Financial support
Adult Bursary Fund
The Adult Bursary Fund aims to help students aged 19 and over on 31 August 2024 with a specific financial hardship preventing them from taking part or continuing in learning. It has three elements:
19+ Discretionary Bursary
Advanced Student Loans Bursary
20+ Childcare Bursary
Students aged 19 or over, on a FE or Loans-funded course, and facing financial hardship, could get help to pay for additional course-related such as travel costs, accommodation, materials and equipment, a laptop and Wi-Fi, childcare with an Ofsted-registered childcare provider.
Childcare
Students aged 20 and over can apply for help with childcare not covered by the free government funding for children aged 2,3 and 4, as well as wrap around childcare for children in full-time education. Proof of dependency and legal guardianship will be required with every application for childcare support.
Honeypot Nursery
The college operates an internal nursery, Honeypot Nursery, which can provide childcare to students for timetabled study time. Students will have to apply to Honeypot Nursery direct for a childcare place. Once a place has been agreed, the student can apply for financial support towards their childcare costs.
External Childcare Providers
Students who wish to use an external childcare provider will be required to submit their childcare contract along with a signed and dated External Childcare Provider Form. Eligible students will be sent the form following a successful bursary application.
Course Fees
Before you apply for a bursary for help with your course fees (tuition and exam/registration fees), please contact the Admissions Team on 023 9238 3131 to find out whether you qualify for fee remission for your course.
Eligibility can depend on several factors including:
- Your age when you start the course.
- Any qualifications that you already have.
- The level of qualification you are planning to study.
- Whether or not you are in receipt of certain ‘out of work’ benefits.
- What you are planning to do when you have completed your course.
Please be prepared to answer questions of this nature if you are asking about fee remission.
If you are not eligible for fee remission, then you will be responsible for paying your course fees in full.
Course fees owed by the student are to be paid to the college. Students who are eligible for a bursary will be invoiced for their contribution and are required to make a payment to the college, while bursary funds will be transferred to the college on behalf of the student.
For example, if the fees owed by a student are £800 and the student is eligible for a 50% bursary towards their course fees, they will be required to pay £400 to the college, and £400 will be transferred as bursary funds to cover the balance on behalf of the student.
The table below shows the required proof of household income to attach to your application, as this is an assessment of your household income, so you will need to give details for all adults in your household.
| Fund | Income threshold | Household Income Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 19+ Discretionary Hardship or Advanced Student Loans Bursary | Household income Up to £35,000 |
|
| 20+ Childcare Bursary | Household income Up to £35,000 |
|
How to apply!
Bursary Application Process
To make an application for financial support in 2024/25, students can either apply online by completing an application on the online bursary portal called Pay My Student or download a copy of the Bursary Application Form.
Alternatively, you can request a paper copy from us by calling 023 9238 3131 or emailing info@copc.ac.uk and we will post one to you.
Please note, you will need your student number to be able to make an application via Pay My Student. New students can find this on their enrolment letter, existing students should use their existing student number.
Students will need to apply as soon as possible, as there is no guarantee that funds will be available even though they might fit the eligibility criteria. (This does not apply to the 16-19 Vulnerable Bursary).
Appeals
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your application and would like to appeal this decision, please refer to our appeal policy.
Bursary Policy and Guidance
Please find links to relevant polices below:
