Advanced learner loan bursary

The Bursary Funds cover up to 90% of childcare fees for each day the learner is attending college with the maximum amount being £300 per week per child.

Learners will be required to pay a 10% contribution towards the cost of the childcare.

Childcare support can be used to support the costs of any form of formal registered childcare. This includes nursery, crèche, and childminder or out of school hours place.

Childcare costs cannot be paid to people who are not Ofsted registered e.g. to friends or relatives.

All childcare costs will be paid directly to the registered person/organisation.

Childcare payments will normally only be made during term time, to cover sessions when the student is attending their course.

All Bursary funds are given on the understanding that a student:

• Is in receipt of an Advanced Learner Loan
• Has met the attendance criteria as laid out by the Attendance and Punctuality Policy and
• Is making good progress and
• Completes the course and
• There are still funds available

If any of the above criteria is not met then the student will be liable to pay back any awards made to them from the Bursary Fund.

All allocations are made subject to funds being available; as this is a finite fund there may be occasions when applications are reduced to allow fair allocations of the funds.

Appeals Procedure

Learners have the right to appeal against any decision made in connection with their Bursary Fund application.

Learners wishing to appeal will be able to do so online via their Pay My Student portal account should put the details of their concern in writing and send it to [email protected]. Appeals received by the College against a Bursary Fund allocation or decision will be heard by a panel. The result of this appeal will be given in writing within 10 working days of the receipt of the learner's appeal.

You can do this by logging onto your student account, using your student log in details on myCollege dashboard.

Click on the Apply to Bursary icon.

You will then be asked a series of questions and asked what you would like support with and you will be able to upload bursary evidence.

Once you have submitted your application, you will have an alert to upload bursary evidence.

To begin your bursary application, please click here.

Please note that completion of the application form does not guarantee funds. Learners must produce relevant income/benefit evidence. Learners’ attendance must also be in line with the criteria as laid out by the Attendance and Punctuality Policy and they must be making satisfactory progress. Funds are a finite amount and therefore on a first come, first served basis.

Means Tested Benefits

If you receive any of the benefits listed below, you will need to upload an official letter from the awarding organisation (e.g. Benefits Agency, The Pension Service). This needs to be dated within the last three months.

• Income Support
• Income based Job Seekers Allowance
• Employment Support Allowance (ESA - Income related)
• Pension Credits (Guarantee Credit Element)
• Housing/Council tax Benefit
• Working Tax Credit (with an annual income for the previous year showing on the award notice, as under £16,190)

Universal Credit

If you receive Universal Credit, you need to log on to your online Universal Credit account and go to your ‘Payments’ and click into your three most recent payment date. Please take a screenshot of the top of the page that has your name on it then scroll down and take a screenshot of your allocations and the section ‘What we take off (deductions)’, even if it has no deductions and send the three pieces of evidence to us. You can also download the full statements and upload them.

Tax Credits

If you are receiving Tax Credits, please submit your most recent Tax Credit Award Notice. We will need to see the whole of the front page that shows your name and address and the page that shows your income for the financial year. (This is normally on page 2 or 3). Please upload pictures of these two pieces of evidence.  

Employed

If you are Employed, we will need you to upload one of the following:

• Three of your most recent payslips.
• Your P60.
• Tax Credit Award Notice (see above for evidence required).

Self-employed

If you are self-employed, please upload evidence of your most recent tax return.