Future Leaders: empowering underrepresented students to thrive

Future Leaders is more than a support initiative - it’s a movement for equity, empowerment, and leadership. Students join to:

• Build confidence, networks, and a strong sense of identity
• Gain essential academic and leadership skills
• Access tailored employability support and real-world opportunities
• Milestone-based recognition and awards
• Be part of a transformative community experience.

Your university, your community

Connect. Belong. Thrive. This theme will help you strengthen your sense of belonging. Events such as Mature Learners’ Café and meet ups for care leavers and estranged students offer inclusive, welcoming spaces.

Your skills, your support

Grow your skills. Own your journey. Focused on academic literacy and wellbeing, this theme introduces essential learning strategies and support resources.

Your career, your journey

Think big. Start now. You will plan for the future through career fairs, mentorship, and self-reflection to shape your journey after university.

Your voice, your future

Speak up. Lead forward. This theme empowers you to become changemakers - participating in leadership roles and shaping university life.

You are eligible for Future Leaders if you meet one of the following:

• You received free school meals during secondary school or a 16-19 bursary at college
• You care for a relative with a disability, illness, mental health condition or addiction
• You have disclosed a disability or long-term health condition
• You have experience of living in public care as a looked-after-child, including if you were adopted
• Are estranged from your parents (i.e.you are not in contact with and supported by your parents)
• You are a refugee within definite leave to remain in the UK or an asylum seeker
• Students who are from a black or Asian heritage
• You are from a Gypsy, Roma, Irish Traveller, Showman or Boater community
• You are a mature or adult learner who will be aged 21 years or over when commencing your studies
• You have a parent/carer who has served in the UK Armed Forces or as a Reservist
• You live in an IMD Q1 or Q2 postcode*
• You live in a POLAR4 Q1 or Q2 postcode**

*Indices of Multiple Deprivation are commonly used datasets within the UK to classify the relative deprivation within smaller areas. We will check your postcode against these datasets to determine your eligibility. However, if you wish to check your own postcode prior to applying for Future Leaders, you can use our own postcode lookup tool.

**POLAR4 classifies the progression rate of young people in higher education within local areas across the UK. We will check your postcode using the Office for Students postcode data to determine your eligibility. However, if you wish to check your own postcode prior to applying for Future Leaders, you can use our own postcode lookup tool.