After students have started at Edge Hill University, they may also wish to access guidance and support from our on-course contact in Student Services. The dedicated member of staff can help students to make the most of their time at University and complete their course successfully. Student Services can also support eligible Care Leaver students to apply for the EHU Care Leavers bursary, as well as guidance in accessing potential employability development opportunities whilst on-course.

Furthermore, within the careers team, students can also talk to a dedicated team member about their career aspirations, finding part-time work or experience, or any potential barriers or concerns they may have regarding employment.

Eligible students may also be able to access an annual bursary of £1000 for up to a maximum of three years whilst studying at Edge Hill and may also be able to access further funding from our Student Support fund.

On-course students can also apply for a grant of up to £2000 from our Student Opportunity Fund to support a career-enhancing project, initiative or opportunity that will enrich their student experience and enable them to stand out in a competitive environment.

Care-experienced and estranged students studying at Edge Hill University may also be able to access a room in the University Halls of Residence for 365 days a year, for the three years of their degree course. If students do not wish to live in halls of residence on-campus, the Accommodation Team can also provide support in helping students to search for accommodation both during term time and the vacation period.

We work with a number of organisations to help us extend and enhance our work with care-experienced and estranged students and have been recognised for our work in supporting these students to access and succeed in Higher Education. For more information on the organisations that we work with, please click on our partners logos below.

We offer bespoke mature student sessions on:

• Introduction to HE
• Subject sessions
• How to apply
• Personal statements
• Interview techniques
• Mock interviews
• Sent off your UCAS application? What next?
• Student finance

All of the above sessions can be delivered in your college setting and we are also happy to work with you to develop other bespoke sessions to suit your learners’ needs. Pre-recorded sessions can also be accessed.

We also offer one to one advice for students where necessary and they can also ask questions of our current students on TAP (The Access Platform). Via TAP they can access blogs and vlogs and chat to current mature students.

Fastrack: Preparation for Higher Education is our own access programme, designed to enhance subject knowledge, study skills and IT skills. Fastrack is a 7-week programme that is free of charge and, on successful completion, will enable students to be considered for their chosen degree course. Further details can be found on the dedicated Fastrack section of our website.

Mature students may also need some extra support around financial advice. We have a Student Finance presentation specifically designed for mature students which outlines the extra support that may be available to mature students. Students can also access one to one support from our Money Advice Team.

Individual Financial support enquiries can be made via our dedicated Money Advice Team webpage on our website.

We are proud to say that we were voted by our students as offering the best student support in the North West in the 2020 WhatUni Student Choice Awards. Our student support covers all aspects of student life, both academic and personal and includes SpLD support, Money Advice, Wellbeing and Counselling and ongoing support from our award-winning careers team.

Mature and part-time students also have their own SU Officer that can advise and represent them throughout their time at University.

After students have started at Edge Hill University, they may also wish to access guidance and support from our staff in Student Services. The team can help students to make the most of their time at University and complete their course successfully.

Furthermore, within the Careers team, students can also talk to a dedicated team member about their career aspirations, finding part-time work or experience, or any potential barriers or concerns they may have regarding employment.

Eligible students studying at Edge Hill could be entitled to apply for further funding through our Student Support Fund and can access guidance and support in applying for this from our dedicated point of contact in Student Services. On-course undergraduate and PGCE students at Edge Hill University can also apply for up to £2000 from the Student Opportunity Fund, in order to support a career-enhancing project, initiative or opportunity that will enrich their student experience and enhance their employability and transferable skills.

At Edge Hill we are committed to diversifying our student community and our research into supporting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students has highlighted that supporting students at pre-entry level can improve success particularly when it comes to choosing the right course, building confidence in accessing student services and feeling part of the community.

Our Diversity outreach programme not only provides the necessary information, advice and guidance for students considering HE, but also offers tailored support on the above barriers, as well as providing students with a head start for their post-18 journey.

