Our #TickTheBox campaign encourages people with care experience to tick the box on their UCAS application to say they have spent time in care. This will ensure they get all the support they may need to enter and thrive at college or university.
Care leavers have been able to tick the box since 2008 however many were choosing not to share their care experience for various reasons. Some thought it wouldn’t make a difference to their experience; others were worried about sharing their personal information.
Our campaign was launched to raise awareness of the support care experienced students are entitled to and address any concerns they might have about sharing their care experience.
In 2008, 4,496 people ticked the box, fast forward to 2024 and the number has increased to 7,290 – but there is still a long way to go.
In the 2021/22 academic year, research identified that over 6,000 care leavers at UK universities may have been unknown to their institution and therefore didn’t have access to the support they are entitled to. It is clear that many universities still need to make significant improvements to identify the people with care experience in their student population and provide them with the correct support.
What happens when a young person ticks the box?
Ticking the box will alert university admissions teams to the fact a young person is care experienced. They will then get in touch and talk through the support options available. Many universities also have the option for a young person to declare they have care experience once they start the course.
Colleges have a more varied process, so we advise getting in touch directly about the support they have.
Read this UCAS blog outlining the three top reasons care experienced young people should tick the box.
Frequently asked questions
Who is ‘care experienced’?
On the UCAS website, care experience is defined as having spent time:
- living with foster carers under local authority care*
- in residential care, e.g. a children’s home
- looked after at home under a supervision order
- in kinship care with relatives or friends, either officially with a special guardianship order or informally without local authority support
*this includes if foster carers are fostering through an independent provider
Does the length of time spent in care make a difference?
Each university sets its own criteria for the length of time spent in care and the additional support a young person can receive. When a young person ticks the box they will be given an option to share how long they have been in care for. This can be an approximation.
Universities will then get in touch to discuss the young person’s circumstances and whether they meet the criteria for additional support. Each university's requirements are on their own website or on the Propel in Education website.
What financial support is available for care experienced young people?
Everyone can apply for student finance to cover tuition fees and maintenance in higher education – this is slightly different depending on where you live in the UK, so check the guides on the UCAS website for more details.
For students with care experience, there is often dedicated funding available – usually in the form of a bursary, which doesn’t need to be paid back. Each university and local authority has its own approach to bursaries. Look at the university’s website or search through Propel to find out the specific financial support they provide.
Each care experienced student is entitled to the full maintenance loan. When applying for student finance, make sure to fill out the household income as £0.
In order to receive student finance on time, we advise that care experienced students apply before the deadline, even if they haven’t received an offer yet. They also need to have evidence of their care leaver status ready to avoid delays.
You can find out more information on care leaver student finance including what students need to provide as evidence of their care leaver status here.
Do I have to mention care experience in my personal statement?
Care experience only needs to be mentioned in a personal statement if it is relevant to the course being applied for or helps what is trying to be conveyed. Otherwise, there is no need to include it if you don’t want to.
You can find out more in this blog by UCAS and Propel.
Dispelling myths around ‘Ticking the Box’
Myth #1: Ticking the box will affect my chances of getting into university or college.
Fact: It won’t affect decisions. Universities only use it to offer extra support, not to judge your application.
Myth #2: University or college will tell everyone I’ve been in care.
Fact: Your information is confidential. Only the support team or relevant staff see it, never lecturers or other students.
Myth #3: There is no point ticking the box, it doesn’t change anything.
Fact: Ticking the box can unlock access to bursaries, accommodation help and dedicated support for care experienced students.
Myth #4: I can’t tick the box unless I’m still in care.
Fact: If you have ever been in care (even for a short time) you can tick the box. Each university has a different requirement and it is often about your experience not your current situation.
Myth #5: I should only tick the box if I need financial help.
Fact: Ticking the box isn't just about money, it connects you to a network of staff who understand your background and want to support you.
Tick The Box webinar
On 18 November we ran our #TickTheBox webinar 2025. Our expert panel addressed:
- The process of ticking the box on a UCAS application and the guidance available for supporting care-experienced young people.
- The advice and support available to young people wanting to progress into further and higher education through Propel into Education run by Become.
- The NNCEL Quality Mark, what this means for universities and colleges and what good support looks like.
- Examples of support for care-experienced young people from universities such as those in The Russell Group and Sunderland University.
You can find a recording of the webinar here.
Below are the presentations from each of the panelists:
Resources for prospective students and students with care experience
Click below to access a selection of resources from organisations across the UK for young people in care and those supporting them. These include resources mentioned in our webinar and more.
UCAS guides
UCAS has a range of webpages and guides around all things further and higher education for people with care experience.
- The UCAS Hub – a tool to help students discover their options and plan next steps https://accounts.ucas.com/account
- UCAS Undergraduate: Care experienced students - this webpage shares information about financial support, accommodation, support from local authorities and more.
- Supporting care experienced students – this webpage provides practical information for foster carers or anyone caring for young people who want to go to university on all stages of the UCAS application process.
- Care Leavers | Applying To University | UCAS
- Ticking the box – what happens next – a case study from Kingston University about how they use information about care experience
- Frequently asked questions from care experienced young people
- Personal statement support – guidance on how to write a personal statement
- Supporter toolkit – a guide to help you support someone applying to university or college
- Train the Trainer workshops – designed for those supporting care-experienced students on the UCAS process, including foster carers, personal advisors and local authority leaving care teams.
- Higher education provider good practice briefing for care experienced students – this briefing is for staff working in universities and colleges to outline the common challenges for students who have care experience and how best to improve access to higher education and support.
Propel into Education
Propel into Education is an online resource run by Become. It provides information about applying for universities and colleges for care experienced young people. Becca, Senior Advice and Support Officer for Higher and Further Education for Become, presented at our webinar and provides independent support. She can answer any questions or queries you may have about going to university.
- University search engine which shows what support each gives.
- Workshops on how to apply to university as a care experience student
- Uni Ready Programme – 1:1 sessions to help with the UCAS application, personal statements, student finance, how to access support
- UCAS Goal Scheme – tailored and constructive feedback on your personal statement
You can contact Becca at [email protected] or call Become’s free Care Advice Line on 0800 023 2033, WhatsApp Become on: 0786 003 4982.
NNECL Quality Mark
The NNECL Quality Mark was launched in 2021 and is a process where universities and colleges can demonstrate their support for the inclusion and success of students with care experience and students who are estranged.
The Quality Mark assesses the student lifecycle from outreach through to graduation (and beyond); institutional culture and leadership; and continuous improvement and future plans. Check NNECL’s Quality Mark map to see which universities are on there and have been assessed for best practice in supporting care experienced young people.
Rees Foundation
General signposting and support - Rees’ Support Team are on hand to offer guidance and signposting. Whatever students are looking for, they’ll try to help and can often point them to other useful sources of information and support.
Help with cost of living - While this page focuses on the cost of living, it could be really useful to CE students as it has practical advice on budgeting, food shopping etc.
Crisis payments - They can provide support in an emergency for things like gas, electricity, or essential travel costs. If food is needed, they may also be able to provide ASDA vouchers. However, if students are still eligible for support from their Local Authority Leaving Care Team, they will encourage them to access that first, where appropriate, and help them access that support.
Higher Education grants - Rees’ provide education grants where no other funding sources are available, and they may be able to help with incidental costs while attending further or higher education. These could include equipment, materials, or travel (depending on circumstances). Please note, the education grant window is only open quarterly.
Future Me - This is Rees’ award-winning opportunity for care experienced young people aged 16–25 to connect with others who share similar experiences. A big part of Future Me is about meeting new friends, building connections, and taking part in positive activities together. It also gives young people the chance to explore different fields — such as the NHS, Armed Forces, and beyond — and discover opportunities they might not have considered before, all while being supported by the Rees Foundation.
Rees’ have a Careers Mentor who can support young people with a wide range of career-related guidance. This includes help with CV writing, job applications, interview preparation, and finding placements or work experience. Lucy can also talk through career options, help explore different industries, and offer practical advice to build confidence as students take their next steps.
Ask Jan membership - Designed to assist care experienced people of all ages, and offers practical advice, support, and additional benefits such as discounts on clothing, food, tech, days out etc. Membership costs £65 a year. While individuals can purchase this directly, it may be worth students contacting their PA or Local Authority Leaving Care Team to see if they can purchase this on their behalf.
Apprenticeships
Amazing Apprenticeships has produced a guide to apprenticeships for care experienced young people/ care leavers. The guide includes information on how apprenticeships work, financial assistance and accessing careers advice.
Foster their future
Foster their future is a programme run by the University of York which provides skills and knowledge to foster carers to help them support a young person on their journey to university.
The outcomes of the latest programme show that foster carers’s understanding of the Student Finance and bursaries, the UCAS application process and discussing higher education with care experienced young people increased substantially.
One foster carer shared the following feedback: “This programme has been highly informative and has given us the confidence and knowledge to support our young person when discussing further and higher education. We have learnt so much from the team, as well as from other foster carers. The sessions were engaging throughout, and we would highly recommend this programme to other carers.”
Applications for February/March 2026 will open in January. Find out more here: Students who are estranged or have care experience - Study at York, University of York
SpringForward
SpringForward is a free DfE-funded online mentoring programme for care-experienced young people who are thinking about going to university and would like 1:1 support in navigating their next steps.
Mentoring starts in the spring/summer of Year 12 (or equivalent if you are older) and includes five one hour online sessions, working 1:1 with an independent schoolteacher matched based on subject area expertise. They will provide support on the UCAS application and decision-making process, plus there’s an option to access an additional five sessions to help prepare for university life after the UCAS application is submitted.
To express an interest in the programme, please email: [email protected]
Specific support in the nations
Wales:
- Care Leavers Activities and Student Support (CLASS) Cymru is a Welsh-based organisation, whose website covers lots of information and resources around universities, colleges, social services and charities across Wales who support those with care experience to go on to further and higher education. Here you can find information on Wales specific university funding, making choices on your application, transitions, after university and more.
- https://www.vfcc.org.uk/
Scotland:
- Student Awards Agency Scotland provides information about admissions policies and financial support for applicants with care experience on their website.
- https://classcymru.co.uk/
Northern Ireland:
Ulster University’s Pathways to Further and Higher Education For Care Experienced Young People 2024. This guide collates useful information to inform young people about opportunities in education and what they need to consider.
