Support for care-experienced students
We are committed to supporting students from care-experienced backgrounds. If you have previously been cared for by a local authority, whether in residential care, foster care, cared for at home or cared for by friends or relatives, we may have already contacted you if you indicated this on your UCAS form before joining Edinburgh Napier.
If you didn't let us know before arriving, it's not too late to get in touch. Our Student Experience and Retention Advisers, Caroline Fraser and Jenny Smith, are the University's named contacts for care experienced students. You can contact them at keepontrack@napier.ac.uk.
What is a named contact?
A named contact is a member of university staff who is there to support you during your time at university. They are:
- Your go-to person if you're not sure where to go for help
- Someone who can listen and support you if you're having any difficulties
- A link to other services, helping you access things like funding, wellbeing support, or academic help
You don't need to know all the different university systems - your named contact helps you navigate everything in one place. Think of them as a friendly, consistent point of contact who understands your situation and helps you get the right support when you need it.
They can help with:
- Settling into university life
- Understanding your course or who to speak to in your School
- Wellbeing, mental health, or personal challenges
- Finding and connecting with the right support services
Remember, you can get in touch with your named contact at any time - you don't have to wait until something feels serious.
The University can support care-experienced learners in a variety of ways, including:
- Providing a named Student Funding Advisor to help you to identify ways of improving your finances and applying for the University's Care Experienced Bursary. This means that you will see the same person each time that you make contact with the Student Funding team. They will get to know you and your circumstances, avoiding the need to share your details with multiple staff.
- Providing contact with a dedicated member of staff during the admissions stage.
- Adjusting offers to study to take into account the additional barriers which individuals may have experienced.
- Providing a full-year (52-week) rental agreement option for the University's student accommodation.
We also provide financial support in the form of the University's Care Experienced Bursary.
The University’s Corporate Parenting Plan outlines the support available for applicants and students at Edinburgh Napier.
Additional information
Edinburgh Napier is a founding partner of the Hub for SUCCESS, a dedicated resource for care-experienced individuals of all ages and for professionals who offer guidance in the south-east region of Scotland.
SAAS provides a Care Experienced Student Bursary and Accommodation Grant. Unlike a student loan, this does not have to be repaid after graduation.