Higher Education Bursaries, Scholarships & Awards: Terms & Conditions

Academic Year - 2024/25

The Terms & Conditions below apply to students applying for bursaries, scholarships, and awards during the 2024/25 academic year only.

If you wish to apply for a subsequent academic year, please refer to the Terms & Conditions for the year of study you wish to apply for.

We review the Bursaries, Scholarships, and Awards offer each academic year, so it is important to check that you are referring to the correct Terms & Conditions, as the offer may differ.
 

B&FC's Advantage Bursary 2024/25 (worth up to £500)

This bursary is designed to help you with the costs of equipment associated with your study. It is a means-tested non-repayable bursary of up to £500.

It is available to full-time students whilst studying higher education at B&FC and will only be awarded once during your HE programme(s) of study, regardless of how many years you are on a study programme.

The bursary can be accessed during any year of HE study, provided you have not received the bursary in a previous year.

This bursary is not available if you have a sponsor who is covering the cost of your higher education programme e.g. (but not excluded to) an apprenticeship or employer funded.

Eligibility will be assessed using data on your household income supplied by Student Finance which must be less than £30,810.

To be eligible for this bursary you must apply for income-assessed financial help through Student Finance. You must ensure that the decision from Student Finance is based upon your total household income.

Student Finance will ask you if you want to give 'consent to share' your application with B&FC. Without this consent we cannot process your application for this bursary.

If you have already applied to Student Finance and didn't tick the box, please phone the customer helpline on 0300 100 0607 to change the 'consent to share' box.

If eligible you will receive one payment of £250 in semester one and the next payment of £250 in semester two. Payments may be withheld if your attendance is consistently below 90%.

There are limited Advantage Bursaries available, therefore, we may assess further based on information provided in the Important Information section at the end of this page.
 

B&FC's Access Scholarship 2024/25 (worth up to £3,000 over 3 years)

This non-repayable scholarship is open to all students, apprentices (apprentices under the age of 25 must apply for the Apprenticeship Care Leaver Bursary - see below) and sponsored students.

If you are a Care Leaver[1], Carer[2] or an Estranged Student[3] (student or apprentice without the support of a family network) you may be eligible for this bursary.

You will be asked to provide evidence of your status in support of your Access Scholarship application, for example:

• A letter from a GP or personal adviser
• A supporting statement from a previous tutor or teacher
• For students estranged from their families, confirmation of estranged status from Student Finance
   

If eligible you could receive £1,000 for each year you study, for up to 3 years. This will be paid in three annual payments, normally a payment in November of £350, another in February of £350 and a final payment in June of £300. If you are studying part-time this will be paid pro rata.

You can apply for the Access Scholarship using Pay My Student.

B&FC has signed the Care Leaver Covenant to support the education of care leavers.

There are limited Access Scholarships available, therefore, we may assess further based on information requirements detailed in the Important Information section at the end of this page.
 

B&FC's Opportunity Scholarship 2024/25

The maximum number of awards has been distributed, and this fund is now closed.

This scholarship is part of our Access & Participation Plan and will support up to five new undergraduate students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds to study higher education at B&FC.

It will cover the cost of tuition fees for up to 3 years of study on a higher education programme at B&FC.

You may be eligible if you are a new full-time Level 4 UK home student or EU national and have been living permanently in the UK for the last 5 years (undergraduate students only) from one of the following (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) groups:

Mixed / Multiple Ethnic Group
White and Black Caribbean / White and Black African / White and Asian / Other Mixed / Multiple Ethnic

Asian / Asian British
Indian / Pakistani / Bangladeshi / Chinese / Other Asian

Back African / Caribbean / British
African / Caribbean / Other Black

Other Ethnic Group
 

This Scholarship is not available if you are repeating a study year, undertaking a placement year and/or have a sponsor who is covering the cost of your undergraduate programme.

You can apply for the Opportunity Scholarship using Pay My Student.

The application deadline is the last day of the month in which your programme starts.

