If you’re aged 16-19 and studying at a publicly funded school (not university) or on a training course, including work experience without payment, you can apply for this bursary fund.

Those aged over 19 can still access support, known as a ‘continuer’. How much you will receive depends on your circumstances, and factors like whether or not you receive household benefits. Your provider will decide how you receive the funds. Learn more about this option.

Learner support funding is for those aged 19 and over experiencing financial hardship, and it provides financial support for costs including accommodation, travel, materials, and childcare (where applicable, and you must be aged 20 or over for this).

Your learning provider will decide how much you receive, and how you receive it (i.e. paid directly to you, or paid as a loan which you must repay, or to someone else, i.e. a landlord). You can apply even if you receive other types of funding already — except student finance for a higher education course. Those already on community learning courses are also unable to apply. Find out more here.

If you’re studying an FE course far from your home address, you could apply for this type of funding, but this does not include the cost of boarding school fees.

The amount you’ll receive depends on your household income. Depending on your circumstances, you’ll apply for either RSS or RBF.

• Residential Bursary Fund (RBF) applies to those who are attending a specialist residential centre, which is too far to travel to each day, and your studies must be full time.
• Residential Supoort Scheme (RSS). RSS is for those who will not be studying at a specialist residential centre, attending a full time college course that falls within a set radius from your home address. The course should not be available within the set perimeter of your home address.

Find out more on these options.

The Care to Learn scheme applies to those who are caring for children while studying, and are aged under 20 on the course start date. The scheme applies to publicly funded courses in England, including schools and schools with sixth forms/sixth form colleges. Find out more.

If you are studying at one of the 17 registered private dance and drama schools, you may qualify for this category of funding. Eligibility includes that you are aged 16-23 showing promise of success within the industry. The amount you will receive depends on your individual circumstances.  Learn more about this option here.

The most up to date criteria for each category of FE funding can be found on the UK Government website: https://www.gov.uk/further-education-courses.

Once you have identified a suitable option, you will need to check that your course qualifies at your college of choice. Applications are completed online or via post.

Learner support funding is for those aged 19 and over experiencing financial hardship, and it provides financial support for costs including accommodation, travel, materials, and childcare (where applicable, and you must be aged 20 or over for this).

Your learning provider will decide how much you receive, and how you receive it (i.e. paid directly to you, or paid as a loan which you must repay, or to someone else, i.e. a landlord). You can apply even if you receive other types of funding already — except student finance for a higher education course. Those already on community learning courses are also unable to apply. Find out more here.

An employer can get involved in the provision of work-based education, with apprenticeships, traineeships, T level industry placements, and employing learners through SEND.

An apprenticeship is a blend of work and studies to gain invaluable first-hand experience and skills. The government supports employers who take apprentices on by covering some training and assessment costs.

The amount an employer receives depends on whether its annual pay bill is more than three million Euros and whether or not the employer pays the apprenticeship levy.

Traineeships involves education and training in a work space, helping young people to gain the skills necessary for an apprenticeship. The company is not responsible to pay the trainees, or to provide expenses, although they aren’t permitted from doing so.