UCAS Fee Waiver Supports Fair Ways’ Mission to Open Doors to Education

We are delighted to share some important news from UCAS that will make it easier for care-experienced young people to access higher and further education. From the 2027 application cycle onwards, UCAS will extend its application fee waiver to include care leavers up to age 26, removing a financial barrier that many face when applying to university or college.

This change builds on the success of the existing fee waiver for students who have received free school meals, which supported more than 40,000 applicants last year. By expanding the scheme to care leavers, UCAS aims to support more young people transitioning from care to take the next step in their education, ensuring that cost does not prevent them from applying.

Care leavers often experience additional barriers when planning their futures, including a lack of family support and financial resources.

UCAS Chief Executive Dr Jo Saxton said,

“Young people often face unique challenges when transitioning out of care. I firmly believe the decision to go to university or college should be within reach for everyone who can benefit from it.”

At Fair Ways, we wholeheartedly welcome this extension. Providing stability, opportunity and aspiration for the children we support is at the heart of what we do. Many of the young people in our care have the talent and ambition to continue into higher education, but the cost and complexity of applying can be a real hurdle. Making the application process more accessible aligns with our mission to help every young person we work with to reach their potential.

This development is more than just a financial saving; it’s a confidence boost for care leavers who might not have considered applying before. It shows that national bodies like UCAS are recognising the unique challenges care-experienced young people face and are actively working to remove barriers to opportunity.

Fair Ways will continue to support care-experienced young people and we look forward to seeing the positive impact this change has on future cohorts.

To find out more about how Fair Ways supports care-experienced young people through education, transition and beyond, explore our Staying Close service and the wider work we do to help young people thrive.