16 to 19 Bursary Fund

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is designed to help support young people facing barriers to continuing in Post 16 Education or training, provided they meet agreed standards of attendance and behaviour. The 16-19 Bursary Fund is available to support students who have genuine financial difficulties that might prevent them continuing in education, rather than acting as an incentive for attendance. To be eligible to receive a 16-19 Bursary the young person must be aged 16 or over and under 19 on 31 August in the year of application. Where a young person turns 19 during their programme of study, they can continue to be supported to the end of the academic year in which they turn 19, or to the end of the programme of study, whichever is sooner.

Students in one of the defined vulnerable groups can receive a Guaranteed Bursary via application to the Finance team. The school can provide further information on request.

Those experiencing financial disadvantages relating to course-related costs should be supported using the 16-19 Discretionary Bursary Fund. QEGS receives an annual allocation from the 16-19 Discretionary Bursary Fund via the Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).  Once these funds have been awarded to eligible pupils there is no guarantee that further funding will be available to support learners during the academic year.

The 16 –19 Bursary Fund has two elements:

Category One: Guaranteed Bursary (Vulnerable Groups)

A Bursary of £1,200 a year can be awarded via Application to the Finance team:

  • Young people in care, care leavers (in care for a minimum of 3 months since the age of 14).
  • Young people who receive Universal Credit/Income Support in their own name.
  • Young people who are disabled and receive Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or ESA and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in their own name.

Category Two: Discretionary Bursary

  • The school is able to use its discretion to make awards to students in ways that best suit their individual needs and circumstances. Bursary awards should be targeted towards those young people who face financial barriers to participation in education; such as the costs of transport, meals, books, equipment, extraordinary course fees and transition support services.

The school has agreed a set of priorities to identify students eligible to receive assistance through the discretionary bursary scheme in the following categories:

  1. Students who are eligible to receive a free school meal.
  2. Students facing financial barriers to participation in Post 16 educational activities can receive support tailored to individual needs. Appropriate evidence would be required.
  3. Students who have been affected by a sudden, exceptional change in financial circumstances.
  4. Students identified as high need.

Students who meet the criteria to be considered under Category 1 can receive a bursary up to the value of £1,200 via application to the Finance Team. 

Students who meet the criteria to be considered under Category 2 can be allocated discretionary funding to assist with the costs of:

  • Travel Costs associated with accessing learning
  • Course equipment and materials (including IT equipment)
  • Meals, Clothing
  • Transition Support Services

Awards from the Bursary Fund can be made up of payments direct to students or payments in kind to suppliers. Payments made from the Bursary Fund will be subject to the student meeting expected attendance and behaviour requirements.   Any awards considered under Category 2 will be determined by the student’s individual circumstances.  Please note, however, that there is a limited amount of funding available, therefore, awards are subject to the availability of funding.

Monetary awards to students will be made via BACS transfer in to a bank account in the student’s name only.  Payments towards educational activity, materials and equipment will be made directly to the organiser / supplier.