Young Carer Assistance Fund

Level of study
Any Undergraduate
Nationality
UK
Type of Award
University
Deadline for applying
None. Open all year.

Award Description

The Young Carer Assistance Fund is aimed at undergraduate students who provide significant caring duties for a person other than their legal dependant(s). The award was set up in recognition of the additional financial burden and time constraints faced by young carers at the university and aims to provide financial contributions to enable young carers to access extra-curricular activities that are both directly related to their studies, and of wider personal interest to the applicant.  

The award is flexible and discretionary. Awards may be made towards, but are not limited to:

  • Tickets, travel, and expenditure to attend extra-curricular activities, such as conferences, volunteering, placements, internships, work experience or other events
  • Taxis or train journeys to travel to and from extra-curricular activities
  • Taking part in societies at the university

The award cannot assist with:

  • Driving lessons
  • Car related costs
  • Luxury items
  • Essential expenditure – this relates to costs related to accommodation, bills, food shopping, clothes, course costs e.g. books or study equipment. If you are struggling to pay essential costs, the University operates the Student Support Fund, which can support students in financial hardship.

Value of Award

The value of the award is £200. Applicants can make multiple applications in each academic year of study. If the cost of the item or event that you are requesting funding for is more than £200, additional funding may be awarded at the panel’s discretion.  

Please be aware that funding for this award is finite. Once the maximum threshold of the budget has been reached the award will close for applications. 

Eligibility Criteria

The Young Carer Assistance Fund is aimed at young carers studying for an undergraduate degree at the University of Birmingham. For the purposes of the award, a young carer is defined as a young person who provides significant caring duties for another person who is not their legal dependent.

Any undergraduate student who identifies as a young carer may apply and applicants will be asked to briefly describe their caring duties as part of the application. All information will be kept in the strictest confidence and be seen only by university staff members involved in the selection of the awards as necessary.

The award can be applied for in additional to any other scholarship, grant, or bursary, including the Young Carer Scholarship.

How to Apply

Candidates should complete a short application form in which they will be asked:

  • To briefly describe the caring duties that they provide and to whom
  • To describe the goods, services, or event that would like financial assistance towards.

Please complete all sections of the online application form. The form should take no more than 5 – 10 minutes to fully complete.

Once submitted your application will be reviewed by the Funding, Graduation and Awards Team, who will assess your eligibility for the award. You will receive your decision within two weeks.  

If you have any questions about the award, please contact FGA at fga@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Contact

Funding, Graduation and Awards
fga@contacts.bham.ac.uk