16-19 Bursary Funding
What is the 16-19 Bursary Fund?
The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is money the government has given to local authorities, schools, colleges and other education and training providers (education institutions) to give to students who need financial help to stay in education.
There are 2 types of 16-19 bursaries:
- a vulnerable bursary of up to £1,200 a year for young people in one of the defined vulnerable groups
- discretionary bursaries that institutions award to meet individual needs. For example, for trips, meals, books and equipment.
What is the 16-19 Bursary Fund for?
The fund is intended to support students aged 16 to 19 in overcoming specific barriers to participation so they can remain in education.
We use the fund to provide students with support to fund:
- Transport
- Free meals
- Equipment/ Specialist clothing
- Field trips and other course related-costs
- The costs of attending college interviews and open days
- Criminal Record (DBS) Checks
- Extended Schools Activities
Would I qualify for a Vulnerable Bursary?
Are you …?
- A young person in care; or
- A young person who has recently left local authority care; or
- A young person in receipt of Income Support or Universal Credit in place of Income Support in your own right; or
- A young person in receipt of Employment Support Allowance or Universal Credit and Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in your own right..
Would I qualify for a Discretionary Bursary?
Are you…?
- entitled to have a free school meal or have a sibling who is in receipt of a free school meals.
- The child of a have a parent or carer in receipt of any of the following benefits: income support; tax credits; universal credits; or is your household income, i.e. your parents/carers' earning less than £35,000 a year.
Would I need to prove that I qualify for a Bursary?
Yes. For a Vulnerable Bursary, if you are either in care or a care leaver, we do not need you to prove you qualify. However, if you are receiving Income Support or Universal Credit or are in receipt of DSA/ ESA/PIP, we will need you to show us a recent letter confirming payment of the benefit(s).
For a Discretionary Bursary, the head of your household will need to let us see either the letter confirming payment of the benefit(s) or proof of income i.e. a P60.
If you are not sure whether you qualify, please either refer to the Other Information section at the back of this leaflet or contact Abigail Carr acarr@fountains-high.staffs.sch.uk or telephone 01283 247580.
How do I apply for a Bursary?
If you think that you qualify for a Bursary, you will need to complete an application form.
- All applicants need to provide a photocopy of any evidence at the time of submitting an application. Failure to do so may delay the processing of the application.
- If you are applying for a Discretionary Bursary, the head of your household will
- need to complete the financial assessment part of the application.
- You should hand your completed application form and any proof of benefits or income to the School office who will check that you qualify for a Bursary. The School will let you know if your application has been successful.
How is the Bursary paid?
The Vulnerable Bursary will be paid into your (student’s) bank account. We cannot pay your Bursary in cash or into someone else’s bank account unless they look after your finances with you.
You will receive Bursary support provided that you are still attending school and that we do not have any concerns about your behaviour whilst in school.
What happens if I leave the School?
If you leave the school and do not plan to return ,your Bursary will stop as of the date you leave.
If you move to another school or colleg,e you can apply to them for a Bursary. You should tell your new school/college that you have received a Bursary whilst at your old school. Your new school/ college will take the Bursary you have received so far during the year into account when calculating how much Bursary they will award you.
What do I do next?
If you think that you would qualify for a Bursary, you should complete an application form (available from the School Office in paper format).
Please make sure that you fill in the form with all of the information required. If information is missing it will delay your application.
Please also make sure that your information is accurate, in particular, the details of the bank account that you want the Bursary paying into.
If you don’t already have your own bank account, you should explore opening one for your Bursary to be paid into, if your application is successful.
We cannot make payments directly into Post Office accounts.
Checklist
Use this Checklist to make sure that you have completed the application process correctly
|
Do you qualify for a Bursary? |
√/x |
|
Have you got an application form? |
√/x |
|
Have you filled in every part of the form correctly and signed it? |
√/x |
|
Has the head of your household completed the financial assessment part of the form and signed it (Discretionary Bursaries only)? |
√/x |
|
Do you have the proof to support your application? |
√/x |
|
Do you have your own bank account? |
√/x |
|
Have you handed your application form in to school? |
√/x |
Please be assured that all of the information that you provide with your application is treated in the strictest confidence. It is used ONLY to confirm your eligibility for a Bursary.
If you have any concerns please feel free to discuss them with school.
Other Information
We hope that you have found this leaflet useful and that it has answered any questions you might have.
If you need further information, however, the following links may be of help:
This is the Department for Education’s information page.
https://www.gov.uk/1619-bursary-fund
Alternatively, Mrs Akhtar will be able to answer any questions you might have and assist you with your application. Additionally, the 16-19 Bursary Fund Policy can be found here.
