Financial Support
The 16 - 19 bursary is a learner support fund provided by the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and exists to help students whose education would otherwise be negatively impacted due to family financial constraints.
Applicants must:
- Be aged 16 - 19 years, study at a publicly funded college or 6th Form and meet the residency requirements.
- Study at a publicly funded school or college or be on an unpaid training course.
Bursary can be accessed in two forms – Discretionary Bursary or the Vulnerable Groups Bursary
Discretionary Bursary
Assessment of financial need is based on Parent income and proof of government benefit(s).
Funds available to each student can vary year-on-year. The amount is determined by the total funding received from the EFA, and the total number of student’s qualifying for support.
Discretionary students can use their budget to pay for bus travel to and from college, textbooks, stationary, art equipment, UCAS / UCAT fees and, if their remaining budget allows, bursary can contribute up to 50% towards educational trips (trips essential to their course). Other discretionary decisions can be made, but if a student has a large expense, they must ask the bursary team in advance.
Students must pay for materials in advance and bursary will refund in arrears up on proof of purchase (screenshots emailed to: [email protected]).
Bursary does not fund the cost of devices or their accessories.
Bursary does not provide Free School Meals. Students must apply directly to the local authority.
Discretionary bursary applications are open to students that can provide the following evidence:
- Income support.
- Income based jobseeker's allowance.
- Income related employment and support allowance.
- Child tax credit: (for this to be accepted you must not receive Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190).
- Working tax credit run-on.
- Universal credit: if you apply after 1st April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits).
- Guaranteed element of the state pension credit.
- Member of the armed forces.
- National asylum seeker support.
Vulnerable Bursary
This bursary is granted and supplied by the Government and thus must be approved by the EFA.
Funds available will depend on your existing costs and the requirements for your course. Vulnerable students can use their budget to pay for services & products in the same manner as Discretionary students, but they may be entitled to a larger budget depending on their income from government benefits.
Students could receive financial support in the vulnerable group if at least one of the following applies:
- You are in or have recently left local authority care (LAC).
- You receive Income Support or Universal Credit because you are financially supporting yourself.
- You receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in your name, and either Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit.
Vulnerable bursary applications are open to students that can provide the following evidence:
- A statement from the Local Authority confirming the student’s current or previous looked after status. This may be a letter or an email.
- A recent entitlement or award statement setting out the benefit to which the student is entitled. This should also confirm that they can be in education or training.
- Proof of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and either Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit in their name.
- Other evidence that that they are supporting themselves.
Qualifying students in the Vulnerable group may receive Free School Meals.
To apply for Bursary funding support, please complete the application form below.
Need more information?
Get in touch with the College office or head to the gov.uk website for more information on the bursary and eligibility.