will allow us to contact you to tell you about the wide range of support we can offer. This support includes:
- Funding and how to apply for your Care-Experienced Bursary and other funding you may be entitled to, including Childcare and Discretionary Funds
- Putting you in touch with a member of staff who will be your key contact throughout your time at college
- Discussing any learning support needs and assessment arrangements you might be entitled to, perhaps you had extra time and/or a reader for your exams in school
- Letting you know about the range of support available at college, like our wellbeing and counselling services
- Edinburgh College Students’ Association (ECSA) – The college has a very active Student’s Association which has a dedicated page for care-experienced students. You will be invited to join this once you have enrolled on your course
Care-Experienced Bursary
If you are studying at HNC or HND level, you can apply to SAAS for your Care-Experienced Bursary. There isn’t a separate application, you can just complete the usual application and indicate on the form that you are Care-Experienced.
Visit the SAAS website for more information about the Care-Experienced Bursary.