What is the 16 - 19  Bursary Fund?  

The 16 - 19 Bursary Fund is a scheme to help young people facing financial hardship to stay in  full-time education.  For more information about the scheme please refer to the government website:  https://www.gov.uk/1619-bursary-fund

The scheme consists of two types of bursaries:

Vulnerable Student Bursary

Students who are in one of the government-defined vulnerable groups may be eligible to receive a bursary of up to £1,200 per year. Awards are based on individual financial need and the actual costs associated with participating in education or training.

To be eligible, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• Be 16 or over and under 19 on 31 August 2026, meet the residency requirements, and be studying at an eligible publicly funded institution

• Be a young person in care.

• Be a care leaver.

• Be receiving Income Support or Universal Credit in your own name because you are financially supporting yourself (or yourself and a dependent).

• Be a disabled young person receiving Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit, as well as Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Discretionary Bursary

Students who are not eligible for the Vulnerable Student Bursary but who require financial support to continue their education may be considered for a discretionary bursary.

Discretionary bursaries are awarded based on individual circumstances and available funding.

The academy will assess each application and consider factors such as household income, financial hardship, travel costs, caring responsibilities, medical needs, and other barriers to participation.

Students must provide evidence to support their application.

What can the bursary be used for?

The bursary can help with essential education-related costs, including:

• Travel to and from the academy or placement.

• Meals during the academy day.

• Books, stationery and learning materials.

• Specialist equipment or clothing required for a course.
   

There are additional criteria that need to be met to be eligible for a bursary, but it is anticipated that the majority of applicants will satisfy these criteria. These criteria include course types,  residency and age restrictions. We will contact you as part of the assessment process if we believe there will be an issue with meeting these criteria. 

Applying 

Application is via an application form. Applications will need supporting evidence as appropriate. The amount of funding for the bursary scheme is limited. For the discretionary bursary, the amount paid will depend on the number of successful applications received.

From 2013 the phased introduction of the Universal Credit to replace Income Support and Employment Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payments to replace the Disability Living Allowance commenced. Where applicable, these benefits will be taken into consideration.