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 2019/20’

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 and to download our Bursary Application Form, please click on the link below: