University & College support for student parents

University Support for Student Parents

The University offers financial support to help eligible student families with their OFSTED-registered childcare costs

- the Childcare Support Fund 

Accommodation

Some colleges provide family accommodation for students with families. To research your options please go to www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/colleges/key-facts-and-figures and click on individual college links.

If your college cannot provide appropriate accommodation, the University's Accommodation Service could help you find somewhere to live.

College Support for Student Parents 

Your college is here to provide assistance to you while you are studying at the University.  As a student parent you have a unique set of needs which your college will aim to support.  We have highlighted some of those areas: college nurseries, family accommodation, financial support and designated college childcare contacts.

College Nurseries

The Mrs Cameron Day Nursery (Gonville and Caius College)

Gonville and Caius has a nursery based near Harvey Court, Sidgwick Avenue site, with up to 25 places for children from 3 months to school age. Known as the Mrs Cameron Day Nursery, the facility is open 8.30am–5pm, Mon–Fri. Gonville and Caius staff, students and Fellows are given priority for places but any remaining vacancies are open to others. For more information, contact nursery owner Mrs Elizabeth Wiggam or the Nursery Manager on 01223 740688 or email Gonville and Caius College Nursery.

The Wolfson Court Nursery

Girton, Churchill, St John's and Trinity Colleges are connected to the Wolfson Court nursery, which opened in January 2005 on Clarkson Road, off Grange Road. Wolfson Court has up to 76 places for children from 3 months to school age and is open from 7.30am–6pm throughout the year. The nursery is run by Bright Horizons, who operate a number of other private nurseries in the region. Priority places are available to staff, students and Fellows of Girton, Churchill, St John's and Trinity Colleges but the nursery is also open to others, including the general public. For more information and an application form, contact the nursery on 01223 656318 or email parentenquiry@brighthorizons.com. Alternatively, contact the individual Colleges or Bright Horizons on 0845 365 2929.

Each College has a designated Childcare Contact who is a point of contact and a voice for student parents within their College.

The College Childcare Contacts are required to signpost students to the Childcare Services, provide information on their College's family accommodation, and have knowledge of the financial support available to student parents. They are also encouraged to work with the College in order to ensure that arrival, orientation and social, pastoral and academic events are accessible to all student parents. Along with the MCR, Childcare Contacts are also encouraged to play a role in organising child-friendly events to enable student parents to meet, as well as facilitate communications between them.

If you have an issue relating to your status as a student parent at your College then please contact your designated College Childcare Contact directly.