19+ Bursary

If you fall into one of the following categories, you may be eligible to apply for support from the 19+ Bursary:

• Joint Household or household with dependants - income less than £32,300
• Single Household – an income of between £9360 - £21,530

Please note, if your fees are not funded via the Adult Skills Fund or Advanced Learner Loan, you are not eligible to apply.

If you are eligible, what will you receive?

The support that you will be offered is specific to your household income.

If you have a household income of up to £25,000, you could receive the following support:

• FREE travel support (if you live 2 miles away from campus)
• FREE equipment and trips (equipment will need to be returned on completion of your course)
• FREE childcare support
• Laptop loan

If you have a household income of between £25,001 - £32,300, you could receive the following support:

• FREE travel support (if you live 3 miles away from campus)
• FREE equipment and trips (equipment will need to be returned on completion of your course)
• FREE childcare support

Student must be fully enrolled on their course to apply.

Students who applied for support in 2024/25 via PayMyStudent and received support:

• Step 1: Log into your PayMyStudent account.
• Step 2: Select Further Education Questions.
• Step 3: Complete all questions, upload all required evidence, read T&Cs and then sign and submit form.

New Students or Students who did not receive a bursary in 24/25:

• Step 1: Complete the Multi-Factor Authentication process before registering for a PayMyStudent account (link to PMS webpage) (Students will be able to complete this process 6 hours after enrolling).
• Step 2: Register for a PayMyStudent account using the Student ID number, and date of birth. Activate the account by clicking on the activation link sent to Student Email.
• Step 3: Log into your account.
• Step 4: Select Further Education Questions.
• Step 5: Complete all questions, upload all required evidence, read T&Cs and then sign and submit form.

West Lancashire College Online Student Portal (paymystudent.com)

We have also created the following video to show you exactly how to create an account and submit an application.

You may be eligible to receive travel support through your local authority. Please enquire directly with your local authority to see if you are eligible for travel support before applying for Learner Support Funds.

For those learners who cannot travel on the college burs service you may be eligible for a travel pass if you live more than 2 or 3 miles away from campus (household income criteria dependent). On application, you will be assessed for the most appropriate travel pass, and in some circumstances it may be deemed more suitable for you to receive a train support payment. This decision will be made by NCG and is non-negotiable. Where cash payments are awarded, students MUST retain all travel receipts and submit them in line with a submission schedule or they will not be eligible to receive payments. 

If you are travelling to West Lancashire College using your own vehicle you will not be able to apply for alternative support nor will West Lancashire College, be able to reimburse fuel costs.

Your application may take up to four weeks to be processed, as we require sufficient verification of attendance from college registers, and time for the travel companies to process a travel support request.

You are responsible for any travel costs until your support is in place. Please be aware that your total travel cost may not be covered.

You will be able to access to items that Course leaders have identified are essential to your study programme. Equipment will need to be returned on completion of your course.

Some courses may also have compulsory trips designed to enhance your learning experience, you may have access to funding which supports you to attend these trips.

If you are aged 20+, studying on an accredited pathway course and the legal guardian of a child who requires childcare whilst you study, you may be eligible to receive support towards your childcare costs to cover your timetable so that you can fully participate on your course.

The childcare costs will be paid directly to the childcare provider, who would require an Ofsted Report, and be graded as ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’.

Please be aware, if you have been referred or mandated to attend your course by Job Centre Plus, we cannot provide childcare support. If you are eligible to receive free childcare hours (15/30) you must use these in the first instance, any hours not covered we may be able to support. Further information on free childcare hours can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs