Student Bursary Discretionary Learner Support Funding Guidance 2025 /2026
All funds are cash limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Student Learning Fund for 16-18 Year Olds
(Funded through City College Plymouth)
This fund provides financial or ‘in-kind’ help with a number of course-related costs to eligible students aged 16-18. The bursary can be used to help support travel, equipment, uniform, free College meals and other course-related costs.
Students on an Apprenticeship or Higher Education course will not be eligible.
If you are aged under 20 at the start date of your course you can apply for help with childcare costs through the Care to Learn (C-2-L) scheme – www.gov.uk/care-to-learn
- Applications will not be assessed if supporting evidence is not provided.
- You can apply for the Student Bursary 2025/2026 from August 2025, from this time applications may take up to 6 weeks to be fully processed.
- Awards are not backdated and only valid from Date of the assessment and confirmed by your award letter date
- Travel is awarded to students who live more than 3 miles from the Achievement Training sites, contribution travel support is calculated @ £0.45 per mile excluding 1st 3 miles
- Equipment reimbursement must be supported with a valid receipt emailed to studentlearningfund@cityply.ac.uk – providing your student ID & DOB & Postcode in the Subject bar to avoid any delays in payment
- City College reserves the right to ask for household income at any point within current year application to ensure eligibility
- Payments will be made from October 24th
Who can apply?
Eligible students must:
- be enrolled on a full or part-time study program funded by the Government
- be aged 16-18 as of 31 August 2025
- be aged 19 and returning to the second year of their course/study program
- be aged 19+ and have an Educational and Health Care Plan (EHCP)
- have good attendance
- fulfil normal UK residency rules
- have a household income of less than £40,000
16-18 Vulnerable Bursary
(Funded through City College Plymouth)
Eligible students could be entitled to up to £1,200 in-kind support per academic year (pro-rata depending on how long your study programme is).
Please note that each application is assessed on an individual financial assessment needs to access education, students are not automatically entitled and you are not guaranteed to receive the funding.
To be eligible you must be aged 16-18 as of the 31 August 2025 and in one of the following categories:
Who can apply?
Eligible students must:
- In receipt of Income Support or Universal Credit – as they are financially supporting themselves and/or someone who is dependent on them and living with them such as a child
- LAC or PLAC (including unaccompanied asylum-seeking students)
- In receipt of both Disability Living Allowance/PIP (Personal Independence Payment) AND Employment Support Allowance
- Applications will not be assessed if supporting evidence is not provided.
- You can apply for the Student Bursary 2025/2026 from August 2025, from this time applications may take up to 6 weeks to be fully processed.
- Awards are not backdated and only valid from Date of the assessment and confirmed by your award letter date
- Travel is awarded to students who live more than 3 miles from the Achievement Training sites, contribution travel support is calculated @ £0.45 per mile excluding 1st 3 miles
- Equipment reimbursement must be supported with a valid receipt emailed to studentlearningfund@cityply.ac.uk – providing your student ID & DOB & Postcode in the Subject bar to avoid any delays in payment
- City College reserves the right to ask for household income at any point within current year application to ensure eligibilityPayments will be made from October 24th
You must be fully enrolled and actively attending your study programme and have submitted a 2025 / 2026 Student Bursary application form (along with evidence as detailed on the application form) before you can receive any payments
www.cityplym.ac.uk/college-life/student-support/funding
Student Learning Fund for 19+ Year Olds
(Funded through City College Plymouth)
This fund provides ‘in-kind’ help to eligible students aged 19+ (as of 31 August 2025) with a number of course-related costs, such as, equipment, uniform, travel, meal support, IT equipment and childcare*.
Students on an Apprenticeship or Higher Education course will not be eligible.
If you are aged under 20 at the start date of your course you can apply for help with childcare costs you can apply through the Student Learning Fund
Who can apply?
Eligible students must:
- be enrolled on a full or part-time course funded by the Government
- be aged 19 or over as of 31 August 2025
- be aged 19 or over and be fully approved for the maximum Advanced Learner Loan
- have good attendance
- have a household income of less than £50,000
How do I apply?
- Application forms will not be assessed if supporting evidence is not provided.
- You can apply for the Student Bursary 2025/2026 from August 2025, from this time applications may take up to 6 weeks to be fully processed.
- Awards are not backdated and only valid from Date of the assessment and confirmed by your award letter date
- For childcare costs to be fully backdated you MUST apply within 28 days of your course starting date. Childcare application forms received after this time will only be backdated to the Monday of the week the application form was received by the Student Funding Team.
