National Care Leavers Week: Gerard's story

Care leavers may need extra support when accessing university and during their time studying. Leeds offers a wide range of help, from bursaries to bedding.

This week is National Care Leavers Week and is an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the successes of care leavers from across the UK, and to inspire them to achieve their full potential.

Access to Leeds works with students who want to study an undergraduate degree but whose background means they are statistically less likely to attend university.

Students benefit from a reduced offer and the chance to build familiarity with what’s expected at university through contact with academic tutors and students before they arrive.

On arrival at the university, students who have been in public care can benefit from free kitchen and bedding packs and the offer of help with travel costs, such as van hire or couriers, to move belongings to campus.

Students can also access guaranteed 365-day accommodation, acknowledging that for many students the University will be their home for the duration of their studies.

Gerard Murphy - a final-year Biology student - lived in care in his teens and now helps other people to access the University. He tells his inspiring story as part of National Care Leavers Week. 

"It has been a truly humbling experience to help those from a similar background as me aspire to study at university," he says.

You can read his story on the University's Medium account.