Students with care experience
One of our care experienced alumni talks about her time at Heriot-Watt
Are you care experienced?
Care experience applies to anyone who has been, or currently is, in care or from a looked after background at any stage of their life, no matter how short. This care may have been provided in one of many different settings, such as in residential care, foster care, kinship care or looked after at home with a supervision requirement. This also includes adopted children who were previously looked after. We will provide support no matter what age you are now.
The above would normally apply to students studying on campus with experience of care in the UK, but with exceptions on a case-by-case basis as appropriate.
Disclosing care experience
Heriot-Watt is committed to giving access and opportunities to people who are care experienced and we recognise care experience as one of our widening access (WA) student groups. By telling us you are care experienced we can provide access to a range of advice, guidance and support to help you succeed at university. Please be reassured that any information you tell us will be dealt with confidentially.
In line with the Promise Heriot-Watt is committed to giving equal access and opportunities to people who are care experienced.
You can let us know you are care experienced during the application stage by ticking the box on your UCAS application, emailing access@hw.ac.uk, by ticking the box during your enrolment or at any point during your studies by emailing wpwellbeing@hw.ac.uk.
How can we support you?
If you are thinking about coming to university, you can fin out more about how we can help you from our care experienced students pages.
Data and Privacy Statement
To help any student contacting the Student Experience Team, we will record your student details, the information you tell us and the advice we give. This is to ensure continuity in the support we are able to offer and to internally monitor the service we provide.
With your agreement, we will share information with other University staff - if required - to ensure you receive appropriate support. However, we reserve the right, in accordance with the University's duty of care to our students, to share information about you without your prior agreement if we believe you to be a risk of harm to yourself or others.
Aggregated or individual data may be used for statistical or analytical purposes, including in written reports used by the University, but any data used in this way will be anonymised and no individuals will be identified.
By using our services you are consenting to the above.
Visit our Privacy and your data rights pages for further information about how the University uses data about students.
Advice and support from your dedicated point of contact
We offer a named point of contact to support you throughout your time at university:
Edinburgh campus
Emma Smail, Student Wellbeing and Transition Advisor, wpwellbeing@hw.ac.uk
Scottish Borders campus
Gillian McLaughlin, Student Wellbeing Advisor, SBC.Wellbeing@hw.ac.uk
Additionally, our Student Success Advisors can provide advice from a recent graduate perspective on all aspects of student life:
Edinburgh Campus: studentsuccess@hw.ac.uk
Scottish Borders Campus: SBC.Wellbeing@hw.ac.uk
You can also make appointments with Student Success Advisors through the myHWU Portal to discuss any concerns or difficulties you are having at university.
Every student has a member of academic staff allocated to them as a personal tutor who will be a key source of advice, guidance and support during your time at Heriot-Watt.
Ongoing support
We will provide ongoing advice and support throughout your studies. We will contact you regularly via email to ensure you are kept up to date during your studies. We will also offer you the opportunity to chat with us via video call, email or in person meetings.
Events
The Student Success Advisors are running a great programme of Wellbeing Events this semester. Please take a look at the full list of events, all are free, and you are welcome to attend any or all.
The Hub for Success also run some fantastic events throughout the year. These events are an informal opportunity for you to socialise with other students and the Hub for Success partnership staff. For more information, you can visit their webpage; https://hubforsuccess.org/events/.
Support with Graduation costs
Heriot-Watt students who are care experienced or estranged can apply for support with graduation costs. If your application is successful, we will award you £150 towards graduation costs. For example, you may choose to use this award for guest tickets, gown hire and/or photographs. Please contact wpwellbeing@hw.ac.uk for further information.
Winter Break Support
Heriot Watt students who are care experienced or estranged will receive communications about support available over the winter break. If you opt in we will also send you a card and/or a small gift. Please contact wpwellbeing@hw.ac.uk for further information.
