Financial Support

The College is committed to ensuring that all students have access to the right resources to be successful in their academic studies and remove any barriers to participation.

Financial support is awarded following an assessment of individual student participation needs and can help cover costs such as travel to and from College (if the student lives more than a mile from the College campus); College meals; compulsory College trips and selected learning materials.

All applications are treated confidentially.

To qualify for the Discretionary Bursary, students must meet one of the following criteria:

Be eligible for Free School Meals (confirmed via the online eligibility checker or previous school), or
Have a total household income of £20,000 or less per annum, as assessed by the College.

How to Apply

Students must complete a two-stage application process:

Step 1: Complete the Discretionary Bursary application form by clicking here

Step 2: Complete the Online Free School Meals (OFSM) eligibility check at: https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/sims

Once both steps have been completed, the Finance Team will review the information to confirm eligibility and assess any individual participation costs.

If a student is not found to be eligible for Free School Meals via the online checker, their previous school will be contacted to confirm any past eligibility. In some cases, the Finance Team may also request evidence of household income to confirm it is below £20,000 per year.

All applicants will be notified of the outcome.
Successful applications are subject to the student maintaining satisfactory attendance and meeting the College’s core expectations.

Eligibility Criteria for Free School Meals

Students may qualify for Free School Meals if their parent(s)/carer(s) receive one or more of the following:

Universal Credit, with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 (as assessed over up to three recent assessment periods)
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The Guarantee element of Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit (as long as the household is not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and has an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
Working Tax Credit run-on, paid for four weeks after eligibility ends

There is separate application form for students in defined categories (such as in care, care leaver, living independently). Please visit the Finance Office on E corridor for an application form and guidance. In addition to the benefits available through the discretionary bursary, students could receive a bursary payment of up to £1200 a year.