Financial Support

Not sure if you can afford to study? At BSDC, we’re doing all we can to make learning accessible to everyone as we believe our learners should be able to enjoy their time at college without the worry of whether they can meet the costs incurred as a result of studying.

This academic year, applications can be made at two intervals in the academic year.

Applications for support during the 2023 to 2024 academic year will first open on Monday 12th June 2023, closing on Friday 29th September 2023. They will then reopen on Wednesday 3rd January 2024, and close again on Friday 1st March 2024.

• What can we help you with?

  We provide a range of bursaries and grants which can provide support for:

  • Travel (travel contributions, concessionary bus tickets or Cycle2College scheme) for those living more than 1.5 miles from their main campus

  • Equipment, uniform, work wear (including shoes and boots) - for information on the kit and uniform requirements for your chosen subject, please click here!

  • Art and design materials

  • Educational trips and visits

  • Text books and/ or revision guides

  • Childcare

  • Meals while you are at College - a continuation of School Free Meals for those eligible.

  • Emergency grants and loans for those experiencing unexpected financial crisis.

  • Additional support for those that are Looked After or in Care (LAC), Care Leavers (CL) or those aged 16-18 who may be living independently and in receipt of means tested benefits.

  • Examination and tuition fees (adult learners aged 19 or over only)

  • Professional memberships (adult learners aged 19 or over only)

  Please note that our grants and bursaries are discretionary and support is subject to the availability of funds and therefore cannot be guaranteed.

  We do not offer residential support or contributions towards accommodation costs.  

• What do we offer?

  We offer confidential information and advice to help you manage your money and apply for financial assistance, which includes:

  • Hardship and Childcare Funding

  • Enhanced Bursary for “vulnerable” learners aged 16 to 18

  • Discretionary Bursary for learners aged 16 to 18

  • Care to Learn for learners aged 16 to 18

  • Discretionary Adult Learner Support Fund (DALSf) for those aged 19 or over

  • Advanced Loans Bursary Fund (ALBf) for those funding studies using an Advanced Learner Loan only.

  Course Funding

  • Advanced Learner Loans (Further Education) 

  • Student Finance (Higher Education)

  We also promote and offer information, advice and guidance on a number of Burton Consolidated Charities (www.consolidatedcharityburton.org.uk) Higher Education Bursaries, Education Grants and Emergency Funds

• What about student discounts?

  We provide advice and guidance on student discount providers, including:

  • TOTUM 
  • UNiDAYS 
  • Student Beans

  Please note that you cannot apply for student discounts until you have enrolled at College.

• Our policies

  Learner Bursaries & Financial Support Policy

  To read and or download the College's Learner Bursaries & Financial Support Policy, please go to our Student Policies page.

  Learner Fees Policy

  To read and or download the College's Learner Fees Policy, please go to our Learner Fees page.

• Online resources

   The National Careers Service advisers can help identify where you might access this funding and for which courses. The National Careers Service can be contacted by calling 0800 100 900 if you wish to discuss this further or alternatively use web chat by visiting nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/webchat/chat. 

  If you are experiencing financial difficulties or crisis the Money Advice Service (moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en) or Step Change (stepchange.org) can provide free and impartial money advice and support on debt management.