16-19 Bursary
The Government funds a bursary scheme to help the most vulnerable 16-19 year olds in full-time education.
The scheme is made up of two parts:
- A payment of £1,200 to a small group of the most vulnerable students and
- A discretionary fund to be distributed according to school policy.
Qualification criteria for a vulnerable student bursary:
Students in Years 12 and 13 who will receive a vulnerable student £1200 bursary for the
academic year September 2021 to July 2022 must fulfil at least one of the following criteria:
- Students in care
- Students leaving care
- Students receiving Income Support, or Universal Credit because they are financially supporting themselves or financially supporting themselves and someone who is dependent on them and living with them such as a child or partner
- Students receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in their own right as well as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit in their own right
Evidence of eligibility will be required for the vulnerable student bursary, for example, a letter detailing the entitlement benefits or written confirmation of current or previous looked after status.
Qualification criteria for a discretionary bursary:
To be eligible for a discretionary bursary for the academic year September 2021 to July 2022, students in Years 12 and 13 must fulfil at least one of the following criteria:
- Be in receipt of Free School Meals – parents / carers who are in receipt of any of the following benefits are urged to register for Free School Meals (online at www.hertsdirect.org/freeschoolmeals) for their children so that they can qualify for the bursary:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (as long as you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and you don’t get more than £16,190 a year)
- Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
- Universal Credit (with annual earned income of no more than £7,400 after tax and not including any benefits you get).
- Be able to demonstrate unexpected need due to change in financial circumstances.
Entitlement Expectations
Students eligible for the 16-19 Bursary must meet the criterion of 100% attendance unless the absence is authorised by the school, as set out in the school’s attendance policy. If this criterion is not met, then payment will be forfeit for the whole period of unauthorised absence.
Application
Students who believe they are entitled to a bursary should apply in writing to the Finance Office, stating which type of bursary and providing evidence of the qualifying criteria.
For a copy of our 16-19 Bursary Policy, please refer to our Policies by clicking here
Download the 16-19 Bursary Letter and Application Form, and view our Tuition Fund Statement here:
