The Unite Foundation is an independent charity in the UK that runs a nationwide accommodation scholarship scheme, supporting estranged and care experienced students with a free home at university. The scholarship takes care of studentsâ accommodation and bills for up to 3 years at university.
The Unite Foundation also supports All of Us, the community for all estranged and care experienced students in Higher Education across the UK. They provide funding and dedicated team members who work hand in hand with the community to help everyone become better connected on and offline.
<blockquote>Universities talk about widening participation â but how many ensure every student has a home to go to, so they really can participate?
Rent guarantor requirements are a routine part of student housing, yet they exclude those without family support. ItâÂÂs time for the sector to take responsibility for removing this barrier.
Most students will need a rent guarantor to secure university halls or private housing.
Imagine how much harder that is if you canâÂÂt turn to family members for that support â often the case for young people that have experience of the care system or are estranged from their parents. - Kate Brown </blockquote>The charity's mission is to address barriers to Higher Education for students who are estranged from their family or who have been through the foster care system. They primarily focus on targeting housing inequalities faced by these students, especially due to the requirement for guarantors or upfront rent in private rental accommodation often faced by student renters in the UK.
The charity currently works with 31 university partners across England and Scotland. While maintaining its independence in terms of governance, the charity works closely with Unite Students, its accommodation partner and principal corporate donor. Unite Students have reportedly donated ã18.5 million to the Unite Foundation since 2012.
As of January 2026, the charity is chaired by Dr John Carter, former vice chancellor of Edge Hill University. The co-directors of the charity are Fiona Ellison and Kate Brown.
Students on the Unite Foundation scholarship can study at any of the following universities: Bath
Birmingham
Bournemouth
Bristol
University of the West of England (UWE)
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Leeds
Leicester
Liverpool
Liverpool John Moores University
London
Queen Mary University of London
London Metropolitan University
University College London (UCL)
Manchester
Manchester Metropolitan University
Portsmouth
Sheffield
The Unite Foundation publishes a report of its activities and impact annually. As of 2025, the charity claimed to have provided scholarships to 813 students since its inception 2012.
Notably, one of its previous scholarship recipients, Nyomi Rose, went on to become a trustee of the charity.<blockquote>The Unite Foundation holds a very special place in my heart, after being awarded the scholarship back in 2018 to pursue my dream of further education. Joining the board allows me to provide a real-life perspective of how the Unite Foundation can support as many estranged and care leavers as possible. - N. Rose</blockquote>