The 16 to 19 bursary

The 16 to 19 bursary fund is a scheme to help young people facing financial hardship to stay in full-time education or unwaged training.

The fund replaces the previous Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) scheme.

It is made up of two parts:

• a bursary worth at least £1,200 a year for the most vulnerable young people. This includes young people who are looked after or have left care, those who are on Income Support, and disabled young people getting both Employment and Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.
• a discretionary fund for schools and colleges to distribute, targeted at other students needing financial support to help them to stay in education or training. A bursary may be awarded to help with things like travel costs, food, books, equipment and so on. 

To qualify, you must be aged under 19 on 31 August in the year in which you start your course.

For the 2011 to 2012 academic year, funds will be distributed by your school, college or training provider, to whom you should apply.

There will also be transitional arrangements to help those who are part-way through their studies and are currently receiving EMA.

Students who first applied for EMA in 2010 to 2011 who were in receipt of the maximum weekly EMA payment of £30 will be eligible for £20 for each week they are in education or training until the end of the 2011 to 2012 academic year.

Students who successfully applied for EMA payments of £10 or £20 in 2010 to 2011 are not eligible to continue to receive any further EMA payments in 2011 to 2012

Further information is available on the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund section of the Young People's Learning Agency website.

Note to parents

Remember that if your child remains in education or training after year 11, you can continue to get Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit for him or her until the child reaches age 20 or until his or her education or training ends (whichever is sooner).

To continue claiming, you must tell the Tax Credits Office and the Child Benefit Centre, otherwise your payments will stop. If your payments have already stopped, or if your child has returned to education or training, remember to notify these offices so that your payments can be reinstated.

If you would like to check whether you are missing out on benefits or tax credits, contact the Royal Borough's Welfare Rights team for a free benefits check.