Hull Training and Adult Education receive allocations of funds from the Department for Education to support eligible students to meet the costs of participating in education. Hull Training and Adult Education sets its criteria for eligibility to bursary funding in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Department for Education. Eligible students will be required to show supporting evidence that they meet the required criteria. In certain exceptional circumstances, Hull Training and Adult Education may award discretionary bursary awards.
Hull Training and Adult Education will provide information during recruitment processes on bursaries available and publish this Bursary Policy on the Hull Training and Adult Education website.
- Evidence of entitlement must be provided each academic year
- Bursary application forms are available to all learners
- Learners who have difficulty completing the bursary forms can speak to their tutor for support
- Apprentices are not eligible for a bursary award
- Should an applicant withdraw from their chosen course of study and decide to leave Hull Training and Adult Education, they may be required to return equipment supplied/bought through the bursary fund, if equipment isn't returned a charge up to the amount of the equipment bought may be applied
- Bursary notification letters/emails are sent to learners confirming their award from the bursary fund and how this will be provided
- No awards will be made until a learner is fully enrolled on their course (awards cannot be made when a learner’s enrolment status is “provisional”)
- All awards are subject to acceptable behaviour standards and meeting minimum attendance criteria as set out in the award letter
- If applications are not successful learners are notified by letter or email
- Learners have the right to appeal, if their application is refused or the award is withheld. Learners must submit any appeal in writing (via letter or email), within 10 working days of receiving notification of refusal. Additional information will be required to support any appeal
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility is based on age, residence and household income. Hull Training and Adult Education eligibility criteria is reviewed and updated annually based on the published guidelines for that year. Full eligibility criteria and maximum levels of support are included on Hull Training and Adult Education website. The 16-19 Bursary Fund and 19+ Discretionary Learner Support Fund are means-tested, applicants will be required to provide evidence to verify total household income. It is the responsibility of the learner and their carers or parents to make Hull Training and Adult Education aware of any change in circumstance which may affect their entitlement to the bursary funds.
16-19 Bursary Awards
Bursaries For Students In Defined Vulnerable Groups (“Vulnerable Learner Bursary”)
The bursary for vulnerable groups can pay up to £1,200 per year to a student participating on a study programme that lasts for 30 weeks or more if they need that amount of support. Students on study programmes of less than 30 weeks should be paid a pro-rata amount, as appropriate based on an assessment of their actual needs. Students should only receive the amount they actually need to participate, and we will not automatically award students £1,200 if they do not need the full amount. This includes young people who are -
- in Care
- care leavers
- receiving Income Support (IS), or Universal Credit (UC) 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
- receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payments (PIP) in their own right as well as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or UC in their own right
Learners will need to provide up to date evidence to confirm receipt of benefits, or a recent letter from Social Services confirming their care status.
The Vulnerable Learner Bursary is paid weekly; learners are issued with guidance notes to explain the procedure in case of authorised absences. Bank details will need to be provided.
16-18 Discretionary Bursary
Any learners with a household income of less than £35,000 will be eligible to apply for discretionary support. This may include assistance in terms of travel, trips, books and equipment. See further details on the next page.
Books and Equipment
- Learners aged 16 to 18 are eligible for support for essential equipment, this may include Uniform (PPE), books or kits
- Procedures are in place to recover equipment if the student leaves the course prior to completion
- Items requested by students that have not been verified as essential by the relevant course tutor will not be awarded
- Learners aged 16 to 18 maybe eligible for the provision of a Chromebook; if this supports their studies. Applications for Chromebooks are via the main bursary application form
- Learners can only receive one Chromebook during their studies
- Learners are expected to look after and maintain their Chromebooks and no replacements for lost or damaged equipment will be made without a written appeal (and approval)
- Learners are expected to follow ICT policies including the e-Safety policy
Travel assistance
- Travel assistance can include the cost of a bus pass up to the value of £20 per week. (the learner must live over 1.5 miles away from the training centre)
- Hull Training and Adult Education will require a full annual projection of travel costs for each learner.
- All learners or their carers/parents/guardians need to complete the 16 to 18 Discretionary Bursary application form and be eligible to receive the bursary.
- All learners or their carers/parents/guardians must complete a Bursary application form with evidence of their benefits for example, Personal Independence Payment (PIP)/Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and that have been declined travel assistance from their Local Authority. This form must be approved by the Senior Lead Performance Funding and Finance
Free Meals In Further Education
Students are entitled to free meals if they live in a household that is in receipt of -
- Income Support
- Income based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income related Employment Support Allowance
- Support under part IV of the immigration an Asylum Act 1999
- The Guaranteed 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 Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
- 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 pa
and
- they are aged 16 to 18
- 19 on the second year of a level 3 programme
- aged 19 to 25 with a valid EHCP at the beginning of the academic year
The Government provide free meals funding for days learners attend study or activity that is part of their course. (i.e., work experience) at £2.58 per meal.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-meals-in-further-education-guide
Alternative arrangements will only be made for students who are studying off site (e.g. collaborative provision) or in exceptional cases.
Care To Learn (Childcare For Learners Under 20)
- Students aged under 20 at the start of the academic year need to apply for support with childcare costs through the” Care to Learn scheme “for up to four dependent children
- Students aged over 20 on 31 August 2024 can apply for support with childcare costs through the Discretionary Learner Support Fund / Advanced Learner Loans Bursary for up to four dependent children
- Where funding is awarded towards the cost of childcare with a registered provider. Funds will be paid to a third party only. The third party must be OFSTED registered
- Students must use their free childcare funding towards the cost of the childcare
- In order to be eligible for childcare funding students must have an approved bursary application, be active on their course, be enrolled on a full level qualification and have no other childcare support available
- The amount of funding available for childcare is limited