If you or someone you support in is Year 12 (sixth form) or Year One (college) and would be interested in participating in the programme in the next academic year, please contact the Widening Participation team to find out more.

Students who identify as Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic can apply to be a member of our Student Advisory Panel and help to steer the University’s approach to supporting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students. Panel students are asked to attend several meetings per academic year and offer feedback on projects, events and ideas for enhancing the experiences of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students at Edge Hill University. Panel members receive bespoke training from Careers for their involvement, and eligible students will earn points towards an Extra Edge or Competitive Edge certificate.

On-course undergraduate and PGCE students at Edge Hill University can also apply for up to £2000 from the Student Opportunity Fund, in order to support a career-enhancing project, initiative or opportunity that will enrich their student experience and enhance their employability and transferable skills.

At Edge Hill, students from low HE participation neighbourhoods (POLAR quintiles 1 or 2), students who have been eligible for pupil premium and free school meals, and those who will be the first generation of their family to progress into Higher Education are entitled to priority on our bespoke pre-16 activity days.

For more information about the support we offer students, please get in contact via wideningparticipation@edgehill.ac.uk

Disabled students, or students who disclose a mental health condition may be eligible to access extra, specialised support from our dedicated Inclusion and Learning Services teams at Edge Hill.

The Widening Participation team can also offer information, advice and guidance to students on a 1-1 or small group basis (whether on-campus or in school or colleges) particularly regarding access and applying to HE, as well as the typical support available.

The Edge Hill Widening Participation team also frequently collaborate with our local HE institutions to deliver information based events aimed at providing information about Higher Education and support to those who support students with SEND. If you would like to find out when the next event will take place, please get in touch with us via wideningparticipation@edgehill.ac.uk

At Edge Hill, we recognise that people seeking a new life in the UK who cannot return to their home countries, whether they are separated from or living with their families, are some of the most vulnerable people in the UK.

Edge Hill University works in partnership with the Article 26 Project to enable people seeking sanctuary to progress to higher education and we provide a support package for two successful applicants to help them achieve their Higher Education goals. The Sanctuary Edge Award is in the form of a tuition fee waiver plus an additional £800 scholarship for the exclusive use of meeting the costs of books, course related materials and travel to and from the university. The scholarship is open to students who are:

– Seeking asylum in the UK, or is a dependent or partner of someone seeking asylum
– Seeking asylum in the UK, or is a dependent or partner of someone seeking asylum who has been granted limited leave to remain or some other form of temporary status.

AND;

• Have a conditional or unconditional offer from Edge Hill University
• Currently attending a school, college, community or voluntary group which can provide a reference in support of your application
• Unable to access mainstream funding, e.g. student finance or a local authority grant
• Live within commuting distance of Edge Hill University OR
• Do not require support for living expenses or accommodation

If you have any questions about whether you or someone you support my be eligible to apply for an award, we would recommend that you contact the International Office via international@edgehill.ac.uk

Additionally, if you or someone you support has been granted refugee status and you would like more information on how this affects application to University and financial support, please do get in contact with us via wideningparticipation@edgehill.ac.uk for more information.

Statistics suggest that children from military service families are under-represented in higher education. As a university that has always been dedicated to widening participation, we plan to work more closely with these groups in the future. We would also be very keen to hear from other institutions and agencies that would like to get involved in this work.

In addition to working with children from military families, we also support military leavers to access Higher Education and regularly attend British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS) events to offer information and advice to those considering HE. If you are or know a military leaver who would like to seek advice about progression to HE, please get in touch with us to find out more.

Please get in touch via wideningparticipation@edgehill.ac.uk

As a university that is committed to increasing widening access and participation, we would like to work more closely with Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Showman and Boatman students and their supporters in the future. We would welcome communications from any other institutions or agencies that would like to get involved in this work in collaboration with us. If you would like to get in contact, please contact us via wideningparticipation@edgehill.ac.uk