16-19 Bursary fund
16-19 Bursary Criteria 2025/26
The 16-19 Bursary Fund is available to provide financial support to learners who are from low income households with costs incurred by attending college.
To be eligible to receive support from this bursary in 2025-26 a learner must be:
- 16, 17 or 18 years old on 31 August 2025
- or aged 19 to 25 with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessed by the local authority, satisfy residency criteria and be enrolled on an ESFA, European Social Fund (ESF) or publicly funded programme. you may be eligible for financial support whilst on your college course.Â
Financial support from the bursary helps eligible learners with costs such as travel to and from college or to buy essential books, equipment or specialist clothing that are required for their course.
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There are two different bursaries.
The Standard Bursary:
This is for learners being supported by parents/carers whose household meets one of the criteria below:
In receipt of one of the following benefits:Â
- Income Support, Income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support. Allowance, the guarantee credit element of Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit (providing you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190), Universal Credit with income below £7400, Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
- A household income of below £35,000 (evidenced by a Tax Credit/Universal Credit Award notice).
The Enhanced Bursary:
This is for learners who are:
- Young people in care, including unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people.
- Care leavers.
- Young people in receipt of income support or Universal Credit because they are financially supporting themselves and anyone who is dependent on them or living with them, such as a child or partner.
- Disabled young people in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit who are also in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DSA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP)(must have both).
Parent/Carer income is not counted for the Enhanced Bursary.
See below for more information about the different bursaries available to learners aged 16-18 and how to apply.
Help available for a Standard Bursary:
For eligible learners, a meal up to the value of £3.75 can be obtained from the college food outlets for each day they attend college. Learners will use their student ID card to access this.
Free college meals are only available for students being supported by a parent/guardian in receipt of one of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC))
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after someone stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit with net earnings not exceeding the equivalent of £7,400 pa (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
A free breakfast will be provided to all learners.
Learners who live more than three miles from the college are able to apply to the fund for assistance with funding a bus pass.Â
If you are beginning a new programme of study or continuing your studies at Petroc, you could be eligible to apply for a bus pass through the Bursary Scheme via your PayMyStudent portal account or if Self Funded through the Travel Admin Portal, both links can be found on your myPetroc dashboard via these icons:
Where learners are required to have equipment/clothing/books related to their course, i.e. chef’s whites, steel toe cap boots, the fund will contribute 80% towards the full cost of the kit (in some cases the full cost may be capped).
The fund will contribute 80% towards the costs.
50% of the cost of trips (excluding overseas) essential to a student’s programme can be covered. The learner is required to provide evidence of the trip to the Advice & Guidance Centre once they have paid their deposit.
If a learner is facing a particular challenge or hardship, please contact the Wellbeing and Support Team on 01271 447196 or at wellbeing@petroc.ac.uk
Help available for an Enhanced Bursary:
Where learners are required to have equipment/clothing or pay for trips and fees essential to their course, this will be identified and dependent upon need, financial support may be given.
Learners who live more than 3 miles from the college are able to apply to the fund for assistance with funding a bus pass.
If you are beginning a new programme of study or continuing your studies at Petroc, you could be eligible to apply for a bus pass through the Bursary Scheme via your PayMyStudent portal account or if Self Funded through the Travel Admin Portal, both links can be found on your myPetroc dashboard via these icons:
A college mentor will be available to help learners eligible for the Enhanced Bursary to access the support they need.Â
Where the Enhanced Learner is required to have equipment related to their course, e.g. chef’s whites, steel toe cap boots, they may request funds to cover these expenses by supplying detailed breakdowns.Â
Application process:
At Petroc, we understand that the cost of studying can be challenging, which is why our bursary support is here to help eligible learners with the financial pressures of Further Education. The bursary fund can provide assistance with essential course-related costs such as travel, kit, equipment, uniform and books, a free College Meal Allowance, Childcare, and other course-related costs - depending on individual circumstances and eligibility criteria.
Bursary support is means-tested and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage early applications to prevent any disappointment. To be considered, you must complete all sections of the application form in full, via your PayMyStudent portal. You are also required to upload all supporting evidence when requested and will need to complete any additional questionnaires sent to you on the front dashboard of your PayMyStudent portal.
Your application will not be assessed unless it is fully complete, signed, and supported by the correct evidence and questionnaires applicable. Incomplete applications will result in delays or may not be processed until fully complete.
Bursary decisions will be based on a learner’s actual need and individual circumstances and an individual assessment of a learner’s financial needs will be made to determine this. All bursary payments are subject to satisfactory attendance, progression and behaviour. 3 weeks of full 100% attendance and on-going attendance above 85% must be achieved in order for a bursary payment to be received.
To begin your bursary application, please click here.
Evidence required:
(Please check the evidence criteria for the appropriate Bursary) and upload your evidence via your PayMyStudent portal
Means Tested Benefits
If you receive any of the benefits listed below, you will need to supply an official letter from the awarding organisation (e.g. Benefits Agency, The Pension Service). This needs to be dated within the last three months.
- Income Support
- Income based Job Seekers Allowance
- Employment Support Allowance (ESA - Income related)
- Pension Credits (Guarantee Credit Element
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Universal Credit
Please screenshot all details contained within your 3 latest payment periods on your online UC portal, including the recipient's name, address, payment dates, the amount received, the breakdown of how it has been calculated, any deductions applicable and any earnings received within each payment period.
The Advice and Guidance Team will determine your estimated annual income by adding the amount of Universal Credit received each period to the amount of income earned each period, to calculate an overall income for each of the three payment periods provided. This will be added together and multiplied by 4 to get an estimated annual income total, which will be used to assess if you meet the bursary criteria low-income thresholds. Please ensure all details provided cover all of the elements as needed and are clearly visible.
Tax Credits
If you are receiving Tax Credits, please submit your most recent Tax Credit Award Notice. We will need to see the whole of the front page that shows your name and address and the page that shows your income for the financial year. (This is normally on page 2 or 3). Please upload screenshots or pictures of these two pieces of evidence. Â
Employed
If you are Employed, we will need to see one of the following:
- Three of your most recent payslips.
- Your P60.
- Tax Credit Award Notice (see above for evidence required).
Self-employed
If you are self-employed, please upload evidence of your most recent tax return.
Need further assistance?
Please get in touch with the Advice & Guidance Centre:
