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

20 April

2021/2022

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. Students who meet the criteria for Priority Group 1 are not automatically entitled to a bursary if they do not have financial needs and/or their financial needs are covered from other sources.

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 2020 – 2021 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 (or Universal Credit, etc.) showing a total income of £28,000 or below

Priority 4:               those whose financial circumstances have changed since the end of the tax year and don’t fall into one of the above groups. Financial evidence will need to be shown i.e. P60, self-employment accounts, pension.

There is no entitlement to the financial support of a specific amount from the fund. 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 –18 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 2021 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). Other students over 19 can apply for support from the Adult Discretionary Learner Support Fund using this same application form.  These bursaries do not assist students under 16 at 31 August 2021.  For these students costs of course materials and travel (equipment, course handbooks, safety wear) are the responsibility of the parent/guardian. There are currently no bursaries for students on a 14-16 programme.

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

Priority Group 1 students who qualify for a £1200 Bursary will receive regular payments into 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.  Email the Student Services Officer if you wish to purchase material on the bursary without cash payment. Assistance for trips will only be for those considered essential, also travel to industry placement, university interviews and open days; please send the paperwork and evidence 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 that 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 to 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 by email.  If travel assistance is agreed, you will need to submit photos of your tickets at the end of each 4 week period to the Student Portal Bursary Button, please see the 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	01.10.21	6th Period	18.03.22
2nd Period	05.11.21	7th Period	29.04.22
3rd Period	03.12.21	8th Period	27.05.22
4th Period	14.01.22	9th Period	01.07.22
5th Period	11.02.22	10th Period	08.07.22

If students are claiming travel support and purchasing the Freedom Ticket, they must obtain a 3-iD card at the beginning of term, please register online at www.3-id.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) 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 9^th July 2021.  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 4 for Bursary queries or alternatively email bursary@bexhillcollege.ac.uk.

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

 

2021-22 Bursary Application Form

 

 

 

 

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