Financial Support
16-19 Bursary Fund - Information for Students
1. What is the 16-19 Bursary Fund?
The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) was closed at the end of the 2011-12 academic year. The EMA has been replaced by a limited 16-19 Bursary Fund and the School has been allocated a proportion of this for the purpose of supporting financially disadvantaged young people taking up or continuing in post-16 education or training.
2. What is it for?
The 16-19 Bursary is a limited fund made available for supporting eligible young people with the costs of transport or educational visits.
3. Who is it for?
The 16-19 Bursary is targeted towards those young people considered most in need of financial support. The Government has identified a priority group of young people and have asked that Schools give priority to this group first and offer them a Vulnerable Bursary.
After this group has been considered, SupaJam expect to have an amount of funding available to other young people in need of financial support. SupaJam has set eligibility criteria to ensure the remaining funds go to those who are seen to need it most. Any young person who meets these eligibility criteria can apply for a Discretionary Bursary to help with their transport costs to and from SupaJam.
4. What is the eligibility criteria?
Please see our application form here.
5. Can I still apply if I don’t meet the eligibility criteria?
Yes, providing you meet the age and residency eligibility criteria. SupaJam is keeping back some of the available 16-19 Bursary Fund for exceptional circumstances for one-off payments or additional support.
6. How and when do I apply?
To apply, you must complete the 16-19 Bursary Fund Application Form (available at the bottom of this page and from Reception) and submit it to Charlotte O'Brien with the correct supporting evidence by the deadline. For students whose circumstances change during the year later applications will be considered.
You can apply for a Bursary at any point in the year but those applying before the date above will be given priority. Bursaries can only be awarded after this date if sufficient funds are available.
The Bursary scheme will close when the funds allocated have been used.
7. How much is the Bursary and how and when will it be paid?
Please see the application form here.
Further national information regarding the 16-19 Bursary Fund can be found here.
Free School Meals
If you are under 19 and in full-time education, you may be able to get Free Meals.
Please check if you are eligible by reading the information below:
Age
To be eligible to receive a Free Meal in the 2023 to 2024 academic year you must be aged 16 to 18 on 31 August 2023.
Students aged 19 or over are only eligible to receive a Free Meal if they are continuing on a study programme they began when they were aged 16 to 18 or have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Eligible benefits
You or your parents must be in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:
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Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
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Income Support
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Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
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Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
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Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
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The guarantee element of Pension Credit
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Child Tax Credit (provided you're not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
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Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
To apply, please do this https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/free-school-meals
You will need the following to complete your application:
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Your own name and date of birth
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Contact details
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National Insurance Number or National Asylum Seekers Number
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Child's name and date of birth
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School your child is attending/will attend.
If your application is successful, you will receive £3.50 each day you attend college to purchase lunch. We will require you to give us a receipt for our records.
For more details, please see our Policy page.