Independent and estranged students

You will be considered as independent if:

• you’re 25 or over
• you’ve been married or in a civil partnership
• you care for a child under 18
• you’ve financially supported yourself for at least 3 years prior to the first day of the first academic year of your course
• you have no living parents
• your parents cannot be traced or it’s not possible to contact them
• you’re permanently estranged from your parents
• you’re a ‘care leaver’ who has been in the care of your local authority between the ages of 14 or 16, depending on when you started your course

Estranged students

You could apply as an estranged student if:

• you haven't had any contact with either of your parents for 12 months or more; or
• your relationship with your parents has broken down within the last 12 months and you don't expect this to change in the near future

If you apply as an estranged student, you won't need to send your parents' financial information and it could affect how much Maintenance Loan you can get.

You may also be assessed as estranged if you later stop contact with your parents or meet any of the estrangement criteria later in the academic year. Each estrangement application is looked at on a case by case basis.

If you think you may be estranged, you can read the Stand Alone student finance guide at standalone.org.uk/guides/student-guide (opens in a new tab)

Care leavers

If you started your course on or after 1 August 2018, you can apply for student finance as a care leaver if:

• you've been in the care of, or been given accommodation by your local authority
• you were in care for at least 13 weeks
• your time in care ended after you turned 14

If you started your course before 1 August 2018, you can apply for student finance as a care leaver if:

• you've been in the care of, or been given accommodation by your local authority
• you were in care for at least 13 weeks
• your time in care ended before you turned 16
• you haven't reconciled with your parents since leaving care

You can apply as a care leaver if you've been placed in foster care by your Local Authority (LA). If you're being fostered by a family member, God parent or family friend, you may have to apply as an independent student.

If you've been officially adopted by your foster parent, then we'll use their household income details to work out how much you can get.

If you’re 25 or over

You do not need to submit evidence, as you’ll already be considered an independent student.

You’ve been married or in a civil partnership

You should submit a copy of your marriage or civil partnership certificate, or a decree nisi/absolute if you’re divorced or separated.

You care for a child under 18

You should submit a copy of their original birth certificate along with evidence that you’re caring for them, such as a Child Benefit or Child Tax Credit letter.

You’ve financially supported yourself for at least 3 years

You should submit copies of your payslips, P60s or benefits letters showing that you had enough money to reasonably support yourself.

You have no living parents

You should submit copies of death certificates for both parents.

Your parents cannot be traced or it’s not possible to contact them

You should submit a signed and dated letter from an independent person (such as a doctor or social worker) explaining your situation.

You are permanently estranged from your parents

You can download a ‘confirmation of estrangement form’ in your online account.

You can also submit a signed and dated letter from an independent person (such as a doctor or social worker) explaining your situation.

You are a care leaver

You should submit a letter from the local authority confirming that you:

• were under their care
• have now left their care
• are a care leaver under the Social Services and Wellbeing Act (Wales) 2014.