16 to 19 Bursary Fund Guidance Notes 2026-2027
The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund provides financial support to help eligible Sixth Form students overcome financial barriers that might otherwise affect their ability to participate fully in education. Support is based on individual need and the actual costs associated with a student’s programme of study.
There are two types of bursary available:
- Bursaries for students in defined vulnerable groups, including eligible students who are in care, care leavers, or receiving certain benefits in their own right.
- Discretionary bursaries for students whose household circumstances create a financial barrier to participation in Sixth Form.
Nominated Bursary
This bursary will be awarded to:
*Young people aged 16 and 17 in care.
*Care leavers aged 16, 17 and 18.
*Young people aged 16, 17 and 18 who are in receipt of Universal Credit (for example, young people who are living independently of their parents, those whose parents have died and teenage parents)
Discretionary Bursary
Students may be eligible for a discretionary bursary where the household’s total annual take-home income is below £35,000. Awards are made on a sliding scale, with households on lower incomes normally eligible for a greater proportion of approved educational costs. The College may also consider applications from families experiencing exceptional financial hardship, even where their income is above the usual threshold.
When assessing an application, the College will consider the household’s financial circumstances, the evidence supplied and the actual financial need of the student.
What can the bursary support?
Depending on individual circumstances, support may be available towards costs including:
- travel to and from College, where the student lives over 2 miles from the college;
- bus or train passes;
- travel to work placements, university interviews or essential course-related activities;
- textbooks and revision guides;
- stationery, folders and calculators;
- subject-specific equipment, materials or clothing;
- DBS checks required for courses or placements;
- emergency meal support;
- laptops or iPads on loan where there is a demonstrated educational need.
Where possible, support will be provided in kind. For example, the College may purchase an item directly, arrange a travel pass, loan equipment or reimburse an agreed cost following the provision of a receipt. Direct cash payments are not normally made.
N.B. The level of support which the School can offer is dependent on the total funding received from the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and the number of applications it receives. The level of funding may vary during the academic year. There is no guarantee that all applications will be successful.
Applying for Support
Applications should be supported by appropriate evidence of household circumstances and income. This may include recent payslips, Universal Credit statements, benefit award letters, a P60, self-employment accounts, evidence of maintenance payments or other relevant financial information. Additional evidence may be requested where necessary. All information provided will be handled sensitively and confidentially.
Applications should ideally be submitted by the last Friday in September so that the College can assess the overall level of demand and allocate funding fairly. However, applications remain open throughout the academic year where circumstances change or new financial hardship arises.
Conditions of bursary support
Students receiving bursary support are expected to meet the expectations of the Sixth Form, including maintaining good attendance and punctuality, engaging appropriately with their programme of study and using any support only for the purpose for which it was awarded. The College normally expects attendance of at least 95%, although individual circumstances will always be considered.
How to apply
How to apply
For full details of eligibility, available support and how applications are assessed, please read our 16 to 19 Bursary Fund Policy.
To apply for support, please complete the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund Application Form – Printed Version or fill in the application form online using the link here16 to 19 Bursary Fund Application Form Online Version
If approved for support, please complete the student declaration form here using the 16 to 19 Bursary Student Declaration Form - Paper Version or fill in the online declaration using this link Student Declaration Online Form
If you have any questions about the Bursary Fund or require support completing an application, please contact the Sixth Form team at sixthform@ursuline.kent.sch.uk.
The government guidelines we must adhere to when administrating the 16-19 Bursary can be found here: