AIBU to ask for real life experiences of how 16-19 college bursaries are currently being paid?

5 replies

PintOfLatte · 20/09/2026 13:48

FOR THOSE WHOSE CHILD RECEIVES A 16-19 YRS COLLEGE BURSARY (FTE)

Quite a specific query here & posting in AIBU for quick replies as need to follow up with DD college this week.

If your child is 16-19 yrs old full-time at college, and receives a bursary due to being a low income household, how does your college provide it to the child?

As in, how does your DC physically access their bursary money.... is it paid straight into their bank weekly / do they need to ask college to purchase items on DC behalf / do they need to buy items themselves then seek reimbursement?

Additionally has anyone been allowed to use their DC bursary amount to put towards eg tech (thinking laptop) to support them working from home / working outside of college hours?

Thank you for any experiences.

OP posts:

Geneticsbunny · 20/09/2026 13:58

We applied through college and it was paid to them and they then paid for the council transport payment which is what we asked for it to cover.

shellyleppard · 20/09/2026 14:04

My sons was first paid in cash then directly into his bank account when he got one later

Original poster

PintOfLatte · 20/09/2026 14:35

Do you mind me asking when this was?

My DC was previously paid weekly into their bank acct.

But with no forewarning weve just been told the college has changed it as of Sept 26 'due to government guidelines'(1) and 'possible audit' so she can only now either buy stuff herself and submit a form with receipts every time for rreimbursement or she can ask the office to order her items every single time they will pay from her award balance (obvs this would remove her choice of actual item vs college ordering generic stuff).

College hasn't provided a list of eligible items, or details of the change in process. The form or reimbursement was only provided after my queryong wtf was going on & won't open on my phone to apply for reimbursement of books bought over summer for this term.

They are refusing to allow it to be used towards a laptop (I would pay the extra to get the spec she needs). College claims only stationary, books, uniform & trips are permitted. DC has no trips, no uniform.

I know of a student at a neighbouring college on low income bursary who used it towards a laptop (family paid the difference). Tho this was 2024-25.

I need to challenge college over the massive bureaucracy which will realistically prevent DC accessing her money & also wtf can't she use it towards a laptop, has anyone else recently? For her this is a massive barrier as we don't liklvecnear college & it's not practical or best for her organising her work to only do computer stuff mon-fri 9-5 at college in that environment & time slot.

I'm trying to see if this is DC college implementing the bursary in a really difficult way or genuinely they have to do it this way now.

I've read what I think are government guidelines & there is college discretion & flexibility to use it to best means to support overcoming the barriers for each individual child thru their poverty impact.

Surely not a one-size-fits-all senario. Kids barriers will be different & a tailored approach is allowed isn't it?

(1) I've searched & can see no change to government guidelines from the last year to this yr, have I missed it?

OP posts:

roaringdragon · 20/09/2026 15:25

The college shouldn’t just make a fixed payment into the account each week/month. The provider guide for 26/27 states:

“Both types of bursary funding (discretionary and defined vulnerable groups) are designed to help students overcome their individual financial barriers to participation and you must ensure funds go to those who genuinely need them. You must ensure you assess the actual needs of each student (in addition to eligibility) when agreeing the amount of bursary. This means that funding will reflect actual participation needs and is evidenced. You must not make flat or fixed rate payments to students that do not reflect the actual costs they face and that you do not have evidence to support. The requirement to assess actual needs each year still applies, even if you exercise discretion not to carry out household income assessments annually for the discretionary bursary.”

Laptops can be funded. However, the guidance also states “If you need to purchase books or equipment, such as a laptop or internet dongle that is necessary for the student to complete their study programme, you can use bursary funds. If equipment can or should be reused, you must specify that the student must return it once they have completed their study programme. If keeping equipment on campus is the best way of ensuring this happens, you have the right to set this as a condition.” So it may not be a laptop DD gets to take home.

stichguru · 20/09/2026 16:27

I don't have specific experience, but I do work in a college (not on bursaries). I think the issue is that they are not meant to allow bursaries to be spent on non college stuff, so they can't just issue you daughter with the funds, they have to actually track spends. However the no laptop is laughable.

Flip