Financial support for 16- to 19-year-olds in education

How to use this advice guide

Financial support is a complicated topic to understand. There are different types of support available for children and young people. Each has different criteria that the young person you care for must meet. This guide will hopefully help you:  

• understand what support your kinship child may be eligible for 
• understand what the benefits are 
• learn where to look for more information and how to apply for support 

Use the first section, Check your young person’s care status, to see what support is available. Then click on the types of support you want to read more about. You can also read through the whole guide, but some of the support might not be available to the young person you care for. 

Check your young person’s care status

See what support the child or young person you care for might be eligible for, based on whether or not they’ve been in the care of the local authority.

16 to 19 bursary for college students – England only

What is the 16 to 19 bursary fund?

Your kinship child might get help with costs relating to their education if they are 16 to 19 and: 

• are studying at a publicly-funded school or college – this means you don’t pay for them to go 
• are on a training course that includes unpaid work experience 

There are 2 types of bursary: 

• bursary for students in vulnerable groups 
• discretionary bursary 

The 16 to 19 bursary can pay for: 

• books 
• clothing 
• equipment 
• lunch for school or college 
• transport to school or college 

The government website tells you how much you can get from the bursary. 

Who can apply for the 16 to 19 bursary fund?

Bursary for students in vulnerable groups

Your kinship child can apply for the 16 to 19 bursary if they are one of the following: 

• looked after or recently looked after by the local authority 
• claiming Income Support or Universal Credit – it must be them receiving these benefits 
• receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in their name and one of: 
  • Employment and Support Allowance  
  • Universal Credit 
• receiving Personal Independence Payment in their name and one of: 
  • Employment and Support Allowance  
  • Universal Credit 

Discretionary bursary

If a student is in financial difficulty, some schools, colleges and training providers will also offer bursaries, even if they don’t meet these criteria.  

If the student is 19 and over

The young person you care for may also get a bursary if they either: 

• are a “19+ continuer” – continuing to study a course that they started when they were 16-18 
• have an EHC plan 

How to apply for the 16 to 19 bursary fund

Apply through the school, college or training provider. Speak to the tutor for the young person you care for or student services for information. 

Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) – Wales only

What is Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)?

The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is a weekly payment to help 16- to 18-year-olds in Wales with the costs of further education. Students get payment every 2 weeks, if they meet the attendance requirements of your school or college. 

Who is eligible for EMA?

Your kinship child can apply for EMA if they:  

• are aged 16 to 18 
• are a UK citizen living in Wales 
• meet the household income requirements 

Their course needs to be an academic or vocational course, up to and including Level 3. For example: 

• GCSEs 
• AS-levels or A-levels 
• BTEC, GNVQ, NVQ 
• Basic Skills courses 
• Independent Living Skills courses 

Their course doesn’t need to take place in Wales. But the school or college does need to be in the EMA scheme. 

If they are studying at school, the course must be full-time. If they are studying at college, the course must: 

• last at least 10 weeks 
• take at least 12 guided hours per week. 

To get EMA, you need to meet certain household income requirements. Use the Further Education calculator from Student Finance Wales to work out whether your kinship child is eligible. 

How and when to apply for EMA in Wales 

You need to apply for EMA in Wales through Student Finance Wales. You need to apply before their course starts. The deadline each year is 31 August. 

Find out how to apply (Student Finance Wales) 

Financial support for university

You might be able to get support to afford university costs. Universities offer different levels of support to kinship young people. When looking for universities, ask what support they have available.  

If the person you care for has already chosen a university, you can check Propel to see what the university may be able to offer. 

University bursaries, scholarships and grants

A bursary helps with living costs. A student may get a university bursary based on their background and personal circumstances. They are also means-tested. 

A scholarship helps with living costs or tuition costs. A student may get a university scholarship based on their talents in the area they want to study.  

A grant helps with living costs. Charities or trusts give them based on a student’s background, personal circumstances or hardship. Grants are non-repayable. 

You can get more information about applying for scholarships, bursaries and grants on the UCAS website.