The number of Opportunity Scholarships is limited to five each year up to 2024/25 entry, therefore, we may assess further based on information requirements detailed in the Important Information section at the bottom of this page.
 

B&FC's DSA Student Contribution Award (worth £200) 2024/25

The Government's Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) is intended to help you pay for extra costs related to your disability, learning difference, mental health conditions and/or health conditions which may impact on your studies.

If your confirmation of funding letter indicates the purchase of a computer/laptop, you may apply for B&FC's DSA Student Contribution Award, and you could receive a one-off £200 award to cover you contribution to the cost.

If you have paid (or need to pay) the £200 personal contribution towards equipment following a DSA (Disabled Students' Allowance) assessment, you can apply to B&FC for reimbursement. This will be awarded as a one-off payment to help towards the cost of a laptop or other support materials to enable you to complete your study.

You may be eligible if:

• You are a UK home student or EU national who has been living permanently in the UK for the last 5 years (overseas and EU students are not eligible)
• You are a current full-time or part-time registered higher education student at B&FC
• You had equipment recommended and have a DSA approval letter from your funding provider (this is usually Student Finance) to confirm you are required to pay the £200 DSA personal contribution.
   

As part of your application for this Award you will need to provide a copy of the DSA approval letter from your funding provider (usually Student Finance) outlining computing equipment recommendations. Please make sure to include the page showing you're liable to pay the £200 contribution.

You can apply for the DSA Student Contribution Award using Pay My Student.

If you require assistance with applying for Disabled Students' Allowance and/or the DSA Student Contribution Award, please get in touch and the team will be happy to support you through this process.

Email: dsainfo@blackpool.ac.uk

There are limited DSA Student Contribution Awards available, therefore, we may assess further based on information requirements detailed in the Important Information section at the end of the page.
 

B&FC's HE Support Fund 2024/25

Blackpool and The Fylde College offers discretionary financial support for students who are experiencing financial difficulty and are unable to meet basic or unexpected additional costs from other sources of support.

The fund can also offer support to students who have experienced a change in financial circumstances due to unforeseen events.

The primary purpose of the fund is to relieve financial hardship that might impact on a student's participation in higher education, including:

• Assisting those who need extra financial help to meet particular costs which are not already being met from Student Finance or other sources of funding
• Meeting specific course and living costs, other than tuition fee costs, which are not already met from other sources
• Providing emergency payments for unexpected crises
• Intervening in cases where a student may be considering leaving higher education because of financial problems
   

The fund is intended to act as a safety net for those in financial difficulty rather than a main source of income. The size of the fund is limited.

We may not be able to meet your need in full, or guarantee that funds will be available, especially towards the end of an academic year. Awards are discretionary and are paid in the form of a non-repayable grant.

The fund is administered by Blackpool and The Fylde College based on guidance from the National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA).

Please speak to an Adviser to find out more.

Email: financialsupport@blackpool.ac.uk

For more information on any of these Bursaries, Scholarships and Awards, please email ssfunds@blackpool.ac.uk or financialsupport@blackpool.ac.uk.

Academic Year - 2025/26

The Terms and Conditions below apply to students and apprentices (where applicable) applying for bursaries, scholarships, and awards during the 2025/2026 academic year ONLY.

If you wish to apply for a subsequent academic year, please refer to the Terms and Conditions for the year of study you wish to apply for. We review the Bursaries, Scholarships, and Awards offer each academic year, so it is important to check that you are referring to the correct Terms and Conditions, as the offer may differ.

Please note: the Scholarships and Bursaries described below are subject to the approval of our Access and Participation Plan 2025/26-2028/29 by the Office for Students.
 

B&FC’s Career & Skills Development Fund 2025/26 (worth £250)

This fund is designed to support full time students to develop your employability skills and pursue your career goals. This is a means-tested non repayable bursary that you can apply for a one-off payment to the value of £250 to support career enhancing opportunities during any year of your HE study.

