Newcastle University is committed to supporting estranged students throughout their academic life.
If you are an estranged student, we are here to support you emotionally and financially. We also want to raise awareness of estrangement amongst all students so you don't have to feel alone.
This year sees the return of the Estranged Students Solidarity Week for the fourth time. The campaign, led by Stand Alone, runs from 23rd until the 27th November and its aim is to raise awareness about students who may be estranged from their families and what can be done to support them.
Estranged Students Solidarity Week 2020 has ended, however the support we offer our estranged students still stands.
So, what is estrangement?
Estrangement is when an individual is no longer in contact with their family due to a number of reasons, such as abuse, a clash of beliefs, religion or values and parental rejection of their LGBTQI+ identity, among many others.
In the context of a University, an estranged student is someone who is studying without the emotional or financial support of a family network due to irreconcilable breakdown of contact.
You can find out more about estranged students by watching this short video from the BBC:
How can estrangement affect students?
Students who are estranged may feel isolated, given that their familial situation will differ from that of their friends. This feeling of isolation may be exacerbated during times where students traditionally go to their homes, such as over the Christmas break or during the summer.
In addition to the emotional stress of feeling isolated, estranged students may also experience financial stresses due to little or no family support.
What can you do to support estranged students?
There are a few ways in which you can support estranged students:
- Be aware of the fact that everyone is an individual and brings different experiences, resources and perspectives with them to university.
- If an estranged student decides to share their situation with you then be respectful of this and try not to ask questions that may make them feel uncomfortable. An estranged student may also wish to keep their situation private. This decision is an individual choice and should be respected.
- Become an ally - this is a form of solidarity where you understand that although you have not necessarily shared the same experience as someone else, you are able to understand that they face adversity and are willing to learn more about their struggles and offer support where you can.
Stand Alone and Newcastle University believe that estranged students deserve to be heard and understood. Your understanding and engagement will shine a light on the fact that not every student will have a family to fall back on and that some may not be able to spend Christmas at home.
You can find out more from the Stand Alone Team about their activities here. Or you can follow #WithEstrangedStudents on social media.
What support is available from the University?
Newcastle University is committed to supporting estranged students throughout their academic life.
Emotional Wellbeing Support
If you or someone that you know is an estranged student and requires emotional wellbeing support, please contact us on 0191 208 3333 or go to our Mental Wellbeing pages for further information about what support we can offer.
If you think you are in need of urgent support please click here for further information.
You can also call the above number (9am to 5pm Mon-Fri) or email our Wellbeing Consultancy team at wellbeingconsultancy@newcastle.ac.uk
Financial Support
If you have any questions or need help applying to Student Finance as an estranged student please contact our Student Finance Advisers by emailing student.fin-supp@ncl.ac.uk
The advisers can also help you to plan your finances, working with you to draw up a tailored budget based on your circumstances.
You may also be eligible to apply for discretionary funding made available by the University which would be paid in addition to the money you receive from Student Finance. For more information about this visit our Financial Support web pages.