- Travel is awarded to students who live more than 3 miles from Campus, contribution travel support is calculated @ £0.45 per mile excluding 1st 3 miles
- Equipment reimbursement must be supported with a valid receipt emailed to studentlearningfund@cityply.ac.uk – providing your student ID & DOB & Postcode in the Subject bar to avoid any delays in payment
- City College reserves the right to ask for household income at any point within current year application to ensure eligibility
- Payments will be made from October 24th
Appeals to City College Plymouth Student Funding
Further Student Funding Conditions
If you enrol and your application is unsuccessful, you will have to pay your course-related costs in full.
If you withdraw from your course/study program, you will have to pay for this in full and your bus pass will be deactivated with immediate effect. There will be no refund of any bus pass payment.
You must supply all necessary evidence with your application. Your application cannot be assessed without it.
If you are on a two year study program, you will need to make a new application for each academic year.
You will not receive funding if you have outstanding debts to the College or your household income is above the rates stated.
All student funding schemes are closely monitored and reviewed accordingly, therefore all schemes may be subject to change at any point throughout the academic year.
You will not receive funding if you have outstanding debts to the College or Achievement Training or your household income is above the rates stated.
All student funding schemes are closely monitored and reviewed; accordingly, therefore all schemes may be subject to change at any point throughout the academic year.
To see City College Plymouth conditions please visit:
Student Learning Fund Guidance 2025-26
Adult Learner Loan
(Funded through Achievement Training Only)
A learner must be aged 19 or over on 31 August 2025 and in receipt of an advanced learning loan and not enrolled on an apprenticeship or HE course. If you require this application form in a different format or need help completing it please call 01752 202263 or email: dls@achievementtraining.com
This fund is limited so we advise early application. For full details of the learner funding information please refer to 2025/26 guidance, which can be requested from the Learner Support office or go to www.achievementtraining.com/learner-life
What financial support is on offer?
This fund provides financial or ‘in-kind’; help with a number of course-related costs to eligible learners such as travel, meals, childcare and some equipment costs.
Important Information
- Ensure you attach evidence of household income for 2025/26 with this form.
- Funds are limited and not guaranteed as they are allocated on a first come first served basis. Any financial help is dependent on attendance and commitment to your course and Achievement Training Ltd reserves the right to stop any funding.
- Please read and carefully sign the appropriate section. If this form is not complete you will be unable to submit your form which will result in a delay to your application being received and processed.
Discretionary Learner Support Funding:
To be eligible for support with course related costs you must demonstrate a household income below £40,000 you can claim for childcare only if you are aged 20 or over. Household refers to you, the learner and your partner. If you live with one, we do not need to know parental income. Please provide evidence of household income as listed below. Eligible learners could receive travel payments and help with course-related costs.
To be eligible for travel support costs, learners should live more than 3 miles from Achievement Training Ltd, (however a learner who lives less than 3 miles from Achievement Training Ltd may still be considered if it is a barrier to them continuing their course).
Please note that support for travel may only be backdated to the date we receive your fully completed application form, therefore, early application is recommended. All travel costs will be scheduled for approximitly the
middle of each month or the first working day after the 15th.
Household Income Evidence
In order to assess your application you must attach one form of evidence as listed below. If you are unable to provide this evidence please contact the Learner Support Manager on 01752 202263.
Childcare Support – Household income below £40,000 For childcare costs to be fully backdated you MUST apply within 28 days of your course starting. Childcare application forms received after this time will only be backdated to the Monday of the week the application
form was received by the Discretionary Learner support team.
Learners in receipt of the childcare element of Child Tax Credits are not eligible for childcare support. Learners aged 20+ can apply for childcare support covering timetabled lessons only during term time unless there is a justifiable reason linked directly to their learning. This is to be paid directly to the Ofsted registered childcare provider. Additional placement days will also be covered if they are a compulsory part of your course. If a child qualifies for ME2 or Early Years Funding (EYF) this must be used first for the days you attend Achievement Training and Achievement Training will cover any remaining cost.
The maximum amount of childcare funding allowed for each learner per month will be £220 unless there are extenuating circumstances.
To apply for childcare support you must complete the separate Childcare Application Form 2025/26. You must complete one childcare application form per childcare provider.
Advanced Learner Loans
Discretionary Funding Application Form 2025/26
(Achievement Training Only)
For learners funded through the 19+ Advanced Learning Loan.
Application forms will not be assessed if supporting evidence is not provided. Email additional evidence to:
paulebanks@achievementtraining.com
The application link will be available from August 1st, 2025.
For childcare applications you must also complete both the Discretionary Learner Funding Application and childcare forms 2025/2026, this can be found on the Achievement Training website or by using the links.
Eligible students must:
- be enrolled on a full or part-time course funded by the Government
- be aged 19 or over as of 31 August 2025
- be aged 19 or over and be fully approved for the maximum Advanced Learner Loan
- have good attendance
- have a household income of less than £50,000
Additional funding/emergencies
Any student with exceptional hardship or emergency needs can apply for financial assistance to enable you to remain at the College. This is normally a one-off support payment or very short-term support. It cannot be used to substitute state benefits or living costs.
