Enhanced Chamberlain Award

If you are leaving care to come to the University, there is extra financial support available.

If you choose to attend the University of Birmingham, we have a range of financial support options available to Care Leavers. We strongly recommend that you tick the box on your UCAS application as this will help us send you information about the support we can offer.

Please note that if you are in receipt of the Enhanced Chamberlain Award, you will not be eligible to receive the standard Chamberlain Award.

Financial support

If you opt to live in University-owned accommodation you can choose to receive your Chamberlain Award as a £9,235 accommodation fee waiver. This is the maximum accommodation fee waiver that you can claim, if you choose to live in more expensive accommodation you will need to fund the difference yourself.  If you wish to claim the accommodation fee waiver, please ensure that your accommodation application is submitted by 31 May. For more information on accommodation support, visit our Care Leavers page.

If you choose to live off campus, in partner accommodation, or you are already receiving financial support towards your accommodation costs, you could be entitled to an enhanced cash bursary of £3,000. This will be paid in two instalments of £1,500 in January and May.

These awards apply to all years of study; you will have the opportunity to confirm your award choice for each year of study.

Eligibility criteria

For the purposes of the Enhanced Chamberlain Award, the University defines a Care Leaver as a young person over the age of 16 who has been in the care of the local authority and/or Health & Social Care Trust for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14. Care Leavers who have subsequently been adopted would not normally be eligible for the Enhanced Chamberlain Award.

When submitting your application, you will need to attach written evidence from your Social Worker or Key Worker confirming the dates you were in the care of your local authority and/or Health & Social Care Trust. You will only be required to provide this evidence once.

Please note that exceptional circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Any award made on this basis will be at the discretion of the University.

Application process

If you believe you meet the above criteria, please complete our online application form.

When completing this application form, you will need to attach supporting evidence from your Social Worker or Key Worker confirming the dates you were in the care of your local authority and/or Health & Social Care Trust. Please see the secion below for an example of an acceptable form of evidence.

 

Example letter of evidence

Our Ref: XXX

Date: XXX

To whom it may concern:

RE: NAME OF STUDENT (DOB XX/XX/XXXX)

I am the 18+ Personal Advisor for XXX.

Please accept this letter as a confirmation that XXX is a young person who, under the Children (Leaving Care) Act qualifies as a Care Leaver and receives a service from the 18+ Care Leavers Team at XXX.

XXX was in care at a residential children’s home from XXX until XXX. This means XXX was in care for a total of X years and X months (or, where applicable, weeks).

Yours sincerely
XXX

Personal Advisor
18+ Care Leavers Team

 

You will be contacted by Funding, Graduation and Awards via email within four weeks of your application being submitted. This email will either let you know whether you are eligible to receive an award, or will request any further information required to complete your application.

Contact information

If you have any questions about the Enhanced Chamberlain Award, please contact Funding, Graduation and Awards chamberlainaward@contacts.bham.ac.uk. 

For information on additional support available, please visit our Care Leavers page or contact the Outreach team outreach@contacts.bham.ac.uk.