Financial Support

A student may be eligible for this bursary if the household income including benefits is less that £40,000 per annum.

Care to Learn (C2L) can help with childcare costs while you study.

Students may be eligible for support with childcare costs through the Care to Learn scheme and could receive funding of up to £180 per child per week paid directly to the chosen childcare provider. Students can get Care to Learn if all the following apply:

• they are a parent under the age of 20 at the start of their course
• they are the main carer for their child
• they live in England
• they are a British citizen or have a legal right to live and study in England
• they are studying at college on a qualifying course
• their childcare provider qualifies.

Further information on Care to Learn is available from:

Any award granted will be based on an assessment of actual participation needs and costs. Proof of income or hardship will be asked for, and awards are dependent upon available funds. Funds are limited and cannot be guaranteed.

Both bursaries are subject to satisfactory attendance and behaviour as outlined in the Student Handbook.

Students will be able to apply once they have their student ID, badge and email account. These are provided during the induction period.

When your application has been assessed, you will be informed of the outcome in writing via email. If approved, details of what support is available will be included in the approval letter.

If you consider that you are eligible to apply for support from the 16-19 Bursary, please complete the application below on Pay My Student.

If you require any further advice or guidance, questions can be emailed to [email protected]

Under the new national guidance, all current Free School Meal eligibility must now be rechecked annually.

From September 2026:

• Free School Meals will be available to all children in households receiving Universal Credit.
• Existing “transitional protection” arrangements will end.
• Schools and colleges must complete eligibility checks every year.
• Families will now need to reapply annually to continue receiving Free School Meals.

If your child is currently in receipt of Free School Meals, we are asking you to complete a new eligibility check using our Free School Meals portal. This will check their eligibility and continue to check this eligibility on your behalf, so you would not need to reapply in the future.

If you do not currently receive Free School Meals, we strongly encourage all families who receive Universal Credit, or who believe they may be eligible, to complete an application.

Completing the eligibility check helps to ensure your child continues to receive any support to which they are entitled. Even if your circumstances have not changed, we would strongly encourage you to complete the eligibility check through our portal.

Applying is quick and straightforward through our Free School Meals Portal. Simply click the link or scan the QR code below:

The College Store is stocked with items you may need to support your college studies. You can purchase items such as:

• Stationery
• Trips (which are a part of the course)
• Equipment loan (laptop, mathematical calculator)
• Books
• Enrichment
• Travel tickets (bursary students only)
• Printing top ups

The store is very easy to use

• You need to register (student only)
• Then you need to link your student account, you will need your 4-didgit admin number (this is on your Student App) and date of birth. This tells the store everything you are eligible to purchase
• Find your item(s), add them to your basket and check out
• Payment can be made by debit/credit card or by bursary funding, if your are eligible
• Await confirmation of your order and collection details, if applicable

If there is anything you need for your studies that is not currently on the store, please email [email protected] and we will try and add this for you.