Student support
Our specialist staff will support you throughout your time at College, so that you can develop the skills and qualifications you need to move onto the next stage of your life.
Financial support
16-19 Bursary Fund
The 16-19 Bursary Fund aims to help 16-19 students overcome any financial barriers they may face to attend a sixth form or further education college (including students on Prince’s Trust and T Level courses) and has two elements:
Discretionary Awards
Available to students who face the most financial barriers to participation and aim to help towards things like food, books, travel, and in some exceptional circumstances hardship payments.
Vulnerable Bursary
Available for young people in the defined vulnerable groups: care, care leavers, young people in receipt of Income Support or Universal credit, and disabled young people in receipt of Employment Support Allowance who are also in receipt of Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments. If a student meets the criteria, they can get support of up to £1,200 per academic year.
Apprenticeships Care Leavers' Bursary
Care leavers who started their apprenticeship programme before the age of 25 can access an individual payment of £3000, which will be paid in instalments over the course of the first year of apprenticeship.
Free College Meals
Available for all 16-19 students who meet the eligibility criteria and for those who are aged 19-24 who have a Learning Difficulty Assessment (LDA) or Education Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan) and meet the other eligibility criteria. In 2024/25 the daily rate for free college meals is £4 per student per timetabled day in college, to be spent in the college canteen.
Childcare
The Care to Learn scheme can help young people under the age of 20 years with childcare costs. Students can get up to £180 per child per week and payments go directly to the childcare provider. Applications can be made on the government portal by visiting Apply for Care to Learn funding (education.gov.uk). For more information, please phone 0800 121 8989, email C2L@studentbursarysupport.co.uk, or visit direct.gov.uk/caretolearn.
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 to Care to Learn for financial support towards their childcare costs.
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).
Eligibility & Income Evidence
The table below shows the required proof of household income to attach to your application, as this is an assessment of household income, so you will need to give details for all adults in your household.
| Fund | Income threshold | Household Income Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Free College Meals (FCM) | In receipt of a Means-tested benefit |
|
| 16-19 Discretionary Hardship | Household income Up to £35,000 |
|
| 16-19 Vulnerable Group |
|
OR
|
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.
Policies and Guidance
Please find links to relevant polices below:
