Our First Star UK programmes are based on a partnership between us, a university and the young person and their carer.

First Star UK recruits a cohort of up to 30 ‘scholars’ at the beginning of their GCSE year (age 14/15) to join the four-year programme of academic support and life skills at a local university or through our online First Star 2U programme.

Scholars stay with the programme up to the age of 18; becoming Guardian Scholars as they graduate from First Star UK. Scholars attend monthly sessions and an annual residential summer school at a university campus.

It costs up to £7500 per scholar, per year, for us to be able to provide our comprehensive programme which includes tailored learning and life skills support, accommodation and travel expenses, excursions and activities, which lead to an accredited Diploma in Learning, Development and Social Engagement.

If you are a UK taxpayer, you can increase the value of your donation by 25% at no extra cost to you.

Whilst you can support a specific programme it is not possible for you to choose an individual scholar or receive personal information about the young person you will be helping.

In keeping with safeguarding, child protection and data protection legislation and policy, all our scholars’ details remain anonymous. You will be sent updates on the cohort’s progress and anonymised data regarding GCSE and post 16 outcomes will be reported.  Anonymised case studies are also prepared annually.

Once scholars graduate and become Guardian Scholars, they can choose to include their name in information.  

Our work would not be possible without thanks to funding and donations from university partners, trusts, grants, private companies, and members of the public.

However, our programmes are not fully funded, and we need your donations to help us support more vulnerable young people across the country.

If you have any further questions and would like to grow a leader, please email [email protected] to find out more. Thank you for your support.