This National Care Leavers’ Month, The Fostering Network is urging all care-experienced young people to #TickTheBox on their UCAS forms, to let universities know they’ve spent time in care. And this year, we’re calling on teachers to help spread the word.
From 17–23 November, during Tick the Box Week, we’ll be raising awareness of the vital support available to care-experienced students who tick the box - including year-round accommodation and bursaries - to help them thrive at university.
Currently, young people with care experience are three and a half times less likely to progress to higher education than their peers. Together, we can change that - by making sure every care-experienced applicant knows the power of ticking the box.
We will be hosting a webinar on 18 November 11:00-13:00 featuring expert speakers from
The session will cover everything you need to know about ticking the box along with busting common misconception around ticking the box and all the different benefits it brings.
You can sign up for the event for free here.
Since 2008, care leavers have been able to declare they have care experience on UCAS application forms. This means their university admissions team can contact them before term starts to have a conversation about the support available to them.
In 2008, 4,496 people ticked the box - fast forward to 2024 and that number nearly doubled to 7,290. Over the course of those 16 years, since ticking the box was introduced, more than 90,000 applicants have disclosed their care experience.
This growing awareness has helped thousands of care experienced young people access university and receive the support they need to succeed.
While each university offers its own package of support, common support and benefits available to care experienced students includes:
People who have experience of care should be able to aim high and fulfil their potential, which might include going to college or university and ticking the box can help them achieve this.
Educators play a crucial role in supporting care-experienced students through the university application process. Research from UCAS shows that form tutors (49%), career advisors (35%) and subject teachers (35%) are the most likely to help care-experienced students apply to higher education. This is why we’re calling on them to share the significance of ticking the box with their care experienced students.
Find out more about Tick the Box and the support available to care experienced students here: The Fostering Network's website
UAT-UK, a joint venture between The University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, will be delivering a new non-subject specific admissions test, for 2026 entry and beyond.
This National Care Leavers’ Month, The Fostering Network is urging all care-experienced young people to #TickTheBox on their UCAS forms, to let universities know they’ve spent time in care. And this year, we’re calling on teachers to help spread the word.
It’s the beginning of the academic year again, and time to start thinking about UCAS applications! This blog will guide you through the process and provide some top tips on how to write an effective reference.
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Personal statements have changed for students applying to university for 2026 entry and beyond. So, what will this look like, and what can students do over their summer holiday to best prepare for writing their statement?
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This article examines research which highlights the emerging impact of the EPQ on progression to higher education (HE) and university success, with particularly promising findings for underrepresented and marginalised students.
The thought of an interview can be daunting for many students. The thought of multiple interviews can seem a lot worse.
University interviews can be daunting for students, especially when it’s their first time applying for a competitive course like Law.
As representatives of the University of Exeter, we were excited to present at the Neon conference on our partnership with The Elephant Group (TEG) to diversify our student body.
As educators and advisers, keeping up with the latest developments in the university application process is essential to effectively guide students.
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Daniyel, a Law student at King’s College London, shares how he chose his subjects and offers advice on qualifications and personal statements.
Orin, studied Law at the University of Oxford, shares how her GCSEs influenced her A-level choices and decision to attend university. She also offers advice on selecting qualifications.
Josh, a Computer Science student at the University of Newcastle, shares how he chose his A-levels, offers advice on university applications, and reflects on valuable lessons for future students.
Mayowa studies English Literature at King's College London. She shares her university application journey, her enjoyment of university life, and valuable advice for choosing a course and university.
Mayowa, studying English Literature at King's College London, discusses her GCSE and A-Level subject choices, offering advice for students on making informed decisions.
Sarah, a Biochemistry graduate from Birmingham, discusses how university aided her transition to employment and shares valuable insights for choosing the right career path.
Samra, a Medicine student at the University of Liverpool, shares how she chose her course, the value of her work experience, and advice on overcoming barriers. She also offers tips for applying to study medicine.
Jackson, a Theatre and Performance Studies student at the University of Bristol, shares his insights on choosing qualifications, the significance of enjoying your subjects, and how bursaries and scholarships influenced his university decision.
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Billie-Joe, studying Social Work and Geography at Queen's University Belfast, shares his university selection process, reasons for choosing Belfast, and helpful advice for others.
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Khima, a Law student at the University of Edinburgh, shares how he chose his A-Levels and how his dream job influenced those decisions.
Sophie, a law student at Sheffield, shares her experiences with GCSEs and offers valuable advice for selecting A-Level subjects based on her personal choices.
Saif, a graduate in Accounting and Finance from Manchester, discusses choosing a university and course, highlighting the benefits of access schemes in decision-making.
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Onome, a Chemical Engineering graduate from Imperial College London, discusses his summer school experience, course highlights, and what mattered when applying for jobs after his masters.
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Richard, an Economics and Finance student at the University of York, shares his university life experience, highlighting extracurricular activities and how they prepared him for future employment.
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Saif, a graduate in Accounting and Finance from Manchester, shares insights on making subject choices, emphasising how his GCSE experience influenced his A-Level decisions.
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This year, Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge established a joint venture to deliver two admissions tests.
This article will discuss different barriers which LGBTQ+ students may face, and tools we can effectively use to dismantle these barriers.
We know students are using Chat GPT for their Personal Statements, right?
Within this blog, you will find an introduction to the new Advancing Access team, information on how Advancing Access can support you as well as upcoming opportunities to get involved in!
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Students are bound to feel the pressure when they receive offers and the choice is in their hands.
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How well is your school or college doing in terms of the proportion of students who progress to HE.
The reality of working in education is that resources are limited and must be targeted.
Are you supporting students who may be interested in studying law in Scotland?
The study of humans, especially in an ever changing world, has been an intriguing area for many years and has always been of immense value – now perhaps even more than ever before.
Super-curricular activities can include anything your students do outside of the curriculum related to the subject(s) they are interested in.
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It’s that time of year when we would normally be rolling out the well-practised routine of HE Fairs, UCAS Exhibitions and Open Days for students applying for university entry in 2021.
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‘Service children’ or children from ‘military families’ are the terms used to refer to children in schools or colleges with a parent or parents who currently serve in the armed forces or have served in the last six years.
The percentage of 16-17 year olds recorded in education and training within England, as at March 2019, was 93%.
As the January 15 UCAS deadline has passed and universities across the country are busy processing offers.
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As someone who has answered hundreds of phone calls in the past from students on A level results day.
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the Russell Group launched a new interactive website to host its Informed Choices guide.
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We hope that you find our free Advancing Access resources useful. As we are not the only provider of higher education advice and information, we thought that we would present you with a summary of some of the best other sources.
If ever there’s a situation where universities and schools are talking a different language when it comes to a given topic, we see part of our job as being the interpreter.
The first article in a blog is rarely the most interesting one – I dare say that this will be no exception…
