Sixth form bursaries: Information on the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund

Did you know you might be able to get money to help out with your education or work training?

It's time to get the lowdown on the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund and whether you’re eligible for it…

What is the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund?

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund helps disadvantaged pupils pay for things they need to support their education or training.

Examples include:

clothes, books, or other equipment for your course.
Transport and meals on the days that you’re studying or working.

Sometimes you can get one-off payments to cover study trips or travel for university interviews too.

How much could I get?

The amount you can get varies depending on your situation and circumstances. But it could be up to £1,200 a year, if you’re studying full time for at least 30 weeks. If your course is less than that, you can still apply but you’ll probably get less.

You apply through your school, college or training provider, so when you’re ready to get the ball rolling, speak to your tutor or student services team.

But first, read on to make sure you’re eligible.

Can I apply for the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund?

You can apply if you:

Are aged 16-19
Are studying at school or college in England (it doesn’t cover uni) OR
Are on a training course (including unpaid work experience)
Meet certain criteria based on you or your family’s financial situation (which we’ve explained below)

(If you live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, there’s a different scheme available for you called the Education Maintenance Allowance.)

Types of bursary

There are two types of bursary – vulnerable and discretionary – and you’ll need to meet different criteria to apply for them.

For the vulnerable bursary you will need to be at least one of these:

In care
A care leaver
Getting income support (or universal credit) in your own name
Getting employment and support allowance, and either disability living allowance or personal independence payments in your own name

The discretionary bursary doesn’t have fixed criteria like this – your school, college or training provider will make their own decision based on things like family income. Ask your tutor or student services team what their criteria are.

How to apply for the bursary

Ask your tutor or student services team how to apply. Apply as soon as you know where you’re going to study to make sure you don’t miss out.

You’ll need to give them proof that you’re eligible – they’ll tell you more about this but for the vulnerable bursary this could be a letter from your local authority proving that you are, or were, in care or from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) showing that you get benefits.

If you don’t get benefits in your own name, you can’t apply for a vulnerable bursary, but you might be able to apply for the discretionary one.

Examples of proof needed for the discretionary bursary include a letter from the DWP showing your family is in receipt of benefits, a P60 and evidence of how much your family earns (like payslips or bank account statements).

What if I’m on an apprenticeship or traineeship – can I apply?

Basically, if you’re getting paid to learn or train, you can’t apply, which rules out apprenticeships.

But if you’re not being paid you can apply, so students doing traineeships, work experience or unpaid internships could be eligible.

How the bursary is paid

There are different ways that you might be paid – it’s up to your school or college.

You might be paid in one go or instalments. You might get cash, a cheque, money transferred into your bank account if you have one or given something in kind – like a travel pass or free meals.

I want to know more!

No problem – the government has put together this guide for 2017-2018. You can also ask your tutor or student services team for more info.

Get more advice on work and study in Success at School's advice section.