16-18 Funding Options

Am I Eligible?

To be eligible you must be:

Ages 16-18 at enrolment, or 16-25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
Studying for an eligible qualification
Able to show a household income of below £30,250 or evidence of a means tested benefit

You will not be eligible if you are:

A work-based learner/apprentice
Undertaking a higher education course
Studying a full cost recovery course

What Funding Can I Receive?

For successful applicants aged 16-18 years old, financial help may be available towards:

The package of support could include:

Free College Meals (£3.50 per timetabled day)
Bus passes or other travel costs
Essential course costs, such as uniforms, equipment, books, or trips
Care to Learn C2L childcare support

Evidence (Whose and What)

You will need to provide income evidence for anyone in your household whose income you are financially dependent on.

This is both employment income and benefit evidence.

All evidence must be from the current tax year. Evidence of benefit entitlement must be from within the last three months.

You must provide income evidence from the table below:

This graphic shows the Funding Evidence Table.

Free College Meals

To be eligible for Free College Meals you must be in the receipt of a qualifying benefit from the list below:

Universal Credit
Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Income-related Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
Guarantee element of Pension Credit

Each Monday, your student card will be updated with your weekly meal allowance. You will receive £3.50 per day you are timetabled to be in college.

This can be spent in the college canteen and vending machines throughout the day. Any balance remaining on your card at the end of the week will be wiped.

Travel

All students must live over 3 miles walking distance from their college site to be eligible to claim travel expenses.

The Learner Support Fund can provide First Bus mobile tickets or paper tickets for routes across the Bristol and West of England areas.

If your application is successful, your bus ticket will be added directly to your First Bus mobile wallet. If you do not have a smartphone, paper tickets can be collected from college receptions.

If you require an alternative bus ticket, we may be able to provide BACs payments directly into your bank account to cover these costs.

We can also provide a contribution to petrol costs or train cost reimbursement, providing we are the closest college offering your course. These will be paid weekly in arrears into your provided bank account, depending on your attendance.

Disability Travel

If you live under 3 miles from your centre of study and have a condition which affects your ability to walk, we may provide funding for travel. This must be verified by the Additional Learning Support team or your doctor. If you are not known to the ALS team, we can provide you with a letter to be completed by your doctor.

If you have a Disability Travel Bus Pass from your local authority (Diamond Card), this can now be used 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you require taxi travel, this must now be covered by your local authority.

Vulnerable Bursary

To be eligible for the Vulnerable Bursary, you must be in one of the defined vulnerable groups below:

In Care
Care Leaver
Receiving Income Support, or Universal Credit because you are financially supporting yourself or financially supporting yourself and someone who is dependent on you and living with them such as a child or partner
Receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in your own name, as well as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit in your own name.

You must provide evidence from the list below:

Universal Credit statement

Letter from a Social Worker or relevant council confirming you are In Care or a Care Leaver

Award letter or Benefit Office stamped application form confirming you are in receipt of a benefit in your own name