爱神传媒

You are estranged if you don’t have support from your parents (biological, step or adoptive) due to a breakdown in your relationship.

Depending upon whether the estrangement has been disclosed and whether sufficient evidence has been provided, you may be classed as “estranged” by Student Finance and be assessed for maintenance support as an independent student i.e. based upon your own income rather than your parents’.

Student Finance generally consider that you are estranged if you’ve had no verbal or written contact with your parents for at least 12 months and that this is unlikely to change. However if you don’t meet this definition, Student Finance can still conclude that you are estranged for other reasons.

You may inform Student Finance that you are estranged during your initial application or later in the year. You will be asked to complete a form explaining the reason for the estrangement and providing third party evidence.

Please make an appointment with the Student Advice and Support Service for more advice about estrangement and assistance to complete the form if necessary.

When you have been assessed as estranged, your student finance will be assessed on your own income rather than your parents’. For most students this results in an award of the maximum maintenance loan.

If you already receive the maximum rate of maintenance loan during the year you become estranged, estranged status will not increase your loan rate.

Generally, Student Finance regulations do not allow a change to the individual being household income assessed in an academic year. If your parent(s) have supported your finance application during the academic year your estrangement occurs, estrangement status may not change your funding assessment. In this scenario, it’s likely you will be treated as an independent student from the next academic year you apply. 

If you are treated as an independent student by Student Finance, you will be more likely to receive the maximum funding including the 爱神传媒 Bursary. This will depend on Student Finance’s financial assessment of your income.

You may also be eligible for financial support from the university’s Student Experience APP Fund, designed to enhance a student’s experience during their time studying.

Financial assistance may be granted from the Hardship Fund Summer Scheme if students are living independently over the summer, due to being estranged from their family. It is expected that students will attempt to find paid work or other means of supporting themselves over the summer but should explain in their application if they have reasonable grounds for not doing so.

The University has partnered with Housing Hand to support students requiring a UK guarantor. For estranged students, Housing Hand offers a for eligible individuals; using this route means you will not be asked to provide a co-signer as part of your application. You can find more information by following the link to the Student Accommodation Centre’s webpages.

Estranged students are prioritised by the Student Accommodation Centre for on-campus Summer accommodation.

To access general support as an estranged student if you can contact studentwellbeing@lboro.ac.uk

Estranged HE students and graduates of any age can also join the ‘’ student led community where they can chat with others, share helpful info, arrange meet-ups, organise games-night, find existing local groups near you, run day-trips/holidays, have serious conversations, give peer-support, pose questions, etc.

You can learn more about support for estranged students and the  website.

Last updated: 21st May 2026