You could get a bursary to help with education-related costs if you are aged 16-19 and are studying full-time in a publicly funded school. A bursary is money that you, or your education or training provider, can use to pay for things such as:
- Clothing, books and equipment for your course
- Transport and lunch on the days that you study
There are two types of bursary available. The Vulnerable Student bursary is worth up to £1200 and the Discretionary bursary is for when you need financial help.
Vulnerable Student Bursary
You could get up to £1200 per year if at least one of the following applies:
- You are in or recently left local authority care
- You get income support or Universal Credit in your name
- You get Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in your name and either Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit
- You get Personal Dependent Payment (PIP) in your name and either ESA or Universal Credit.
The Bursary can be stopped by a provider if rules are broken, for example, about attendance or how your bursary is used.
Discretionary Bursary
You could be eligible for a discretionary bursary and this is based on school or college criteria. Each individual is looked at separately and it usually includes your family income. Also included for the criteria:
- Eligible for Free School Meals
- A family in receipt of Working Tax Credit
- A family with a low-income household
Students who are eligible for the 16-19 Bursary will not have their payments released if their attendance falls below 90%. Our target for all students is to have an attendance of 96%.