Financial Support

There is means-tested financial support available for students studying A-levels and coming to LMaS. The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund helps LMaStudents overcome financial barriers that might prevent them from continuing their education. There are two types of bursaries available:

Bursaries for vulnerable groups: These are specific bursaries for students who fall into certain defined groups, as specified in the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund guide 2024-2025.
Discretionary bursaries: These are awarded by LMaS based on individual needs, following the guidelines set out in the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund guide 2024-2025.

The bursary award can be used to cover essential costs related to your education, such as buying necessary books, equipment, or covering travel expenses to school. It does not cover non-educational costs like living expenses or activities outside of your studies. It is not intended for learning support services, like counselling or mentoring, or for extracurricular activities that aren’t essential to your study programme.

The bursary award is almost always given in the form of support, for example money added to your account for buying food and refreshments onsite, or a monthly travel pass. The award is not given as a cash payment.

Bursaries for vulnerable groups at LMaS

If you're in one of the defined vulnerable groups and have a financial need, you can apply for a bursary award to help cover the costs of staying in education. This support is there because students in these groups might not have financial help from parents or carers and might need more assistance to keep going with their studies. To be eligible, you must fit into one of these vulnerable groups:

You’re in care
You’ve left care
You receive Universal Credit (UC) because you’re financially supporting yourself or someone who depends on you, like a child or partner
You receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payments (PIP) along with Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or UC in your own right.

You could get an award equivalent to £1,200 of support per year if that’s what you need. If your needs are lower, the amount will be adjusted accordingly. This bursary fund is here to ensure that financial barriers don’t get in the way of your education, so if you think you might be eligible, it’s worth applying.

Discretionary bursary awards
at LMaS

These awards help with the financial costs that can arise while you're studying. These can include:

Travel costs to and from LMaS
Essential books, equipment, or specialist clothing (like lab coats)
Contributions towards meals during the day
Costs for trips related to your course or future career
Visits to universities
Contributions towards work experience expenses.

How we decide who receives a bursary

We assess each application individually, considering your personal circumstances and actual financial needs. This means we don’t make the same awards to everyone in a particular income band or whose family receives certain benefits. We make sure we consider each student’s unique situation. We have to manage carefully the number and size of bursaries, always staying within our government-allocated budget.

Eligibility criteria

Household income is one of the criteria we use to assess an application. Each household is assessed taking into account all factors. We prioritise applications from students whose total household income in their family is less than £30,000 per year. Depending on demand and received funding, we might be able to make a contribution towards applications from students whose total household income in their family is between £30,000 and £35,000. To confirm your eligibility, we may ask for documents like a P60, wage slips, or benefits statements. When we assess your application, we also consider additional factors such as:

How far you have to travel to LMaS
What you need to participate fully in your courses
The number of dependent children or adults in your household
Any additional costs your family faces, such as supporting a family member with a disability.

If you think you might be eligible for a bursary award, we encourage you to apply. The 16-19 Bursary Fund is here to help ensure that financial barriers don’t stand in the way of your education.

How to apply for a bursary

Once you have enrolled, you fill in online application form at the start of Year 12. All applications are treated with complete confidentiality. Only the LMaStaff members who handle bursary applications and payments will be aware of your details.

Most applications are submitted at the beginning of the academic year in September, but you can apply throughout the year. However, there may be limited or no funds available for late applications, unless a hardship fund award is made in exceptional circumstances.

16-19 Bursary Policy

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