At Holy Cross College we offer a range of bursaries to students to support their studies at college. You can apply at any time throughout the year depending on your circumstances.
Link to 'Paymystudent':
https://holycross.paymystudent.com/
If you have any questions and queries regarding your application please contact the Bursary Team. We are available during Term Time, 8.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Thursday and to 1.30pm Friday on 0161 762 4500, or you can email us on bursary@holycross.ac.uk
WHAT IS A BURSARY?
A bursary is financial support that you can use to support your education at college. Depending upon eligibility, we may be able to support you with transport, meals, and weekly payment to cover other educational costs. Bursaries are reviewed each academic year and may change due to college funding and guidance from the ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency).
You can apply for a Bursary/Free College Meals once you have completed your enrolment at Holy Cross College. We recommend that you get your information ready in advance so that you can apply as soon as our system is live.
You should be aware of the date and time of your enrolment appointment. Most appointments are 24-25 August 2023. After you have enrolled, your Holy Cross login/email account will be generated and the login details will be made available to you through the Admissions Portal. After you have logged into your Holy Cross email and set up your password, you will be able to apply for Bursary/Free College Meals. This may take a few days from enrolment so please bear with us at this busy time.
Please note:
· You will need to have an electronic copy of all pages of your Universal Credit (UC) award or other benefits for the last 3 months, and/or proof of your household income e.g. last 3 months wage slips, or a copy of your most recent Self Assessment, as part of your application.
· You will need to upload proof of income and/or benefits which we have to keep as evidence of assessment of need and available for audit purposes.
· You will be able to upload this information onto our Paymystudent platform shortly after enrolment.
If your household circumstances change during the year, you can still apply to us for bursary or free meals at any time.
It can take a few days between submitting your bursary application and all supporting documentation needed, to receiving an outcome from your application (particularly at the start of the academic year). However, we will back date any bursary entitlement to the start of the Autumn Term. Your award will last for two years provided your circumstances do not change and as long as college funding and 16-19 Bursary Fund guidance remains the same. We will write to you in the summer term of Lower 6th to request confirmation if there has been a change in your circumstances or not.
We will assess your application based on need in one of the following categories A - D.
BURSARY A – VULNERABLE BURSARY
This is only available to specific vulnerable students.
What you may receive
Based upon need, you may qualify for a weekly payment and free college meals, up to £5 per day to cover a meal at lunch. (A free breakfast is available to every student enrolled at the college irrespective of financial circumstances).
Who is eligible?
To qualify, as a student, you must be:
· In care or a care leaver as defined in the 16-19 Bursary Fund guide 2023/2024 academic year.
· Receiving Income support or Universal Credit (UC) in your own right as a student.
· Receiving a Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence payment (PIP) as well as UC or Employment and Support Allowance in your own right as a student.
· You will need to upload proof of your benefits, as a student, onto Paymystudent shortly after enrolment.
BURSARY B - DISCRETIONARY
This is available if your family has a total household income below £16,190.
BURSARY C - DISCRETIONARY
This is available if your family has a total household income between £16,110 and £30,000.
BURSARY D – DISCRETIONARY
This is available if your family has a total household income between £30,001 and £40,000.
What you may receive
Exact amounts will depend on how many applicants are received within the academic year which can change from year to year. You will be notified of the category you have been assigned to and the weekly amount awarded through the MyView Portal. The college receives a finite
fund from the government each year which means depending on the number of applicants, payments may increase/decrease during the academic year.
You will need to upload proof of your benefits (all pages of your Universal Credit/Tax Credits Award and/or annual income as a family onto Paymystudent shortly after enrolment.
Who is eligible?
Students or their parents must be in receipt of one of the following benefits to qualify for guaranteed free college meals:
· Income Support
· Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
· Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
· Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
· The guarantee element of State Pension Credit
· Child Tax Credit (provided students and parents are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC))
· Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after someone stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit
· Universal Credit with net earnings not exceeding the equivalent of £7,400 for each year (after tax and not including any benefits they get)
Protected Free College Meals
This is available if a student provides evidence that they qualified for Free School Meals in Year 11 at high school.
What you may receive
· Based upon need you may qualify for a free lunch worth up to £5.00 per day.
Who is eligible?
· Families need to provide evidence that the student was eligible for free school meals at high school either as a letter from the school or from the Local Authority. A copy of your letter showing entitlement to free school meals must be uploaded with your bursary application onto Paymystudent. Transitional protection of free school meals is on an individual child basis.
You will need to upload evidence that your child qualified for free school meals at school onto Paymystudent shortly after enrolment.
ANSWERS TO OTHER FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS…
Q. When will I know if I will receive a bursary?
A. We will normally email you within approximately two weeks of receiving your fully completed application to confirm whether you qualify for financial support (it may be a little longer during busier periods)
Q. Weekly payments e.g. How are weekly bursary payments made?
A. Weekly payments can only be made into a bank account in the name of the student. Students therefore may need to open their own bank account if they do not have one already. We are not allowed to make cash payments to any students including asylum seeker students.
Q. How will I obtain Free College Meals when I am at college?
A. Free college meals are provided on the student’s ID badge when presented at the till. The daily value will be £5.00 for lunch. Students are encouraged to make healthy option choices for their meal(s). The badges will be activated after the induction days as soon as you have proved you qualify for Free Meals (uploading information).
Q. Transition to Year 13 e.g. How long will I receive Bursary or Free Meals for?
A. We can continue to pay your bursary or Free College Meals in the Upper 6th as long as you confirm to us that your circumstances have not changed. We will contact you in the summer term of Lower 6th to request confirmation of this. This is also dependent on any changes to guidance from the ESFA each academic year.
Q. Can you provide any other financial help while I am at college? What other funds are available and what other support is there?
A. The college may be able to loan you textbooks or computer equipment that you need for your course’s dependent upon need and availability.
A. The college will loan you protective equipment necessary for your course, eg lab coats, protective glasses etc.
A. The college has a hardship fund and may be able to help you with other equipment subject to need or with other costs such as attendance at interview or university open day, or trips and visits that are essential as part of your course.
A. Subject to funds, we may be able to help you with travel costs if you are not eligible for free travel to college
Q. What happens if my application is incomplete?
A. The college will contact you if your application is incomplete, if we receive no further update, we will withdraw the application after 8 weeks. If in future there are any changes in circumstances or the availability of evidence, please feel free to apply again.
Q. What if my application is turned down?
A. You have the right to appeal. You should put your case in writing and address it to the Assistant Principal (Students) at the college address. Any appeal must be made within seven working days of being advised of the decision.