Students Independent from Families (Estranged)

Are you under 25, independent from your family and don’t receive any support from your parent(s) or guardian(s)? You may live alone or independently with others and financially support yourself.

Are you considering university and don't have support from either of your parents due to a breakdown in your relationship (also known as being 'estranged')?

This page has information and list of departments within the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ who can provide you with specific support advice and guidance. Along with national services and useful guides if you are considering ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and what you need to know.Ìý

Before students join the university:

Within the Access and Outreach team Roisin Kendall, Access and Outreach Manager is the named person pre entry, working with virtual schools, leaving care teams, local authorities within Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes to support attainment, aspiration and offer on campus and virtual experiences to care experienced students from primary to adult learners returning to education. Contact email address for any queries or support is access@beds.ac.uk


Student Support Teams at the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ can provide a variety of support for students based on individual needs and circumstances. For information on the available support within the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ please visit Student Support website or make contact with the team on the emails listed below:

Access and Outreach Team (applicants and new starters):

For advise and information in relation to university life and if you are thinking of applying for a university degree, email access@beds.ac.uk who can provide specific advice and guidance.

Beds Student Union (BEDS SU):

  • Visit the for self-help resources, including a video on how to write an appeal . If you have concerns about academic appeals and cannot gain independent advise please contact adjudication@beds.ac.uk to advice you are awaiting an appointment with the Beds SU.
  • For information on the services that can help click for more information.

Student Engagement and Mitigation (SEAM) Support:

  • Need to apply for extensions or re-assessments? Download a mitigation applications form from Mitigation and email your completed form to: Mitigation@beds.ac.uk
  • Student Engagement Team provide general advice and support to students on a wide range of issues that might be impacting on their attendance, ability to submit work and progression on their course. The teams focus is on retention and the team liaises with other support teams, academic staff and external partners. The student engagement team work along the mitigation team and can provide advice and guidance to students regarding the of the process of applying for extensions and re-assessments and reviewing applications made by students, subject to meeting the mitigation criteria. Support provided is dependent on the needs of the individual student. Student engagement can support students across the student cycle from point of entry to graduation and offer guidance and signposting to other student support teams including, health and wellbeing, mental health, counselling, community and faith and student money advice. Contact email address for this support is studentengagement@beds.ac.uk

Health and Wellbeing Support:

  • Have a diagnosed long term health condition or disability including learning disability. Disability Support is available by emailing: Disability@beds.ac.uk
  • Support with mental health and wellbeing including practical advice and guidance for students, is available by emailing: Mentalhealth@beds.ac.uk
  • Access to counselling if students are experiencing any problems of a personal or emotional nature that may be interfering with academic work and life. Support is available by emailing: Counselling@beds.ac.uk

Money Advice:

  • Student Money Team provide advice and guidance to students including providing events including budgeting workshops, university laptop loan scheme, student finance funding advice and any other money advice support queries. Student Money team are also the point of contact for care leaver bursary queries and applications. Contact email address for this support is studentmoney@beds.ac.uk

Financial/ Fee queries:

  • Fee related queries, including financial implications if considering interrupting or withdrawing you’re your studies, contact sortmyfinance@beds.ac.uk or Credit Services via telephone on 01582 743993.
  • Contact the department student finance officer for each faculty on:

Community and Faith:

  • Community and Faith team for any pastoral support available, all students are welcome whether they have a particular faith or not. The Chaplaincy team support is available by emailing: chaplaincy@beds.ac.uk

Careers Advice:

  • Support with employment, careers and placements. The Careers team is available by emailing: careers@beds.ac.uk

Please find information on National Services who can provide information, advice and guidance to students who are independent from their Families.

  • UCAS - find all the information you would need to know about if you are considering applying for university if you are estranged from your family. Visit for more information.
  • Stand Alone - Supporting people that are estranged, including a detailed Guides including Student Finance Guide advising on how your Student Finance application is assessment as an estranged student and tells you about the supporting documents you need to provide. Visit Ìýfor more information.
  • Student Finance England (SFE) - find out what financial support you are eligible for, how and when to apply for student finance along with scholarships, grants and bursary information. Visit for more information.
  • Student Minds - Student Minds is the UK's student mental health charity, the charity empowers students and members of the university community to look after their own mental health, support others and create change. Visit Ìýfor more information.
  • Student Space (provided by Student Minds) - is 24/7 support including tips, resources and student stories, whether its about mental health, studies, money or relationships. Help is available by visiting

address

Luton campus & other campuses
Level 2, Campus Centre
Luton campus
LU1 3JU

email

Student Information Desk
sid@beds.ac.uk

telephone

Student Information Desk (SiD)

0300 300 0042

Our phone lines are open:

  • Monday - Thursday
    9:00 – 17:00
  • Friday
    9:00 – 16.30