Educational guardians for university students in the UK – under 18 or older
We are delighted to offer educational university guardianship support to international students at UK universities, whether or not they are under 18. Students starting out at university often need educational or pastoral support, and our experts are happy to offer bespoke support packages tailored to the needs of your young adult.
Overseas students make up about one quarter of students currently studying at UK universities*. Some of these students may have studied at UK schools, but even for these students, the transition between daily life at boarding school and the relative freedom of university study can prove challenging. Wherever you are from, and whether you are over 18 or still a minor, Oxford Guardians is pleased to offer a full range of educational guardianship support.
University Guardianship for under-18s
International students studying at UK universities are considered to be minors under UK law. So, most UK universities and colleges require that students whose families live overseas have an appointed guardian living in the UK to act on their behalf until the child turns 18.
Typically, during this time an educational guardian can:
- Act as a local point of contact for the university, the student and their family
- Provide emergency support and assistance
- Communicate as necessary with university staff and parents
- Manage any consent requirements
- Provide support during the student’s transition to university life
- Help with arranging travel and accommodation, if needed
Bespoke packages for under-18s at university
Teenagers can be very different in their approach to life, their resilience and consistency. They may appear capable and confident, but occasionally need the extra support of someone local to whom they can turn for advice. Or they may benefit from more regular contact with a trusted adult outside the university environment.
Oxford Guardians provides flexible guardianship options to suit the needs of your young adult. We offer two levels of university guardianship: one for university students needing greater support (including a termly visit); the other for more independent university students. Plus, we are always happy to arrange a bespoke package to ensure that your young adult has access to all the support they need.
University Guardianship for over-18s
Do over-18s require an educational guardian?
Once they turn 18, students in the UK are considered adults, so responsible for their own health, welfare and education. However, even local students can find the transition to university challenging, with the risk that they fail to achieve their best or even drop out of the course.
Why might over-18s at university in the UK need support?
Universities generally have a much larger student population than schools, which can make it easy to feel lost. Pastoral care and supervision are minimal compared to UK boarding schools, whilst the obligation to attend lectures and do work falls squarely upon the student’s shoulders, with little external control. All of this makes becoming a student at a UK university daunting even for UK nationals, so it is no surprise that some international students may welcome some support.
How Oxford Guardians helps over-18 students at UK universities
We are often asked to provide educational guardianship packages for adult international students in the UK, to give students the best chance of success even if they are over 18. If you or your student would find it helpful to have support during this transition period, or for the duration of their study at a UK university, we are happy to help. There are many ways in which Oxford Guardians can help students who are over the age of 18 to grow in confidence and achieve better outcomes from UK universities:
Educational support: help with aspects such as managing deadlines, essay structure, revision guidance and CV writing.
Transitional support: help with becoming independent. Planning and managing a timetable can be an issue for students used to the routine and structure of a UK boarding school. The freedom of a university education can be tempting, or overwhelming.
Support for special needs: students over 18 with additional needs can find it hard to access the support they need. Our educational guardians are expert in spotting and helping to solve issues which might otherwise impede a good university experience.
Emotional support: growing older doesn’t automatically give students over 18 the emotional capacity to cope with living independently. We offer pastoral as well as academic support, and can reassure parents and their university students by providing help and guidance when needed.
Caring support throughout the academic year
Our educational guardians are experienced and trusted to support young adults throughout the academic year. They are on hand all day, every day to give help and guidance to international students at UK universities, backed up by round-the-clock support from an expert guardianship team.
We can arrange the right educational guardianship package for every student at a UK university. Whatever you need, just get in touch and we will devise a bespoke guardianship service that works for you.
Contact us to find out more about university guardianship today.
* In 2022/23 there were 758,855 overseas students studying at UK universities, 95,505 of whom were from the EU and 663,355 from outside the EU. The total was the tenth record high in a row and 26% of the total student population.
