Introduction
At Bangor we appreciate that students arrive here to study from all walks of life and that not all students arrive here straight from school after completing A-level studies.
We understand that you may have other commitments and responsibilities and appreciate that you may have had more life experience and that your path to higher education may have been very different.
We hope that this website will provide you with information about accommodation, information about childcare and local schools to additional financial support for students with:
- Students with Children
- Students with Adult Dependants
- Mature Students
- Student Pregnancy and Maternity Policy
Further information, advice and guidance
Student Services
Our reception is open Monday - Friday throughout the year from 09:00 to 17:00.
You can contact us by:
Tel: 01248 38 2024
Email: studentservices@bangor.ac.uk
Website: www.bangor.ac.uk/studentservices/index.php.en
We welcome your feedback
We would welcome your feedback about the service received to enable us to develop and provide the best possible service now and in the future.
Please contact one of the following with your comments:
| Name | Position |
| Gian Fazey-Koven | Head of Student Support & Wellbeing |
| Marcel Clusa | Student Support Manager |
School Provision
If you are relocating to Bangor with your family, you may well need information about local schools and childcare. In Gwynedd, children are allowed to start primary school on a part-time basis in the September following their 3rd birthday. Full-time attendance in primary school will start in September following their 4th birthday.
Gwynedd
There are 106 primary schools, 14 secondary schools and 3 special schools in Gwynedd. Please click here for information about primary and secondary schools in the Bangor area.
Anglesey
There are 40 primary schools, 5 secondary schools and one special school in Anglesey. Please click here for information about primary and secondary schools on Anglesey.
Conwy
For more information about school admissions in Conwy County please click here.
Wrexham
For information about school admissions in the Wrexham area please click here.
The Gwynedd Information Service for Children, Young People and Families has a website including all sorts of useful information about:
- Things to do in your area - clubs, events
- Healthy living
- Careers and volunteering
- Childcare in your area. What are your options?
- Children's organisations and helplines
Childcare Provision in Gwynedd (including Bangor)
Childcare Offer for Wales
The Childcare Offer for Wales provides up to 30 hours of government-funded early education and childcare for three and four-year-olds for 48 weeks of the year. This builds on the existing universal commitment to early education, which provides three and four-year-olds with a minimum of 10 hours per week of provision – usually starting from the term after their third birthday.
Learn more about the Childcare Offer Wales
Gwynedd-Ni is an Information Service. You can contact for:
- list of childcare, e.g. Chilminders, Nurseries, After School Clubs, Cylchoedd Meithin
- Information about local services e.g. GISDA, CAB, Barnados, Health
- support to set up new childcare provison e.g. registering to be a Childminder
- activies for children and for the family e.g. what's on during the school holiday and family fun days
- clubs e.g. football, swimming, music, arts, hockey, dance
- helplines
- services for children with additional needs
For further information contact Gwynedd-NI:
Telephone: 01286 675570
Text: 07920 083909
Email: Gwynedd-ni@gwynedd.gov.uk
Website: www.gwynedd-ni-org.uk
Childcare facilities in Anglesey
Similar to Ty-Ni for family and childcare information on Anglesey.
For more information, you can access their website by clicking here or you can contact by telephone in person or by email:
Teulu Môn
Isle of Anglesey County Council
Council Offices
Llangefni,
Anglesey
LL77 7TW
Tel: 01248 725888
Email: teulumon@anglesey.gov.uk
Childcare Provision in Conwy
Similar to Ty-Ni for family and childcare information in Conwy.
For more information click here to go direct to their website.
Contact details:
Conwy County Borough Council
PO Box 1
Conwy
LL30 9GN
Telephone: 01492 577850
E-mail us on: plant.children@conwy.gov.uk
Website: www.conwy.gov.uk/children
Childcare Provision in Wrexham
Contact details:
Contact Wrexham
16 Lord Street
Wrexham. LL11 1LG
Telephone: 01978 292094
Email us on: fis@wrexham.gov.uk
Financial Support
Bursaries for Relocating Families
The cost of relocating to study with a family may be more expensive with students experiencing, removal, higher rental costs, childcare costs etc. To assist lower income families Bangor University have introduced a £1,000 bursary to help students with their relocation costs.
This bursary is payable in the first academic year only and awarded to students with a taxable household income of £25,000 or less.
To apply student should contact the Money Support Unit to discuss their situation and for an application form.
