For more information see here: https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

Please include further information below

You're classed as an independent student if: - you're 25 or older - you have a child - you have no living parents - you are or have been married or in a civil partnership - you've supported yourself for three years - you're estranged from your parents Further info here: https://www.ucas.com/money-and-student-life/money/student-finance/student-finance-england/finance-independent-students

In relation to student finance, a care leaver is defined as a young person who meets all of the below criteria: - They have been in the care of, or have been given accommodation by, their local authority - Their time in care lasted at least 13 weeks - Their time in care ended after they turned 16 - They have not returned to the care of their parent(s) prior to the first day of the first academic year of their course. Further info here: https://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/care-leavers

All students who qualify by having one of the following legal statuses: - Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILD) holders - Humanitarian Protection holders - Refugees, i.e. those granted official ‘refugee’ status and the related leave to remain as evident from a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) confirmatory letter

This enables us to verify your household income and therefore make this process quicker. Before making awards, we will need to verify household income, if you cannot do this through a student finance portal we will be in touch to confirm the required documentation to enable us to assess your application.