Full Time Students
If you’re under 19 years old and studying at Yeovil College, then your course is FREE. There may also be some additional financial assistance available to you, for example our 16-19 bursary fund. This section will help you understand how we may be able to support you. However, we always advise our future and current students to pop into reception and talk to us about their financial requirements.
ABOUT THE BURSARY
The college bursary is in place to help support the costs associated with accessing learning for students with lower household incomes. This includes help towards travel to college and compulsory materials and equipment deemed mandatory by the Curriculum area.
Funds are allocated through a means assessed system. Funds are provided by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).
Financial Support may be in the form of a contribution through a tiered system (please see below) and may not cover the full costs associated with your Study Programme and travel.
| ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME TIER | AWARD |
| £0 – £29,999 | Full award |
| £30,000 – £39,999 | 75% award |
| £40,000 – £50,000 | 50% award |
| £50,000+
|
No award |
Once the bursary evidence has been assessed, you’ll receive an awarding email confirming what percentage of contribution has been awarded.
If you have not been fully awarded, payment instalments can be made via WisePay. Any queries regarding this, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01935 423921.
EVIDENCE
We require household income evidence to support your bursary application. Please have this ready as soon as possible after submitting the application so we are able to assess your award as soon as possible in preparation for the start of the academic year.
Follow this link to see what we accept as ‘Gross Household Income Evidence’.
VULNERABLE GROUPS BURSARY
These are awarded if any one of the following categories applies to you. You may be eligible for a Vulnerable Groups Bursary Award:
- Children in Care or Care Leaver.
- Aged 16-19 students in receipt of Income Support or Universal Credit in their own name.
- Students in receipt of Employment Support Allowance (ESA)/Universal Credit and Disability Living Allowance (DLA)/Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in their own name. Learners must be in receipt of both benefits to qualify.
16-19 BURSARY
Students aged 16-19 can apply for the below financial support if their household income falls below £50,000. This will be assessed by the College and evidence of income will be requested once your application has been processed.
- Yeovil College Bus ticket support (£650 for the academic year)
- Public Transport (Contributed monthly)
- SEN Transport
- Kit Uniform and Equipment (Deemed mandatory by CAM)
- Loaned Laptop
- Childcare (19+ only)
CARE TO LEARN
If you are a student who is aged under 20 at the start of your course and you are a parent, you may be eligible with help towards the cost of your childcare through the Care to Learn scheme. For further information, please contact the Care to Learn helpline on 0800 121 8989 or visit www.gov.uk/care-to-learn.
HOW DO I APPLY?
An online application form will be emailed to all course applicants (including parents if under 19) nearer to the Summer. Please complete this form and have the evidence ready for when we contact you requesting this.
If you’re unable to complete the application electronically, please pop into the college’s Main Reception for a paper copy and if possible, have evidence to hand for this. We can take photocopies if needed.
Your application will be processed and then you will be contacted to request and confirm the evidence that we will require to assess your application.
Please contact the team on 01935 423921 or email iZone@yeovil.ac.uk if you have any questions.
WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES?
It is your responsibility to:
- Adhere to the College’s Student Code of Conduct.
- Attend timetabled lessons for a minimum level of 90% each month. Should your attendance drop below 90% attendance, your financial support contribution will not be paid at the end of that month.
Free meals at College
The iZone team receive a government threshold for FSM which is substantially lower than the College bursary threshold therefor we must assess this differently using the evidence below:
You may be entitled to Free School Meals at College, if you are 16-18 and in receipt of, or have parents who are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee 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 (HMRC))
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after someone stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- UC with net earnings) not exceeding the equivalent of £7,400 pa after tax and not including any benefits you get).
Please be aware that households who receive both Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit are unfortunately not eligible.
If you are awarded Free School Meals, you will be allocated £4 a day onto your Student ID card (everyone is required to scan their ID when purchasing food on site). This can be used in the canteen or Da Vinci restaurant. A hot or cold meal deal in the canteen is £4. What is not spent on the day will not carry over.
If you have any questions in regards to the bursary, please contact the iZone team by calling 01935 423921 or by emailing izone@yeovil.ac.uk