At Canterbury College we want all our students to be successful and enjoy their time at College. We also know that some students are concerned about the costs of studying and travelling to college.
That’s why we’re making it easy for students to study and travel with a new scheme where our students can apply for free bus passes during the autumn term or financial help with rail passes and KCC travel cards. You can also apply for help with the costs of childcare, levies and equipment for your course.
Naturally, certain eligibility criteria apply so please see below for full details about all the forms of financial help available to our students. All the Government Subsidised Further Education courses at the College are free of charge if you are aged 16-18.
Please contact the SIC for help with funding outside of this criteria and for details on the financial support available for these courses or look at www.dfes.gov.uk for more information.
General Eligibility Criteria for Funding Support
- You must be enrolled on a Further Education course of at least 6 consecutive weeks duration and totalling at least 12 guided learning hours per week.
- Funding support is available to FE students who may have difficulty attending or completing their course because of financial circumstances.
- Funding is limited and allocated to eligible students on a first come, first served basis.
- Funding may be reclaimed, reduced or withdrawn if attendance or conduct is not satisfactory.
- Students in receipt of some benefits, such as Income Support or Housing Benefit, must declare any support received to the DWP.
- Funding is not available for field trips, course fees, registration fees, payments to external bodies, mileage or childcare for students age 16-19.
- Childcare for students under 19 should apply through Care to Learn for support.
- HE students can apply to their ‘parent’ university for support through their Access to Learning Fund. Forms are available from the Student Information Centre.
- Funding support, including Childcare, is limited to a maximum of £5000 per student per year.
EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance)
If you started your course in 2009-10, you will continue to receive the same level of payments until the end of the 2011-12 year. Please take your new EMA Notice of Entitlement form to the Student Funding team when you enrol.
If you started your course last September (2010) and currently qualify for £30 per week payments, you will receive £20 per week until the end of the next academic year 2011/12. Please take your new EMA Notice of Entitlement form to the Student Funding team when you enrol.If you were receiving EMA of £10 or £20 you are not eligible for EMA in 2011/12.
EMA will contact eligible students with a new Notice of Entitlement for 2011/12. You should bring this with you when you enrol and complete a new Learning Agreement with the Student Funding Team. Contact EMA on 0800 121 8989 with your queries.
ALG (Adult Learning Grant)
ALG for eligible students 19+ who are currently receiving ALG and progressing to the next year of their qualification will continue during 2011/12. Funding will not be provided for those enrolled on a learning programme different to that on which they were enrolled during 2010/11.
Existing ALG recipients will receive a Notice of Entitlement letter from ALG which you should present to the Funding Team when you enrol. They will confirm your eligibility. Contact ALG on 0800 121 8989 with your queries.
Student Travel Support Scheme
Students under 19 should apply before 31 July to Kent County Council for a Travel Pass if you live more than 3 miles from College. Contact KCC Travel on 01303 224325or go to kent.gov.uk and search for College Travel. If you live in the Medway towns contact Medway Council on 01634 332627 for information on their travel scheme.
The Student Information Centre at the College can help you with your Travel Pass application. If you are not eligible for free travel or if paying for travel is a hardship or if you have applied but not yet received your Travel Pass you can apply for Learner Support Funding to meet these costs.
The College can support eligible students who have not yet received their KCC Travel Pass with the costs of travel for up to 6 weeks. For more information contact the Student Funding Team on 01227 811197 or email lsf@canterburycollege.ac.uk.
If you are 19+ and travel costs are a problem you can apply for Learner Support Funding to meet these costs. You can download an STTS Application Form or contact the Student Funding Team on 01227 811197 or email lsf@canterburycollege.ac.uk.
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LSF (Discretionary Learner Support Fund)
Students can apply to the College’s Learner Support Fund for help with Childcare and travel and 80% of the costs of Levies, Essential Equipment and Books.
You may be eligible if you are not in receipt of EMA, up to £5000 or ALG, and your yearly Household income, including all wages, benefits and Tax credits is below £20,817.
If you are applying for support less than £500 total you will need to complete a dLSF application form and supply evidence of household income for the past 3 months in the form of original bank statements. You may be required to provide further proof of income if required buy the college.
If you are applying for support over £500 total you will need to supply further evidence of household income, including an original document from the provider of all benefits received if in receipt of benefit and a current Tax Credit Award Notice if in receipt of Tax Credits.
You can download an LSF Application Form or contact the Student Funding Team on 01227 811197 or email lsf@canterburycollege.ac.uk.
New 16-19 Bursary
The 16-19 Bursary is a new programme where support may be awarded to eligible students facing financial barriers to staying in education to help with the costs of travel, food or equipment.
Funding is limited to the value of £1200 per applicant maximum and allocated on a first come basis. Funding may be reduced, reclaimed or withdrawn if attendance, academic performance or conduct is not satisfactory.
To be eligible students must be aged under 19 on 31 August 2011, in Care or Care Leavers or in receipt of Income Support personally or in receipt of both Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Employment Support Allowance (ESA).
You cannot receive both EMA and the 16-19 Bursary.
You can download a 16-19 Bursary Application Form or contact the Student Funding Team on 01227 811197 or email lsf@canterburycollege.ac.uk.
Scholarships and Bursaries for Universities
There are a number of opportunities for scholarships and bursaries. Factors for eligibility might depend on the subject chosen, levels of exceptional achievement. hardship, talent and age.
Visit the Government Bursaries for more information or contact the individual Higher Education institution chosen for any bursaries available.
