Financial support while you study

There are 2 types of 16 to 19 bursary:

• a bursary for students in vulnerable groups
• a discretionary bursary

Vulnerable groups

The defined vulnerable groups are students who are:

• in care
• care leavers
• in receipt of income support or universal credit because they are financially supporting themselves and someone who is dependent on them and living with them, such as a child or partner
• in receipt of Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in their own right as well as either Employment Support Allowance or Universal Credit in their own right

Discretionary bursaries

Discretionary bursaries are provided by institutions to individual students to help with costs such as transport, meals, books and equipment.

Each institution sets its own eligibility criteria for discretionary bursaries, in line with the Department for Education's funding rules.

If you’re 19 and over

Students aged over 19 can apply for the discretionary bursary if they have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or are continuing on a course they started aged between 16 and 18.

How to claim

You should contact your preferred school sixth form or college for more information and to apply for a bursary.

There is more information about the 16-19 Bursary Fund on GOV.UK.

The Care to Learn scheme helps young parents (those aged under 20) with childcare costs so they can stay in education.

This funding covers childcare costs while the parent is studying and can't care for their child.

It also helps with the travel costs of taking the child to the childcare provider. Travel payments go directly to the parent's school or college, who will then either pay the parent or arrange the travel on their behalf.

The scheme is available for publicly funded courses in England, including courses in schools, school sixth forms, sixth form colleges, and children's centres. 

The eligibility criteria for the scheme includes:

• You are a parent under the age of 20 at the start of your course
• You must be the main carer and in receipt of child benefit for the child(ren) for whom you are claiming Care to Learn
• You must be living and studying in England
• Your course qualifies – your learning provider can confirm this
• Your childcare provider is eligible.

For more information about Care to Learn:

• Visit the government's Care to Learn webpage
• Call the Student Bursary Support Service on 0800 121 8989
• Visiting the Student Bursary Support Service online portal.

If you're aged 19 or over, on a further education course and facing financial hardship, you could get learner support funding.

This helps pay for things like accommodation and travel, course materials and childcare. Providers manage their own schemes and they'll decide how much funding you would get.  They'll also decide how this funding is paid to the student.

To discuss this funding and the application process, students aged 19 and over are advised to contact the student support service at their chosen college.

You can find out more about Learner Support on GOV.UK.

You may be able to get help with the cost of term-time accommodation if you’re studying a further education course that’s far from your home.

The Residential Bursary Fund (RBF) helps 16-18 year old students in designated specialist subject areas. The provision is mainly, but not exclusively, land-based provision. The RBF isn't to support students accessing general provision which is widely available, such as A levels. Students aged over 19 are only eligible if they stay on a study programme they started when they were aged between 16 and 18 or if they have an education, health and care (EHC) plan.

The RBF helps towards the cost of accommodation for students at one of the designated institutions delivering specialist provision. This type of provision wouldn't be available locally and/or requires the student to attend at unsociable hours on a regular basis, meaning they need to live away from home. 

In Lancashire, Myerscough College offers RBF support. Students can contact the finance office at Myerscough College on 01995 642398 or email bursary@myerscough.ac.uk to see if they're eligible for residential bursary support.

For more details, visit Residential Bursary Fund on GOV.UK.

You may be able to get help with the cost of term-time accommodation if you’re studying a further education course that’s far from your home.

The Residential Support Scheme (RSS) is for exceptional situations where students cannot access the same or similar substantial level 2 or level 3 qualification locally, within a reasonable daily travelling distance.

This distance is defined as a daily return journey which takes 2 hours or less on public transport; or a distance of less than 15 miles from the student's home or term time lodgings to their chosen institution.

Typically, RSS supports students in rural areas with limited access to a variety of 16-18 further education options. Students must apply for the RSS through their chosen institution.

For more details, visit Residential Support Scheme on GOV.UK.