The University treats all its students, regardless of age on entry, as independent, mature individuals. However, under 18s living in England are considered by law to be children, which means the University has additional responsibilities towards students it admits who are under the age of 18 prior to the start of their course until the date at which they turn 18, even if this period is brief (once the student reaches the age of 18 this policy will no longer apply. At this point the student will become liable and responsible with regard to all matters). Applicants who are under 18 should be aware that they are applying to study in an adult environment and there may be a small number of limitations for them at the University while they are under 18.
Policy for the admission of students under the age of 18
This page offers information for prospective, new and existing students who are under the age of 18.
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Parent: lawful mother or father of a person (can include an adoptive parent)
Guardian: a person who is legally responsible for the care of someone who is unable to legally manage their own affairs, especially a child or young person under 18.
UK Guardian: a nominated guardian based in the UK who is prepared to take on the role of guardian for a student aged under 18.
The University is not able to take on the usual rights, responsibilities and authority which parents or guardians have in relation to a child, and it will not act in loco parentis (assuming parental responsibility) in relation to students who are under the age of 18.
If you are going to be under the age of 18 when you start your studies, and on a full-time course, you will be required to provide parental consent and to prove that you have guardianship in the UK.
Once you have confirmed that you will be studying at Lancaster University you and your parent(s)/guardian(s) must complete the consent forms below and confirm that you have the required level of maturity to study in an adult environment. Both forms will need to be completed before you can enrol at the University.
- Students should complete the Under 18 student consent form.
- Parent(s) or guardian(s) should complete the Parent/Guardian Under 18 consent form.
The policy covering the University’s obligations is outlined below. This policy should be read in conjunction with the Lancaster University's Safeguarding policies.
No applicant under the age of 18 will be eligible to be registered by the University until the Consent Forms have been submitted and processed.
UK guardian
People under the age of 18 are classified as children under UK law. This means that their parents or legal guardians must make decisions on their behalf and hold legal responsibility for their protection and safety while their child is in the UK. The University must therefore be able to contact a UK-based parent or guardian who can act on a student’s behalf while they are aged under 18.
To demonstrate guardianship in the UK you must have a parent who resides in the UK. If your parent does not reside in the UK they must appoint a UK Guardian who will be the liaison point between the University and the parents if an emergency situation arises or there are serious concerns for the health or wellbeing of the person under 18.
The nominated UK Guardian must:
- reside in the UK
- be over the age of 18
- be able to speak English
- be contactable in an emergency and may be expected to attend the University or other location where this is necessary
- have a UK postal address and telephone number
- not be a registered student or member of staff at Lancaster University (unless they are a sibling or parent)
- be available for contact throughout the period that you are under 18
- be able to arrange for alternative accommodation at short notice should the University be closed due to an emergency or in the unlikely event that you are suspended from the University due to breaches in regulations etc.
- take responsibility for any travel activities that you arrange while in the UK.
If you do not know anybody who can act as a UK Guardian, the service can be hired from a Guardianship Agency. Lancaster University recommends Study Links as their preferred partner for Guardianship services. They provide a range of guardianship roles and can make arrangements for travel etc. where this is requested by the parents/legal guardians.
There are other guardianship agencies available. If you wish to find your own agency you should look on the AEGIS website which provides a list. Please ensure that the agency you agree to work with has experience of supervising University students as many agencies are aimed at children staying at boarding schools which is very different.
You must provide proof of your contract with the Guardianship Agency by emailing a copy of the contract to the email below.
The University will contact named UK guardians to confirm they have agreed to act as guardian to the applicant. Your consent form will not be approved, and you will not be able to register, until your nominated UK guardian has confirmed that they are happy to act as guardian on your behalf.
Your parent, not your UK guardian, will remain as your legal guardian until you are 18.
For international applicants needing a visa to study in the UK, the University must comply with regulations set by the UK Visas and Immigration service of the UK’s Home Office. As such, parents or guardians must ensure suitable care arrangements are in place for a child under the age of 18 who will study in the UK and be sponsored by the University under its Student license. The consent forms must be returned to the University prior to the issuing of a Certificate of Acceptance of Study (CAS).
The following guidance seeks to ensure that the respective responsibilities of the University and parent or guardian in relation to the applicant are clear. By submitting the University Consent Forms, it is deemed by the University that the student and the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) have given their consent to the following:
Student responsibilities
As a student at Lancaster University who is under the age of 18 you will be expected to:
- engage regularly with your department, college and the University;
- communicate with staff if problems arise;
- update your address if you move location;
- attend the Intro Meeting at the start of the academic year;
- contact your UK parent/UK Guardian if you have missed lectures/tutorials for more than half a day due to illness;
- be able to live independently in an adult environment (e.g. manage your own finances, domestic arrangements, physical and emotional wellbeing).
