Bursary Information
The Government has replaced the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and the Discretionary Learner Support Fund (DLSF) with a new 16-19 Bursary Fund. The fund exists to help students to continue in education where they would otherwise be prohibited from doing so on financial grounds. Applications to the new Bursary Fund are subject to meeting eligibility criteria set by the school.
To be eligible to receive a bursary a young person must be aged under 19 on 31 August in the academic year in which they start their programme of study (where a young person turns 19 during their programme of study, they can continue to be supported to the end of the academic year in which they turn 19, or to the end of the programme of study, whichever is sooner). In general, bursaries will be paid only to young people who have reached the statutory school leaving age.
Both elements of the new bursary (Vulnerable Groups Bursary and Discretionary Bursary) will be targeted towards learners facing financial barriers to participation in post-16 studies with priority given to those learners from the families with the lowest household income.
The eligibility criteria are listed on the page below.
As a limited amount of funding is available, funding must be allocated to applicants from Category A initially, followed by Category B.
Students wishing to apply for a bursary must complete the application form, which will be available from the sixth form office, the finance office, and on the school website.
Category A Learner (Vulnerable Groups Bursary)
£1200 guaranteed bursary to vulnerable learners in the following groups:
- In Care.
- Care Leavers.
- In receipt of Income Support.
- Disabled students in receipt of Disability Living Allowance AND Employment Support Allowance.
This may be given in two forms – “in kind” or a financial payment made at the start of each term.
Category B Learner (Discretionary Bursary)
Distribution of this element of the funding is at the discretion of Wickersley School & Sports College. It will be awarded following a financial assessment and is subject to available funds.
Initially the fund will be targeted at young people whose family income is less than £16190. However all students are encouraged to apply if they feel they are facing financial difficulties regardless of income. If you would like to discuss you eligibility please contact the Finance Director.
Suggested Use of Bursary Funds:
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), where required and not supplied by the provider, Travel to and from school, Meals – limited to the cost of a free school meal, Materials including stationary and educational resources,Text books, Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks, for young people on care courses, Fee/travel to University open day visits – limited to a set amount revised each year, School field visits where these relate directly to the course, Professional membership fees where these relate directly to the course, Sport Activities where these relate directly to the course.
This may be given in two forms – “in kind” or a financial payment made at the start of each term.
