16-19 Bursary

Introduction

16-19 Bursaries replace the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for young people in 16-19 education. Funding to provide bursaries will be allocated directly to schools and other 16-19 education providers on an annual basis and they will be expected to administer the allocation of this funding. Schools will have a duty to provide bursaries to students who are identified as most vulnerable at a specified rate but have discretion over allocating funding to other students depending on their individual needs.

This policy refers to the detailed guidance given in the YPLA document ‘16-19 Bursary Fund – Guide for 2020/2021’

Aims
• To support access to post-16 education where there are financial barriers to continued learning.
• To ensure that most vulnerable students receive their bursary entitlement

Principles
• To adhere to the eligibility criteria and definitions of ‘most vulnerable’ detailed in the YPLA guidance
• To award discretionary bursaries through a fair and transparent system
• To allocate funding based on individual need

Implementation

Eligibility

Who is eligible to apply for 16-19 Bursary Funding?

Students following government (YPLA or SFA) funded full time or part-time courses, who are 16 years and over and satisfy one or more of the following criteria: –

• Students aged at least 16 and under 19 years of age on 31/08/20 who are in care, are leaving care, are in direct receipt of Income Support, universal credit, Personal Independence Payments or are disabled and in receipt of both Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance
• Students who are economically or socially disadvantaged and at risk of not taking up or continuing in their education. This group includes students with physical or other disabilities, medical conditions and/or learning difficulties
• Students who have been in care, on probation, are young parents or are otherwise considered at risk
• Students who are asylum seekers
• Students who are refugees (who will have access to 16-19 Bursary Funding if they are in receipt of supportive evidence from DWP)
• Students who are lone parents
• Students are in receipt of FSM

For more information please click on the link below (application forms available from the Sixth Form hub):