The current proposals for supporting post 16 education are as follows:-
Bursaries
From September there will be a bursary support scheme available to help the most vulnerable 16-19 year olds continue in full time education.
The bursary support scheme will be managed by schools and colleges.
It will be made up of two parts:
- Guaranteed bursaries - the most vulnerable 16-19 year olds will be guaranteed of £1,200 a year. This includes young people in care, care leavers and young people on income support. Income support is paid to teenage parents, young people with severe disabilities, teenagers living away from their parents and young people whose parents have died.
- Discretionary bursaries - schools and colleges can award smaller bursaries to young people who would otherwise face genuine financial barriers to learning to help with travel costs, food or equipment. Schools and colleges can decide on the amount of the bursary; whether to pay it weekly, monthly or annually and whether to link it to attendance and behaviour.
For more information on this please go to the Department for Education website.
EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance)
EMA is not available to new applicants; however if you are currently part way through a course some transitional arrangements have been put in place to support you. For the most up to date information about those arrangements and details about provision which may replace EMA, please go to Directgov.
Child Benefit
Your parents or carers can continue to claim Child Benefit for you too, up to 20 provided you are in full time education or training which started before your 19th birthday.
Are you disabled?
If you have a physical disability you may be eligible for a grant from the Snowdon Awards Scheme.
Are you a teenage parent?
If you are under 20 and have a child and want to return to full time education, or stay in education you can apply for Care to Learn, which is designed to help pay for your childcare costs and travel costs linked to your childcare arrangements.
Dance and Drama
Dance and drama scholarships are available to support people aged over 16 who want to work in the performing arts to attend a private dance and drama school in England. The courses covered are professional:
- Acting
- Classical ballet
- Dance
- Music theatre
- Production skills.
The awards go towards covering tuition fees, find out more at Dance and Drama.
You can use the library in your Connexions Centre too as it has information for you to read or take away. Visit Money Weblinx for more useful websites.