Estranged students

At Herts, we are committed to supporting all our students to have a successful university experience, regardless of background.

We understand that taking those next steps to university is exciting, however we know that students without family support can often face additional challenges. That is why our Student Success team is dedicated to providing financial and tailored support to ensure you are successful throughout your journey at Herts and beyond.

Who are estranged students?

Estranged students are those studying without the support of their parents (biological, step, or adoptive parents), due to a breakdown in those relationships. This is likely to be permanent. Other terms linked to estrangement are self-reliant, foyer, sofa-surfing and independent.

Estrangement can happen at any time, before joining Herts, or during your studies. Whenever estrangement happens, the Student Success team are here to support you.

Starting your journey

Here are some steps to help you get started:

• visit the University on one of our open days, this is a great chance to get to know the campus, ask questions, and meet the Student Success team;
• check our entry requirements page for information about contextual offers for estranged applicants; this may reduce your course entry requirement by up to one grade;
• share that you are estranged on your UCAS application form including in the 'more about you' section, this will help us to identify you for support when you arrive;
• declare your estranged status on your Student Finance England (SFE) application and submit evidence to confirm your estrangement, as this may entitle you to additional support.

Contact the Student Success team

If you would like more information or to have a chat about how we may be able to support you please email us.