Student Finance
Financial support for Students with children or adult dependents
How much additional financial support you will be entitled to will be determined by your student finance organisation and your partner's taxable income.
Students from Wales – click here for more details
Students from England – click here for more details
Additional financial support for students with dependent children
Childcare Grant
Full-time students with dependent children in registered and approved childcare can apply for a Childcare Grant.
- The amount of Childcare Grant payable will be based in 85% of actual childcare costs, subject to a maximum grant
- You cannot get this grant if you or your spouse or partner receives the childcare element of the Working Tax Credit from HM Revenue and Customs.
- You can decide which one you want to have if you’re eligible for both
- You can receive a Childcare Grant during term times and university holidays.
- The Department for Works and Pensions and Housing Benefit departments will disregard the amount Childcare Grant awarded when they work out your benefit entitlement.
- How much help you get will depend on your circumstances and household income
- This grant is usually paid in three instalments, one at the start of each term at the same time as your maintenance loan and other grants.
- Student Finance Wales will ask you to confirm your actual childcare costs EVERY term.
IF YOU DO NOT PROVIDE THIS CONFIRMATION, YOU MAY NOT RECEIVE YOUR NEXT INSTALMENT
Parents’ Learning Allowance
This non-repayable allowance awarded to help students with dependent children.
- How much you get depends on your taxable household income
- The Department for Works and Pension and Housing Benefit departments will disregard the amount you have been awarded when they work out your benefit entitlement.
- This grant is usually paid in three instalments, one at the start of each term at the same time as your maintenance loan and other grants
Financial Support for students with an Adult Dependant
If you are full time undergraduate and have a partner or another adult, usually a member of your family, who depends on you financially, you may be eligible to a apply for the Adult Dependant Grant. How much you get depends on your income and that of your adult dependants.
How is it paid?
The Student Loans Company will usually pay it in three instalments
Further information, advice and guidance about financial support
Money Support Unit
For further information on eligibility, please contact the Money Support Unit in Student Services.
Mature Students
Please click here for more information https://www.bangor.ac.uk/studentservices/mature-students/index.php.en Mature Students
Students from Wales- 2024/25
Students with children or adult dependents
Special Support Grant
The Special Support Grant is available for students who may be eligible to receive means-tested benefits such as Income Support / Universal Credit and Housing Benefit. These students include those who:
- lone parents
- have dependent children and their partner is also a full-time student
- are eligible for certain specified disability benefits
- The Special Support Grant is paid instead of the Welsh Government Learning Grant.
Special Support Grant and Maintenance Loan Entitlement Table
| Taxable Household Income | Special Support Grant - Elsewhere | Maintenance Loan - Elsewhere | Total Grant & Loan – living away from home (elsewhere) | Special Support Grant - Parental home | Maintenance Loan – Parental Home | Total Grant & Loan – living at home with your parents |
| £18,370 or less | £8,100 | £5,575 | £13,675 | £6,885 | £4,655 | £11,540 |
| £25,000 | £6,947 | £5,575 | £12,522 | £5,930 | £4,655 | £10,585 |
| £35,000 | £5,208 | £6,942 | £12,150 | £4,488 | £5,827 | £10,315 |
| £45,000 | £3,469 | £8,681 | £12,150 | £3,047 | £7,268 | £10,315 |
| £59,200 or above | £1,000 | £11,150 | £12,150 | £1,000 | £9,315 | £10,315 |
£5,161 of the Special Support Grant will be disregarded for means-tested benefit purposes.
For more information on who is eligible for the Special Support Grant contact the www.studentfinancewales.co.uk or the Money Support Unit
Students from England- 24/25
Students with children or adult dependents
Additional Financial Support – Special Support Loan Element
The Special Support Loan Element is available for students who may be eligible to receive means-tested benefits such as Job Seeker Allowance / Income Support / Universal Credit and Housing Benefit. These students include those who:
- lone parents
- have dependent children and their partner is also a full-time student
- are eligible for certain specified disability benefits
Special Support Loan Element and Maintenance Loan Entitlement Table
| Taxable Household Income | Special Support Loan Element- Elsewhere | Maintenance Loan- Elsewhere | Total Loan entitlement – Elsewhere |
| £25,000 or under | £4,221 | £7,331 | £11,658 |
| £30,000 | £3,196 | £7,331 | £10,527 |
| £35,000 | £2,065 | £7,331 | £9,396 |
| £40,000 | £934 | £7,331 | £8,265 |
| £44,810 | £0.00 | £7,331 | £7,331 |
| £45,000 | £0.00 | £7,126 | £7,304 |
| £50,000 | £0.00 | £6,413 | £6,573 |
| £62,349 or above | £0.00 | £4,651 | £4,767 |
A specific amount of the Special Support Loan will be disregarded for means tested benefit purposes
For more information on who is eligible for the Special Support Loan visit www.gov.uk/apply-for-student-finance or contact the Money Support Unit
Further information, advice and guidance about financial support contact the Money Support Unit.
