Financial Support

The Student Bursary is money that has been allocated to College by the Government to assist 16-19 year old students who face financial difficulties to continue in full-time education. The Bursary fund is categorised as follows:-

A: Guaranteed Bursary

You are entitled to a guaranteed bursary of up to £1,200 per year if you are:- a young person in care, or a care leaver, or a young person in direct receipt of income support in your own right, or a disabled student in receipt of employment support plus personal independence payment allowance. Evidence will need to be provided.

B: Discretionary Bursary

If your household income is below £45,000 or you are in receipt of benefits you may be entitled to a bursary and also free College meals.  You will need to provide proof of household income or benefits.

Due to Significant changes in Guidance and eligibility criteria set by the Government this year, the College will be unable to request/complete continuation forms from Upper Sixth Students this year who were in receipt of Bursary /Free College Meals last year, even if your circumstances remain unchanged.

ALL students regardless of year, will need to complete a new application this year and upload your evidence to the Pay My Student Portal.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

As a guideline, any student who lives in the Winstanley College catchment area and whose family relies on benefit or income is less than £25,000 per year would be eligible to apply.

Further enquiries can be made by contacting:

upholland.foundation@winstanley.ac.uk

Up Holland Grammar School Education Foundation 

If students are eligible for bursary support and need to purchase an annual private coach pass, the full cost of the pass may be covered and will be arranged through Student Services.

Please still complete the private coach reservation process separately and indicate that you intend to apply for bursary support towards the cost of the pass. Your bursary application must then be completed separately through the College bursary process.

If you require other modes of transport to enable you to get to College such as other bus or rail networks, the College Bursary fund can support eligible students with those costs also. Please complete your bursary application stating what financial assistance you require.

From the 2026–2027 academic year, all students from households receiving Universal Credit are entitled to a free College meal, with transitional protections ending.

Eligibility

• Universal Credit recipients: All students whose households receive Universal Credit (UC) are automatically eligible for a free meal from the start of the 2026–2027 academic year
• Age criteria: Students must be enrolled in further education (FE) provision funded by the Department for Education (DfE). Typically, this includes students aged 16–18, and 19+ continuers who started their programme before turning 19 or have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan
• Important Update - Transitional protections: Any previous protections for students who received free meals before 2026–2027 end at the close of the 2025–2026 academic year. Students must meet the new UC-based eligibility criteria to continue receiving meals.

For this reason, the College cannot accept continuation forms from Lower Sixth Students transitioning to Upper Sixth Students. All Upper Sixth Students wishing to continue to receive Free College meals this year MUST complete a new application.

All Eligible Students will receive a daily allowance of £3.50. This may be enhanced to £6.00 per day for students who also qualify for discretionary bursary.

We have an electronic payment system so that students can discretely pay for their meal using their college ID badge. Please do apply if you think you qualify.

Your application will be assessed for both free college meals and the 16-19 bursary fund.

Care to Learn can help you with childcare costs while you study. You could receive up to £160 per week for each child. For more information and to make an application please visit: 

Care to Learn 

• extra financial support available in extenuating circumstances
• additional Bursary support for students requiring assistance towards curriculum essential trips
• small emergency loans to pay for lost bus/meal money
• loan equipment essential for completion of course work

16-19 Financial Support Guidance

EFA Funding Guidance 

Learner Support Service provider hotline – 0300 303 8610

16-19 Bursary Fund Queries – Email: 1619bursaryfund.EFA@education.gsi.gov.uk

Who will be eligible to apply for the Bursary Fund? 

Students aged 16–18 and 19+ continuers who started their programme before turning 19 or have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.

Will the Student Bursary be income assessed? 

Yes, the Student Bursary will be assessed on household income of the person financially responsible for the student and with whom they live.

If the student lives independently or claims Income Support in their own right, only the student’s income will be assessed.

What is Evidence of Income? 

Evidence will need to be provided of income i.e. P60, current working tax credit award notice (all pages universal tax credit awards for 3 months), Evidence of Universal Credit, Benefit letters from DWP. Applications will not be considered without valid evidence.

When can I apply? 

You can apply at any time throughout the year depending on your circumstances.

Will payments be backdated once I have applied? 

Payments will only be backdated if you apply before October half term.

How will you know if your application is successful? 

The College will write to all applicants informing them of the outcome of their application. This will outline the level of assistance they will receive.

How will payments be made? 

The College is able to provide you with Credit for Free Meals, print credit, Private College Transport passes and is able to procure certain educational resources on your behalf. Where the eligible students need to procure their own support, e.g. rail passes etc A BACS transfer needs to be paid to the student’s own bank account. A basic bank account (which students can open at age 16) allows BACS transfers and allows the student to withdraw money. More information on basic bank accounts can be found at British Bankers’ Association.

What to do if you are not happy with the decision regarding your application? 

Applicants are able to appeal against any decision made regarding their application. Appeals should be made in writing outlining reasons for the appeal and sent to the Finance Department at the College.

What do I do if I have changes in circumstances? 

You will be required to inform the Bursary Fund Administrator of any changes in your financial situation.

Data Protection  

Any data supplied will be protected by the Data Protection Act 1998/GDPR 2018.

Confidentiality 

Applications and evidence of income are only seen by staff involved in the delivery of the Student Bursary Scheme.