In a nutshell:
What you can find here is:
- Advise and guidance for young carers wanting to go to college or university
Taking your next steps in education, whether it be starting a new college or going to uni, although extremely exciting, can still seem a little terrifying for every young person, carers and non-carers alike. It is a big change in your life and feeling slightly anxious, especially if you do have caring responsibilities, is a natural reaction.
Recent studies have shown that 95% of young adult carers at school would like to go to college or university and with 79% of those in further education saying that they enjoyed college or university and 69% reporting that they felt they were doing well, there is no surprise that pursuing further education is so popular.
Going to college
You’ve completed your GCSEs, now you have the chance to really dig deeper into the subjects you love. Whether your chosen subjects are classroom based such as English or Maths or more practical based subjects such as Engineering and Hair and Beauty, college is a great way to learn more about what you love.
If your 18th birthday is on or after 1 September 1997 you must stay in some form of education or training until your 18th birthday. Some people decide they want to stay at their same school or local sixth form college, whereas some decide to study at a different school or college, the choice is up to you. For a full list of schools and colleges and their contact details follow the link below.
If you are interested in meeting the teachers and staff, most of the colleges and school will host open days for you to have a look around and get a good feel for the place. Look out for open days or contact the colleges directly to book a viewing. It is important that you feel comfortable and excited about your next step.
Going to Uni
You’ve ticked the A Levels off and now you have uni on your radar. Choosing the right university is not always easy but there is plenty of support out there to make sure you make the decision that is right for you.
Before deciding on your university, think about what you want to get from your university experience. Every university offers something a little different, so it’s important to think about what your long term goals are. Some people want to attend university to get involved in all the different sports and clubs, some to help towards a future job, some for the love of a subject and others to just have a good time, whatever is motivating you it is great to know there is lots of advice and help out there.
There are lots of websites to help you find advice on all the different courses and universities and plenty of great advice on how to apply. The websites below are a good start in helping you find the information you need. Most schools and colleges will also have careers departments with as much help as you need, so don’t be afraid to ask.
www.universityadvice.co.uk/Home.asp
Student housing
We’ve all heard some interesting stories about student housing. Stories of terrible landlords, unsafe properties, piles of dirty dishes and of gardens full of misplaced traffic cones (we just don’t know. . . remember. . . how they got there). Although most students experience of student housing is really positive, there’ll always be a small percentage that don’t have the same great experience. So it’s important to know what rights you have to protect you from being treated unfairly by a landlord.
The National Union of Students has all sorts of advice relating to housing. It is important to know that the law does vary in each region of the UK, so make sure you visit the page relating to where you live.
www.nus.org.uk/en/advice/housing-advice/know-your-rights/
Support at university
Moving to university, especially with caring responsibilities, will not always be easy so it is worth investigating what support is available to you. Each uni offers slightly different support so finding out what assistance you may receive as early as possible, may not only help you decide on where to study, but may also help make move into university go more smoothly. Things to could look out for:
- Does the college or university offer bursaries or grants to carers
- Is there pastoral support for carers
- Is there a local young carers or young adult carers service
For more information on carers at university you may wish to read:
These publication is a great read on university good practice and has recommendations on how universities can better support young adult carers like you. Also check out our information on Juggling care and work
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