Grants and allowances
16-19 Bursary Fund
The 16-19 Bursary Fund helps young people aged 16 to 19 to continue in education, where they might otherwise struggle for financial reasons. It is made up of two parts:
- bursaries of £1,200 a year to the most vulnerable young people
- a discretionary fund for schools, colleges, academies, training providers and local authorities (providers) to distribute to other students who face genuine barriers to participation
Young people in the defined vulnerable groups can receive bursaries of £1,200 a year. This group is made up of:
- children in care
- care leavers
- those on income support
- those in receipt of both Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Providers can distribute the discretionary funds to support any student who faces genuine financial barriers to participation such as costs of transport, food or equipment. Providers have the freedom to decide the scale and frequency of bursary payments.
We expect providers to make receipt of the bursary conditional on students meeting agreed standards, for example, behaviour and attendance.
The 16-19 Bursary Fund is administered by providers. Young people should apply directly to their academy, school, college or other training provider for support from the scheme.
Student finance
Find out more about the various grants available on the government's website.
