Bursary
Overview
The 16-19 Bursary Fund aims to help 16–19-year-olds overcome any financial barriers they may face when attending full time education in a sixth form. Each sixth form has been allocated a small amount of money by the government to help pay bursaries to students in financial need. The Bursary Fund is made up of two parts:
Vulnerable Bursary: This is an award of up to £1,200 a year for students who fall into one of the following categories:
- Receiving Income Support (IS), or Universal Credit (UC) because they are financially supporting themselves or financially supporting themselves and someone who is dependent on them and living with them.
- Students in local authority care or have recently left care.
- Receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payments (PIP) in their own right as well as UC.
If you are eligible for the Vulnerable Bursary please contact us as soon as possible so we can provide you with more information on how to apply for this.
Discretionary Bursary: This is a small amount of money allocated to students who are not in the groups above but are from low-income families. Bursaries are awarded to help towards the cost of transport and / or course costs. In accordance with West Sussex Guidelines, low-income families are those in receipt of the following:
- Income Support or Universal Credit (Income Related)
- Job Seeker’s Allowance (Income Based)
- Employment & Support Allowance or Universal Credit (Income Related)
- Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
- The student lives more than 10 miles distance away from the school
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 a discretionary bursary. In assessing any application for a discretionary bursary, we will consider:
➢ Level of household income
➢ Distance to travel between the student’s home and the institution, or a location for a placement
➢ The number of dependent children in the student’s household
➢ The requirements of their study programme
➢ Whether the student has additional responsibilities that may mean they need extra help
Eligibility
As we have only been awarded a fixed amount, we cannot guarantee that we can pay bursaries to all students who fall into the above categories. We will prioritise families with the lowest income and in need of the most help to remain in education.
All payments to students will be based upon at least 95% attendance at lessons. It is expected that this money will be used to help students with the cost of transport and any resources that they may need for Sixth Form. Further details of how these payments will be made will be released as soon as we have final numbers for students who will be awarded a bursary.
If you believe that you belong to one of the categories above, please contact us as soon as possible (deadline is usually September, but each case is individual) and send in an application form via Mrs Major in the School Finance Office, along with the appropriate evidence required, as detailed below.
Applying
Please attach photocopies of letters confirming your entitlement to benefits or copies of pages of the 2025/2026 benefit letter or tax credit document. The following list is a guide to the confirmation required:
Universal Credit, Income Support / Income Based Jobseekers Allowance:
Please send a letter signed by the Department for Work and Pensions or Job Centre Plus confirming your entitlement to benefits.
Child Tax Credit with an annual Inland Revenue assessed income of less than £17,005
A photocopy of the most recent letter received from HRMC which details the name of the person receiving the benefit, the date and the amount received for 2024/25.
Income Related Employment & Support Allowance. A photocopy of all pages of your Award Letter:
- Child benefit award letter
- Department of Work and Pensions decision letter for: Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance Employment, Support Allowance, Disability Living Allowance
- State retirement pension award letter
- Private or other pensions award letter
- Current bank statement showing benefit or income having been received
- Working Tax Credits and Child Tax Credits award/notification letter
On receipt of your application we will assess it and get back to you with a decision. If you are successful, we will send you a letter telling you how much you have been awarded and how it will be paid.
If you have any questions relating to the bursary, please contact Mrs Major or the Sixth Form Team. Please do check with us for any updates as figures and paperwork requirements can change annually.
