University pledges to support estranged students

​​The University has joined the Stand Alone Pledge, an initiative through which higher education institutions commit to providing support services for students who are estranged from their families or a key family member. 

The pledge is organised by the UK charity, Stand Alone, who provide specialist advice for students who have no contact with their family. The charity recognises that despite their resilience and enthusiasm to undertake a degree, this group of students drop out of higher education at a rate that is three times higher than the average student. 

The University of Gloucestershire’s specific provision for estranged students will include guaranteed accommodation in halls of residence for each year of study, for 52 weeks of the year, and a dedicated contact in both the Student Services and Money Advice teams – particularly important in securing student finance and academic bursaries. The Student Services team will continue to develop this package to ensure that comprehensive support is provided to help estranged students succeed in their studies. 

“At the University of Gloucestershire we recognise that the transition into higher education is an enormous step for all the new students but this is particularly true in the case of estranged students who may not have supportive networks beyond the institution. We look forward to working with Stand Alone, external partners and other institutions in developing our provision to provide our students with the support and positive encouragement they need to be successful in their studies.” – Stephen Maston, Vice-Chancellor 

You can find out more about the Stand Alone Pledge, the University’s commitment to estranged students and other institutions who have made the pledge on the Stand Alone website. ​
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