Financial support
Heriot-Watt Access Bursary
Prior to starting their studies with us undergraduate students can apply for the Heriot-Watt Access Bursary which if successful provides £1000 extra financial support to help students from widening participation backgrounds with living costs.
Heriot-Watt Expenses Bursary
The Heriot-Watt Expenses Bursary offers eligible undergraduate students up to £525 to help cover the cost of attending university. This could be to purchase a laptop, pay for WiFi access or travel expenses.
Hardship Funds
Students carers are given priority access to hardship and emergency funding from the Student Union Advice Hub if needed.
A Student Guide to Financial Support at Heriot-Watt
External funding
Care Experienced Students Bursary
The Student Award Agency Scotland (SAAS) currently provide a Care Experienced Students Bursary. The bursary is available to eligible full-time Scottish domiciled students undertaking an eligible undergraduate course.
Care Experienced Accommodation Grant
If you are Care Experienced and need help with your accommodation costs during the summer holiday, you may be eligible to apply for the Care Experienced Accommodation Grant. The maximum SAAS will pay is £105 a week during the summer holiday.
Other student finance agencies may also have support specifically for students with care experience. Make sure you check what you are entitled to.
Accommodation
The University guarantees to make an offer for year-round accommodation to those eligible. Please see our accommodation guarantee for full details.
Visit the accommodation webpage for more information.
Please email halls@hw.ac.uk (Edinburgh Campus) or bordershalls@hw.ac.uk (Scottish Borders Campus) when you apply for accommodation so we can discuss the options available to you.
Preparing for University
Get Ready for Success
Student carers are encouraged to participate in Get Ready for Success, a three day event that takes place prior to Welcome Week which helps participants prepare for starting at Heriot-Watt.
Pre-Entry Support Meeting
New students will be invited to a one-to-one meeting with their named point of contact over summer to help ensure you have all the information and support you will need while studying with us.
If you feel that you should have been contacted to arrange a meeting and haven’t received any communication, you can reach out to access@hw.ac.uk.
Ask a Student Success Advisor
Ask a Student Success Advisor is a one-to-one email based support service available to students who have either an Unconditional Firm (UF) or Conditional Firm (CF) offer of a place at Heriot-Watt. It is an opportunity to ask a Student Success Advisor by email any questions you may have before beginning University.
Health and Wellbeing
Student Wellbeing Services
Student Wellbeing Services aim to provide a range of support, guidance and activities and advice to help students be their best and get the most out of their University experience.
Safety and Security
The Safeguarding Team are available on campus 24/7, and students have access to the SafeZone app. We also have an on-campus Residence Life team, who provide activities and support, to help ensure you feel welcome and settled if you are staying in halls of residence.
Corporate Parenting
Heriot-Watt University's Corporate Parenting Plan for 2025 to 2028 demonstrates how the University seeks to "address the specific disadvantages of care-experienced students by supporting our students with care-experience in accessing education, progressing and achieving at Heriot-Watt University". The plan outlines support activities in each stage of the care experienced student journey, from enquiry and application, through studying, to graduation and beyond. It provides an outline of current actions and a guide to future enhancements.
External Resources
HUB for SUCCESS – Heriot-Watt is a partner institution with the Hub for Success who provide impartial, one-to-one support to help people with care experience get in, stay in or return to education
Who Cares Scotland – offer a wide range of groups, activities, and events for care experienced people across Scotland
EaCES Handbook – A site created by care experienced students to summarise all the advice and information available to support students in higher and further education and to share lived experiences.
This is Us (community) - An online space to bring together estranged and care experienced students and recent graduates in the UK. The idea is to connect and build student-led spaces, so that we can feel a greater sense of connection and belonging.
Each & Every Child - aims to tell stories about young people in the care system, transforming the current public narrative and mobilising people at all levels in the community to take action to improve their life chances.
The Promise – This site is responsible for driving forward change by utilising the findings of the care review. They work with organisations to shift policy, practice and culture in Scotland