16-19 Bursary and 16-19 Vulnerable Young Person Bursary

If you are aged between 16-18 and your household income is below £28,000 you may be eligible for help with kit/equipment, uniform and travel.  

If your household income is between £28,000 and £40,000, you may be eligible for help with travel only. 

16-19 Bursary  

To be eligible you must be:  

  • Resident in the UK for 3 years or more. 
  • Enrolled on a 16-19 study programme funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). 
  • Aged 16, 17, or 18 on 31st August.
  • Aged 19 or over and continuing a study programme you began aged 16 to 18 (19+ continued). 
  • Aged 19-24 on 31st August and have an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP). 
  • Have a household income of £28,000 or below. 

What you may receive 

If your household income is below £28,000 you will be entitled to the following: 

  • Travel to and from college which is usually in the form of a Stagecoach Travel Pass or a cash contribution if you are unable to access a Stagecoach bus route (only eligible if you live more than 2 miles away from College) 
  • Any essential equipment associated with your course e.g. uniform, kits, materials  
  • Support with costs associated with any educational trips 
  • Free meals (dependent on benefits) 

If your household income is between £28,000 and £40,000 you will be entitled to the following: 

  • Travel to and from college which is usually in the form of a Stagecoach Travel Pass or a cash contribution if you are unable to access a Stagecoach bus route (only eligible if you live more than 2 miles away from College).  If you travel to and from College by car you are not eligible to receive a bus pass. 

Proof of household income (wages/benefits) will be required as part of the application process  

16-19 Vulnerable Young Person Bursary 

To be eligible you must the criteria set out above as well as being:  

  • A young person in care 
  • Care leaver 
  • In receipt of income support or universal credit in your own name 
  • In receipt of employment support allowance (ESA) as well as Disability Living Allowance or personal independence payment (PIP) in your own name 

Young people who meet the above criteria will receive a combination of cash payments and support with direct course-related costs, meals and transport up to a total award value of £1,200.  

Students will be awarded the amount of support they need to participate based on an assessment of the types of costs they have and will not be automatically awarded £1,200. Students on a study programme lasting less than 30 weeks will be awarded a bursary on a pro-rata basis as appropriate based on an assessment of actual need. 

Free College Meals 

Chesterfield College can support eligible students aged 16-18 with free College meals for each day they are due to attend college.  You will receive an allowance of £3.50 per day which will be added to your student ID card. You can only use this at the College’s canteens. If you don’t attend a main college campus then you will receive a termly cash payment that will go into your bank account. 

To be eligible for free college meals you must be: 

  • Aged between 16 and 18 on 31st August or 19 to 24 on 31st August who are subject to an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP)  
  • In receipt of, or having parents who are in receipt of, one of the following benefits:  
  • Income Support 
  • Income-based Jobseekers Allowance 
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance 
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. 
  • The Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit. 
  • Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190 as assessed by HMRC. 
  • Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after someone stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit). 
  • Universal Credit with net earnings not exceeding the equivalent of £7,400 for each year (after tax and not including any other benefits).