Email moneysupport@bangor.ac.uk
Tel : 01248 38 3566 / 3637
Welfare Benefits
In General, most full-time undergraduate students are unable to claim means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance and Housing Benefit etc for the duration of their course, including vacations. But there are exceptions. Exceptions include:
• Lone parents: If you are a lone parent of a child under 5
• Students with disabilities (If you qualify for a disability premium or severe disability premium, if you have been incapable of work for 28 weeks or if you get DSA because of deafness)
• Couples who are both full-time students with dependent children
• Students of pension age
If you are eligible under one of these qualifying categories you may be able to claim Child Tax Credits, Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit or Universal Credit, although entitlement may change during the academic year.
If you are eligible for means tested benefits under one of the qualifying categories above and you are an undergraduate student, make sure you apply for and receive the Special Support Grant/Loan and not the Welsh Government Learning Grant from your student finance organisation.
Student Finance and Welfare Benefits
• Please note that if you are eligible for means-tested benefits, the Benefit Agencies will take account any student finance you receive.
• If you are eligible for a Maintenance Loan or the Welsh Government Learning Grant, the Benefit Agencies will take account of the money available to you whether or not you take it out.
• This also applies if your partner is eligible for benefits.
• However, your Tuition Fee Loan, a proportion of any Special Support Grant/Loan, Childcare Grant and the Parental Learning Allowance, will be disregarded by the Benefit Agencies when the calculate your entitlement.
Before your start your studies
• If you are claiming means-tested benefit before you start your course, you must inform the office that pays your benefit that you are a student and declare your student income.
• Failing to do so could mean that you will be overpaid benefits, which they will recover from you during your time at university. Living on a student income is difficult enough without having to repay benefit overpayments.
• For further information regarding benefit entitlements, contact the office who pays your benefit.
Council Tax
There is no Council Tax liability for all full time students since April 2004.
• In order to be exempt from paying Council Tax, you will need to send a copy of your attendance certificate to the council. You can get your attendance certificate via your MyBangor account or from the Student Admin Team.
Family Accommodation
The University doesn't currently have any of its own family accommodation, so you will need to look in the private sector if you are intending to move to Bangor with your family. The Student Housing Office has a web page advertising available properties, which is updated daily, please visit www.bangorstudentpad.co.uk to search our Studentpad database - you can choose “Me and My Family” from the “Who’s Looking” menu on the home page.
You can also access Housing Advice and Useful Links via the website, which includes lots of helpful information.
It is difficult to find family accommodation in Bangor, so you may need to also contact the local letting agencies and/or consider looking at accommodation outside of Bangor. May we suggest that you come to Bangor on your own in the first instance if possible, and send for your family to join you once you have found suitable accommodation for them.
Please contact us for a list of Bed & Breakfast accommodation / Hotels which you may find useful. For a map of the area, visit www.bangor.ac.uk/tour/documents/map.pdf
For advice and guidance on a range of welfare related matters to all international students and their families, visit: www.bangor.ac.uk/international/support/ and www.bangor.ac.uk/international/support/families
If you require any further information or assistance regarding family accommodation, please email studenthousing@bangor.ac.uk
One Off Vacancies
Bangor University expects students to have suitable childcare arrangements in place at times when they are expected to be in university for scheduled teaching activities. However, we know that sometime there are unforeseen circumstances, and are now piloting a one-off vacancies scheme.
Where staffing ratios allows, childcare may be available for children of Bangor University students, on an emergency basis. Please note spaces are extremely limited and cannot be guaranteed. This provision will only be available if there is a vacancy in the nursery, which may not be every day.
The provision is for one off, emergencies only and is not to replace regular childcare arrangements. An example of a one off emergency may be when another parent or guardian usually looks after your child in the day, however, is unable to, due to illness and you have a practical to attend.
Childcare cannot be given to children who are ill or seem unwell. If your child is sick, please do not ask for a space, as you will be turned away.