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 to give to students who need financial help to stay in education. Funding is limited and is based on funds allocated by the ESFA (Education & Skills Funding Agency).

To be eligible to receive a 16-19 Bursary in the 2020/21 academic year, the young person must be aged 16 or over and under 19 on 31 August 2020.

There are 2 types of bursaries:

A vulnerable bursary of up to £1,200 a year for young people in one of the defined vulnerable groups listed below
Discretionary bursaries that institutions award to meet individual needs. For example, for transport, meals, books and equipment. These are items the student would otherwise need to pay for in order to participate.

1) Bursaries for Vulnerable Young People

Students who meet the criteria, and who have a financial need, can apply for a bursary for vulnerable groups. The defined groups reflect that these students are unlikely to be receiving financial assistance from parents or carers, so may need a greater level of support to enable them to continue to participate.

The defined vulnerable groups are students who are:

in care
care leavers
receiving Income Support, or Universal Credit because they are financially supporting themselves or financially supporting themselves and someone who is dependent on them and living with them such as a child or partner
receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in their own right as well as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit in their own right

The bursary for vulnerable groups can pay up to £1,200 per year to a student participating on study programme that lasts for 30 weeks or more if they need that amount of support.

2) Discretionary bursaries

Institutions make discretionary bursary awards to help students with the cost of travel, to buy essential books, equipment or specialist clothing (such as protective overalls, for example). These are items the student would otherwise need to pay for in order to participate. The bursary fund is not intended to provide learning support – services that institutions give to students – for example, counselling or mentoring, or to support extra-curricular activities where these are not essential to the students’ study programme. In keeping with the current practice of financial support for school activities, Presdales School may provide bursaries to support students’ costs for those whose parents are entitled to any of the following state benefits:

Free school meals
Income Support/Universal Credit
Income based jobseekers allowance
Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit, provided the parent is not entitled to Working Tax Credit
Parents will need to provide proof of entitlement to the benefits prior to payment.

Entitlement expectations

Students will be expected to sign a 16-19 Bursary Agreement which outlines the expectations Presdales School has with regard to attendance and standards of behaviour. Students eligible for the 16-19 Bursary must meet the criterion of 100% attendance, unless absence is authorised. If this criterion is not met, payment will be forfeited for the week affected.

Applications

Parents and students should complete the application form and send it to Mrs A Caira (Finance Manager) with supporting evidence.

The process of application and payments will remain confidential.