Parent/UK guardian responsibilities
As a UK-based parent or UK Guardian you will be expected to:
- provide ongoing support to the student;
- contact the student at least once a week;
- be the named contact in case of a medical emergency;
- contact the University with any other concerns about the student;
- contact the University if you have concerns following the student being ill and missing lectures/tutorials.
The University is not able to take on the usual rights, responsibilities and authority which parents or guardians have in relation to a child, and it will not act in loco parentis (assuming parental responsibility) in relation to students who are under the age of 18.
Contracts
As a student who is under the age of 18 cannot enter into our legal contracts, the University requires a student’s parents/guardians to honour all obligations under any contracts that the student enters into with the University prior to his or her eighteenth birthday (e.g. payment of tuition and accommodation fees due to the University).
Student Accommodation
Parents and guardians should recognise that residential accommodation offered by the University is generally intended for the use of adults.
Academic course content
As part of the admission process, the relevant departmental Admissions Tutor will be consulted to ensure that they and the Head of Department are satisfied that the content of any academic programme would be appropriate for students under the age of 18. This includes field trips and placements, where these activities would occur at a time when the student would be under 18 years old.
For some programmes it is a requirement of the relevant professional body that students are aged 18 or above when they enrol.
Parents and guardians should be aware that teaching staff will not routinely be DBS checked.
Field trips
Courses may involve compulsory or optional field trips, excursions or other periods of study away from the University campus. The University is not able to take any additional responsibility for a student who is under the age of 18 in relation to such activities. Unless indicated otherwise, by submitting the consent forms the parent or guardian gives consent for the student to take part in these activities on that basis. Risk assessments are carried out before all field trips and provision is made for inclusion of under 18s where possible. Participation in some activities may be limited.
Sale of alcohol and other restricted goods and services
It is illegal for alcohol and other restricted goods or services to be sold to, or bought by, students who are under the age of 18.
Relationships with staff
Under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2003, it is a criminal offence for any person in a position of trust (which includes members of University staff) to engage in sexual activity with someone who is under 18 years old.
Parental involvement
The University’s policy is that it deals with students and not with parents or guardians. This approach will apply equally to students who are under the age of 18. The University will therefore correspond with students, and not with parents or guardians, unless the University receives express written permission from the student or there is a medical, criminal or similar emergency.
Provision of IT services
The University offers email and unregulated internet services for all its students. These services are provided on an unsupervised basis. Students are expected to act in an adult and responsible manner when using these facilities and are required to abide by the University’s Computer User Agreement.
Data protection
Although those under 18 are regarded as children under the law, they still have the right under the Data Protection Act for information about them not to be disclosed without their consent. This means that the University is not able to give information to parents regarding the student's progress, results or most other personal circumstance. However, if the student fails to pay any sums agreed on contract (see Contracts above) then it may be necessary to disclose this to any guarantor and possibly to a debt collection agency.
Notification
The relevant academic department, professional services and college personnel will be notified, prior to registration, of any student who will be under the age of 18 on entry to the University. Teaching and other staff will not routinely be made aware of a student’s age. A departmental risk assessment will be undertaken to ensure that appropriate safeguarding is in place for the individual student on their course.
- Students should complete the Under 18 student consent form.
- Parent(s) or guardian(s) should complete the Parent/guardian under 18 consent form.
Wellbeing and settling in
As a student at Lancaster University you will belong to one of our nine colleges. Your college is the first place to go for any support. There are staff on duty around the clock, ready to help, whether it's a friendly word of advice, or something more pressing. You can find out more about the colleges here: Our colleges | Lancaster University
The University also offers several mentoring support schemes to link you with other more experienced students who can provide help, support and advice.
Students' Union
Lancaster University Students' Union represents and provides for all students at Lancaster University. With over 200 clubs and societies to choose from you can learn a new skill, such as ballroom dancing, or find out more about particular subject areas, eg The History Society. More information can be found on the Lancaster University Students Union webpages and it is possible to join online if you are interested.
However, please be aware that some of the events and activities are age-restricted, and students need to prove that they are 18+ to attend. This particularly relates to club nights and events such as 18+ films.
Students who turn 18 within the period of residence are eligible for our accommodation, students younger than this are not eligible. There are welfare, safeguarding, and health & safety implications for having younger students in our accommodation, therefore this policy helps to minimise and manage risk to all students in the accommodation. Further to this, there are legal implications regarding the way in which our rooms are contracted to students which are not appropriate for students under 17.
For students who are under 18 at the point of entry, we are unable to issue your CAS until we have confirmation of your UK guardian details and have heard back from them. UK Guardians will be contacted from the email address: under18@lancaster.ac.uk, we encourage students to help this process by asking them to remind guardians to look out for this email address in their inbox or junk file. After the 31 August 2023, we cannot guarantee that a student’s CAS will be confirmed in time for the start of term if we have not heard back from their UK Guardian.
Contact us
If you have any queries about any of the information in this area, please email under18@lancaster.ac.uk and we will get back to you as soon as possible.