Guidance for Bursary/Discretionary Financial Support & 19+ Discretionary Learner Support

14 September

2020/2021 16-18 Bursary/Discretionary Financial Support 19+ Discretionary Learner Support Guidance Notes

The College will each year receive an annual allocation of funds to support its learners aged 16-18 and over 19 students.

The funds are intended to support students who face financial barriers to participation in education.

16 – 18 Bursary for young people defined vulnerable groups of up to £1200 (Priority Group 1)

This bursary once approved will be paid at intervals during the year. Students who can apply are:

• those in or leaving Care of the Local Authority
• those in receipt of Income support or Universal Credit in their own right, who are living independently of parents/guardians
• those in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit and Disability Living Allowance in their own right (or Personal Independence Payments)

Applicants in Priority 1 could receive a bursary of up to £1200 per year, depending upon circumstance and benefits, but must have 100% attendance and good behaviour to receive the full funding. It is available to students undertaking a course lasting 30 weeks, where the course is less than 30 weeks the award will be paid pro rata.

All other applications will be means-tested.

16 – 18 Discretionary Financial Support and 19+ Discretionary Learner Support (Priority Group 2, 3 and 4)

The College is responsible for determining the eligibility of applicants to this fund and for deciding the amount each student should receive. The College will aim to distribute the funds fairly with regard to the needs of the individual student. Learners will not necessarily receive assistance with any/or all of the funds for which they apply. We are given a limited amount of money and the demand from students will be high. The College will use the priority groupings to award partial grants.

Discretionary Financial Support

Funds are limited and priority will be given to members of the following groups in order:

Priority 2: those in receipt of free school meals in Year 11 in 2019 – 2020 and those whose parents/guardians are currently in receipt of a means tested benefit (Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Tax Credit where household income is less than £16,190, Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit or Universal Credit).

Priority 3: those whose parents/guardians are currently in receipt of a Tax Credit Award Notification showing a total income of £28,000 or below (or Universal Credit).

Priority 4: those whose financial circumstances have changed since the end of the tax year and fall into one of the above groups.

There is no entitlement to financial support of a specific amount from the fund except for Priority Group 1. The amount awarded will depend on both household income* and educational need. It will also depend on the number of eligible applications received before the deadline. Allocations will take account of:

• household income* for which evidence must be provided with the application
• costs incurred in attending College (for example travel of more than 3 miles)
• costs incurred in following a course (e.g. essential trips; contributions for course materials)

*household income (e.g. taxable income including earnings, some state benefits, pensions, rental income, income from trust and tax credits)

Please complete all sections of the 16-18 Bursary/Discretionary Financial Support 19+ Discretionary Learner Support application form.

For the 16–8 Bursary/Discretionary Financial Support you must be 18 or under on 31st August in the year in which you start your programme of study or if aged 19 or over on 31 August 2020 and are continuing on a study programme you began aged 16 to 18 (‘19+ continuers’), or you have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). 

Others students over 19 can apply for support from the Adult Discretionary Learner Support Fund using this same application form.

Students are expected to maintain attendance at 100% and to meet expectations with regard to behaviour and homework/coursework as set out on your Student Contract and the College Code of Conduct.

Priority Group 1 students who qualify for a £1200 Bursary will receive regular payments in to their bank account at monthly intervals.

Priority group 2, 3 and 4 please keep all your college related receipts e.g. stationery, books, college packs for consideration. Where possible please seek confirmation from the Student Service Officer before purchasing.

Forms are available from the cashier’s office if you wish to purchase material on the bursary without cash payment. Assistance for trips will only be for those considered essential, please bring in your signed paperwork to Student Services for assessment and then possibly payment.

Travel contribution - We will not fund travel for students who live within a 3 mile radius of the College unless there are exceptional or medical circumstances which will be treated on a case by case basis. Students should be aware that they will need to cover their own travel costs for the first month of College, as the travel assistance is paid in arrears. Students will be allocated travel assistance according their mileage to college, £12 a week for 3 to 7 miles and £14 a week for over 7 miles. We will also take into account the cost of the travel tickets being purchased. If you purchase a more expensive ticket, then please appeal in writing. If travel assistance is agreed, you will need to present your tickets at the end of each 4 week period to Student Services, please see table below. The travel contribution is subject to the attendance %, this will be explained in more detail in the agreement letter.

HAND IN DATES

1st Period	02.10.20	6th Period	19.03.21
2nd Period	06.11.20	7th Period	30.04.21
3rd Period	04.12.20	8th Period	28.05.21
4th Period	15.01.21	9th Period	02.07.21
5th Period	12.02.21	10th Period	16.07.21

If students are claiming travel support and purchasing the Freedom Ticket, they must obtain a 3i-D card at the beginning of term, please register online at http://www.3i-d.co.uk/, enter Unique Organisation Code BEXA06.

Food contribution - A Refectory Food Card is available which would be topped up regularly based on £2.50 for each college day, subject to the attendance % and funds available.

20+ Childcare

• As our funds are limited we cannot guarantee that we can meet the cost of your childcare and it is your responsibility to contact the Student Services Officer as soon as possible to discuss your childcare funding issues.
• All childcare payments will be made direct to the childcare provider.
• Childcare providers which students use must be registered or approved by Ofsted.
• A copy of the contract with a registered childminder must be provided as proof of Ofsted status.
• Any assistance for childcare will be payable for timetabled College hours only.
• 16 –19 year old parents are eligible for £160 per week towards the cost of childcare whilst at College. Please apply to Care to Learn (Tel: 0800 121 8989) www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/14To19/MoneyToLearn/Caretolearn/DG_066974.
• Please complete the 20+ Childcare Application form, email bursary@bexhillcollege.ac.uk.
• To ensure that we spend the funds in the most appropriate manner your personal circumstances and level of income will be considered when making our decision about whether we can make a contribution to your childcare costs.

Once you have received your bursary agreement letter, you will receive further communications about your bursary through your college email account.

Appeals

You have the right to appeal if:

• You believe your application has been assessed incorrectly or if you believe it has not been processed correctly.
• Your appeal should be made in writing, within 2 weeks of receiving either your award/grant notice or a letter refusing support.

Please complete the Online Bursary Application form on the Bexhill College website and have ready your financial evidence to upload (as stated above). We can accept electronic copies of documents in the following formats:

.doc

.docx

.pdf

.jpg

You can upload one file for each requested document and each document must be no larger than 2mb.

Uploading Documents instructions:

1. Click on ‘Browse’ to find the file to be uploaded.
2. Look through your file directory to locate the correct document.
3. Click the item.
4. To select multiple items: press and hold the Command key (Mac) or Ctrl key (Windows), then click the items.
5. Click ‘Open’. Your file(s) will now display on the form and will be uploaded when you click 'Submit'.

The closing date for those students starting in September is Friday 10th July 2020. Applications received after the deadline will be considered at the next meeting of the award panel if sufficient funds are available. Incomplete 20+ Childcare application forms and those without evidence will not be accepted and will be returned to you. The closing date for students enrolling on a programme of study later in the year will be ten working days after enrolment.

The above information is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.

If you have any questions please call 01424 214545 and choose option 3 for Bursary queries or alternatively email bursary@bexhillcollege.ac.uk.

Completed 20+ Childcare application forms to be emailed to bursary@bexhillcollege.ac.uk .  

 

Please click here to apply for the 2020/21 bursary.

 

 

Guidance for Bursary/Discretionary Financial Support & 19+ Discretionary Learner Support