New Information
Higher Education Bursary funding update
New regulations about bursaries came into effect on 17 March 2011, which means that if you are a care leaver doing a higher education course you will receive a £2000 bursary.
What’s a bursary?
The bursary is a total payment of £2000 for the whole course and not per year. The money will come from your local authority. This is not a loan and you will not have to pay it back and it is in addition to any student loans or grants you may receive.
What is Higher Education?
It’s important to remember that this is for higher education courses and not further education.
A higher education course is:
- A first degree.
- A Diploma of Higher Education course.
- A Higher National Diploma of the Business and Technician Education Council course or the Scottish Qualification Authority.
- An initial training of teachers course.
- A further training course for youth and community workers.
- A course in preparation for a professional examination at a higher level.
The course will need to be at least two academic years long as a full time course or part time equivalent.
How will it be paid?
This money can be paid all at once or in instalments and you should have a say in how you want it to be paid.
The whole amount or the first instalment must be paid by 31 December of your first year, or no later than three months after the start of your course. The final instalment must be paid before the end of the course, or not more than four weeks after the start of the fourth year of the course, whichever is the earliest.
Want to find out more?
Ask your personal advisor or social worker or ring our free helpline on 0808 801 1000.
Or you can click here to see the whole regulations document.