Student finance

Many students apply for student finance to help with tuition and accommodation fees. If the young person you care for is independent of their birth parents, they might qualify for extra help. They may be independent if they meet any of these criteria: 

• they are estranged from their parents (they need to have evidence and confirm this with Student Finance England) – estranged can mean: 
  • they’ve not communicated with their birth parents in the year before 
  • they can’t contact or trace their parents  
• they have no living parents 
• they were looked after by the local authority for at least 3 months ending on or after their 16th birthday 

If the young person you care for is independent, student finance will calculate the amount they get on their own income. 

In many special guardianship order cases where the young person you care for was previously looked after by the local authority, they will qualify as independent and be eligible for extra help. 

Student Finance Wales has separate guidance for students studying in Wales. 

Further support for college and university students

Colleges and universities may also be able to support with extra payments. These may be in a lump sum or instalments. It could be money that you don’t have to pay back, or loans, which you do. 

Who is eligible for extra money from colleges and universities? 

The young person you care for might be eligible if they: 

• are from a low-income family 
• were previously in care, or a care leaver 
• are disabled 

How to apply for extra money from colleges and universities 

Contact the student services department at their university or college – they’ll make the decision. 

Subsidised transport for 16- to 19-year-olds 

The young person you care for may be able to get some support towards their travel to school, college or sixth form. Your local council will have information on this. They may give discounted bus passes or have subsidised travel schemes. But support is discretionary and varies by area. 

Care leaver support – England only 

Who gets care leaver support?

Care leaver support only applies to young people aged 16-25 who were looked after by the local authority after their 16th birthday.  

However, care leaver support is not usually given to those under a special guardianship order or child arrangements order. 

The government website has a tool you can use to understand what the young person you care for might qualify for. 

Higher education bursary

What is the higher education bursary?

The higher education bursary is money for the young person you care for to help towards fees for college or university in England. They don’t have to pay it back. They can spend it on: 

• accommodation 
• bills 
• books and stationery 
• travel costs 
• equipment 

Who is eligible for the higher education bursary

The bursary might be available to:  

• people aged 18 to 25 
• those that are looked after, or were previously looked after by the local authority after their 16th birthday 

Young people that are under a special guardianship order or child arrangements order cannot claim.  

Find out more about eligibility on the care leavers section of the government website.  

How to apply for the higher education bursary

Apply for the bursary through your local authority. You will need to show that the young person you care for has a place on a course, for example an offer letter from the college or university.

Help with training and education costs

The local authority might be able to support with costs like: 

• tuition fees 
• accommodation 
• travel or equipment expenses 

Who is eligible for help with training and education costs?

The local authority might review your situation if the young person you care for is: 

• aged 16 to 25 
• looked after, or was previously looked after by the local authority after their 16th birthday 

Young people that are under a special guardianship order cannot claim.  

Find out more about eligibility on the care leavers section of the government website. 

How to get help with training and education costs

Your local council or social worker should know what support your kinship young person can get and when. Contact them if you need any guidance.  

Care leavers bursary for apprenticeships

What is the care leavers bursary for apprenticeships?

The apprenticeship bursary is extra money for care leavers that want to do an apprenticeship. It’s paid during the first year of the apprenticeship by the training provider. 

Who is eligible for the apprenticeship bursary for care leavers?

The young person you care for might be able to get care leaver support. It’s given to people that:  

• are under 25 when they start 
• haven’t received the care leavers bursary before 
• are an eligible child, relevant child or former relevant child 

Read more about eligible, relevant and former relevant children on support for care experienced apprentices  

How to apply for the care leavers bursary for apprenticeships

The training provider for the young person you care for will apply for them.  

Charity grants

Turn2us is a national charity with an easy-to-use grant search, matching people with grants they may be eligible for. You don’t need to pay grants back. 

Support from Kinship

Here at Kinship, we offer a range of free support for all kinship carers, including:

• free online and in-person workshops
• online advice and information
• online and in-person peer support groups

To find services, information and support in your local area – including information about your local children’s services – use our Kinship Compass tool.

You can also contact the Kinship advice team for free, non-judgmental advice and information if you live in England or Wales.