16-19 Bursary
Financial support is available to eligible students from the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund. Our 16-19 Bursary Policy outlines the details for the eligibility criteria. The fund is intended to support students aged 16 to 19 in overcoming specific financial barriers to participation so they can remain in education.
There are two types of 16 to 19 bursaries:
- Bursaries for defined vulnerable groups; and
- Discretionary bursaries.
These awards will be for the most part focused on in-kind support in the following areas:
- Academic books
- Equipment and sports equipment deemed necessary for the student’s course choice
- Educational visits and trips
- Field trips and other course-related costs
- Work experience and industry placement costs
- Travel costs not covered by the TfL 16+ Zip Oyster
- The costs for participating in a work experience placement or industry placement
- UCAS and the costs of attending university interviews and selection days.
Students who are in receipt of FSM (free school meals) for both types of bursary will receive their meals as a benefit in-kind as part of the award.
Vulnerable Bursary
The defined vulnerable groups are students who are:
- In care;
- Care leavers;
- Receiving Income Support (IS), or Universal Credit (UC) because they are financially supporting themselves; or
- Receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payments (PIPs) in their own right as well as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or UC in their own right.
Discretionary Bursary
Students can apply and be considered for a discretionary bursary if they satisfy one of the following criteria:
- Students are eligible and in receipt of FSM (free school meals) for academic year 2021-2022, or have become eligible in this academic year 2022-2023, supported by documentation confirming FSM receipt from Brent.
- Students who are identified as receiving FSM (free school meals) in the past 6 years (‘Ever 6’) and their family is on means tested benefits are eligible to apply.
We will base all decisions around which students receive a discretionary bursary, and how much bursary they receive, on each student’s individual circumstances and their actual financial need.
Students who do not satisfy any of the criteria listed in this section, but who are able to demonstrate financial hardship arising from other reasons, may apply for in-kind payments or partial reimbursement for:
- Academic books
- Equipment and sports equipment deemed necessary for the student’s course choice
- Educational visits and trips
- Field trips and other course-related costs
- Work experience and industry placement costs
- School meals, and vouchers for meals whilst participating in educational visits and trips
- Travel costs not covered by the TfL 16+ Zip Oyster
- UCAS and the costs of attending university interviews and selection days.
Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis but as a guide household income needs to be: below £20,000 per year; the student or their family is in receipt of certain benefits; that the student lives more than a certain distance away from school, or their work experience/industry placement.
Students who are in receipt of either the vulnerable or discretionary bursary should make sure that they have their own bank or Post Office account for any payments that will be made.