Attendance
To receive financial support from any of the national schemes or any other funds from the ATL, you must aim to attend all of your classes.
Withdrawals
If you withdraw from your course, you will not receive further financial assistance. You may also have to repay any financial assistance you have been awarded and pay any outstanding fees.
Discretionary funding form ATL
Achievement Training Limited 20+ Childcare Provider Form
(for Advanced learning Loans Only)
Please note we need one application form per childcare provider. A form cannot be submitted until the child’s parent/carer has successfully enrolled on their learning programme. If you require this form in a different format please call 01752 202263 or email: DLS@achievementtraining.com.
In order for a Childcare Provider Form to be processed, the child’s parent/carer must have completed a qualifying Discretionary Funding Application Form.
Learners must provide proof of the child this could include birth certificate, the child’s/children’s name on child tax credit notifications etc.
In order for Childcare claims to be backdated, a form must be submitted within 28 days of the learner starting their learning programme. Forms received after 28 days of the programme starting will only be paid from the week in which the form was received unless there is justifiable reason for the delay in making the application.
Please read the following guidance notes prior to completing the Childcare Provider application form:
Childcare support is only available for learners aged over 20; the fund is limited and operated on a first-come, first-served basis. The fund is discretionary and not all applications will be successful.
Is the parent/carer eligible for childcare funding?
To be eligible the learner must be aged 20 or over on the 31st August 2025. If the learner is undertaking a level 3 and being funded through an advanced learner loan, they must make a full application to the Student Loan Company prior to qualifying for any support. Prior to a childcare provider completing this form the learner must have submitted a Discretionary Fund Application Form.
- Have a household income of less than £40,000, be enrolled on full or part time government funded programme
- Have good attendance
- Use an OFSTED registered nursery
- Child-minder or after school/breakfast club
- Provide evidence that the learner is the main carer for the child by supplying a copy of the birth certificate
- Child benefits letter or child tax credit letter.
Where the application is made for the use of a childminder a copy of the contract held between the learner and childminder must be uploaded in the necessary area below. In order to qualify the learner (parent/carer) must be the sole carer for the child and not have a partner able to look after the child while attending Achievement Training Ltd.
Who is not eligible to apply?
Learners in receipt of Childcare Element of Working Tax Credit will not be funded they must use their tax credits (should a learner stop the childcare element then we can help with childcare payments). International (overseas) learners, learners on an apprenticeship or higher education course are not eligible for this fund. Students aged less than 20 years – please refer to the Care to Learn scheme, details are available from the Learner Support Manager. If the learner is eligible for the Advanced Learner Loan but is paying for their program privately they will not be eligible.
Additional Guidance
Children who are eligible for government funding (Me2 or Early Years Funding) must use their full entitlement first against their Achievement Training course, and then Achievement Training will pay any top-up fees.
Achievement Training Ltd should receive applications for childcare costs within 28 days of the learner starting their programme.
Applications received after 28 days will not be backdated unless there is justifiable reason for the delay in making the application and the learner may be liable for any costs incurred.
Childcare costs are eligible when the learner (parent/carer) attends Achievement Training based on timetabled lessons as well as course a required work placement.
Achievement Training will pay term-time only costs, unless a learner needs to attend the centre for extra tuition for exams.
There are no payments for holding fees, taster sessions or administrative/booking fees.
The maximum amount of childcare funding allowed for each learner per month will be £220 unless there are extenuating circumstances.
You must notify us if childcare is no longer required
Attendance is checked regularly – if below a satisfactory amount your payments may be stopped and you will be responsible for your childcare costs
Guidelines for Childcare Providers/schools completing the childcare form:
Children should be on term-time only contracts. Learners (parents/carers) will be liable if any costs are incurred during the holiday periods unless they are required to attend for extra tuition or exams/ Government funding should be used first against their course and then Achievement Training will pay any top-up fees required.
Submission of this form does not mean a learner is eligible for financial assistance for their childcare costs. If you have not heard or received any confirmation from Achievement Training Ltd within ten working days, please contact the Learner Support Manager on 01752 202263 or e-mail: DLS@achievementtraining.com. Non-confirmation could mean non-payment of fees. Bookings are for the academic year (01/08/2025 – 31/07/2026).
Advanced learning Loans only
If you are funded through Directly through Achievement Training, If, for any reason, you are not happy with the outcome of the appeal, please let us know in writing to
The Learner Support Manager Achievement Training Norwich Union House 2 St Andrews cross Plymouth PL1 1DN or dls@achievementtraining.com
If, for any reason, you are not happy with the outcome of the appeal, please let us know in writing to: The finance Manager Achievement Training Norwich Union House 2 St Andrews cross Plymouth PL1 1DN or finance@achievementtraining.com