Students aged 16-18
The Vulnerable Bursary is a fund to help students from vulnerable groups with the costs associated with participating at College.
- Who can apply?
Students from the following nominated groups may be eligible to apply for the bursary:
- Young people in care
- Care leavers (those who are engaged with the Local Authority ‘Leaving Care’ team)
- Young people in receipt of Income Support (IS) and Universal Credit (UC) in their own right, with their own tenancy agreement
- Young people in receipt of Employment Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit (UC) and who are also in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payments (PIP) with their own tenancy agreement.
Eligibility does not guarantee that a full award will be made. All applications are confidential.
- Who cannot apply?
You will not be eligible for assistance if you are:
- Under 16 years old on 31 August 2025
- Over 19 years old on 31 August 2025*
- Not in one of the groups listed above
*If you are over 19 and have an EHCP (Education, Health & Care Plan), you can still apply. Please contact
applications@midkent.ac.uk if you think you have an EHCP. - What can the Vulnerable Bursary help with?
Materials
The Vulnerable Bursary can be used to purchase essential kit, equipment, uniform, compulsory UK trips that are essential to your study programme, books and food. Where possible the College will purchase these materials on the student’s behalf.Travel
To be eligible for help with travel costs the student must be using public transport to travel to College and live more than 1.5 miles walking distance from the campus they attend.Free meals
A daily allowance will be added to your student ID badge for each day shown on your timetable.
- How do I apply?
In the first instance, please make an application online by clicking in the link below:
Vulnerable Bursary Application
On completion of the form, the student, or their parent/carer should then contact Student Financial Support in person or on 01634 383300 to make an appointment to discuss their requirements in private with a Student Financial Support Officer.
To access the bursary the student will need to present official proof of their status within one of the nominated groups, this could be:
- Letter from local authority confirming CLA/ Care Leaver status
- Letter from Job Centre Plus and DWP confirming your receipt of both ESA or Universal Credit and DLA or Personal Independence payments and tenancy agreement.
- Letter confirming current receipt of Income Support or Universal Credit and tenancy agreement.
- Additional evidence may be required.
The student may wish to be accompanied by a key worker or foster parent to support them during the discussion. Where the student does not nominate someone but the Student Financial Support team feels that the student would benefit from support they reserve the right to invite another member of staff from outside of the team to provide support.
During the discussion the student will work with the Student Financial Support Officer to decide how to allocate the bursary; priority will be given to travel, food and materials for the course and where possible payments will be made directly from the College to service providers on the student’s behalf.
- Attendance/Withdrawal
Part or the entire award will be dependent on College attendance; attendance will be monitored regularly. Failure to achieve 85% attendance throughout the year may result in some or all of the funding being withdrawn.
- Appeals
If you believe your application has been incorrectly assessed, you have the right to appeal. Your appeal must be in writing and should include details of the additional information you would like us to consider. Please address appeals to: Student Finance Support Team, MidKent College, Medway Campus, Medway Road, Gillingham, Kent ME7 1FN or to
student.finance@midkent.ac.uk
Contact a student financial support adviser byemail or phone 01634 383300.