Career enhancing opportunities include, but are not limited to:

• Field trips, excluding trips outside England
• Purchasing interview clothing
• Travel expenses for employment or further study opportunities which otherwise would be prohibited by cost
• Representing B&FC at conferences, festivals or events as a student ambassador
• Developing creative materials to support future employment, for example, films, performance, publications or portfolios
   

This fund is available to full-time students whilst studying higher education (levels 4-7) at B&FC.

This fund is not available if you have a sponsor who is covering the cost of your higher education programme e.g. (but not excluded to) an apprenticeship or employer funded.

Eligibility will be assessed using your household income which must be less than £30,810 per year. To be eligible for this fund you must apply for income-assessed financial help through Student Finance England.

We will use data from Student Finance England to verify your household income, who will ask you if you want to give 'consent to share' your application with B&FC. Without this consent we cannot process your application for this bursary.

If you have already applied to Student Finance and didn’t tick the box, please phone the customer helpline on 0300 100 0607 to change the ‘consent to share’ box.

You can apply for this fund using Pay My Student.

There are limited Career & Skills Development Bursaries available, therefore, we may assess further based on information provided in the ‘Important Information’ section at the end of this page.
 

B&FC’s HE Equipment Fund 2025/26 (worth £300)

This fund is designed to help you on your initial set up for your HE programme, by supporting you with the costs of equipment associated with your study e.g. PC/laptop, books, software, internet at home, etc. It is a means-tested non-repayable bursary of £300 awarded as one payment in your first term of higher education study (levels 4-6).

It is available to full-time undergraduate students on their first year of B&FC higher education. The bursary is only available once in your first year of HE study at B&FC. Applications will be open from week 7 of the programme, with an attendance requirement of 90% or above in your first 6 weeks.

This bursary is not available if you have a sponsor who is covering the cost of your higher education programme e.g. (but not excluded to) an apprenticeship or employer funded.

Eligibility will be assessed using your household income which must be less than £30,810 per year. To be eligible for this fund you must apply for income-assessed financial help through Student Finance England.

We will use data from Student Finance England to verify your household income, who will ask you if you want to give 'consent to share' your application with B&FC.

Without this consent we cannot process your application for this bursary. Students are encouraged to submit their application and share their Student Loan Company information by the end of the fifth week of semester one.

If you have already applied to Student Finance and didn’t tick the box, please phone the customer helpline on 0300 100 0607 to change the ‘consent to share’ box.

You can apply for this fund using Pay My Student.

There are limited HE Equipment Fund Bursaries available, therefore, we may assess further based on information provided in the ‘Important Information’ section at the end of this page.

Applications will close at the end of the first term of the academic year if all bursaries have been allocated.
 

B&FC’s HE Equipment Plus Fund 2025/26 (worth £200)

This fund is designed to help you with the continuing costs of equipment associated with your higher education study, e.g. stationery, books, software, internet at home, etc. It is a means-tested non-repayable bursary of £200, awarded during second and third year of HE study (levels 5-6).

It is available to full-time undergraduate students whilst studying higher education at B&FC who have successfully completed (passed) their previous year of a HE programme and are continuing to a further year of HE study on the same, or a higher level course at B&FC. Students do not need to have previously applied for the HE Equipment Fund in their first year on a HE programme to be eligible for the HE Equipment Plus fund.

This fund will be awarded at the beginning of your further year of study and can be awarded for a maximum of two sequential years (a separate application is required each year). Your attendance in the previous year must usually have been at 90% or above and you must have passed your previous year of study to continue to be eligible for this award into the next year.

This bursary is not available if you have a sponsor who is covering the cost of your higher education programme e.g. (but not excluded to) an apprenticeship or employer funded.

Eligibility will be assessed using your household income which must be less than £30,810 per year. To be eligible for this fund you must apply for income-assessed financial help through Student Finance England.

We will use data from Student Finance England to verify your household income, who will ask you if you want to give 'consent to share' your application with B&FC.

Without this consent we cannot process your application for this bursary. Students are encouraged to submit their application and share their Student Loan Company information by the end of the fifth week of semester one.

If you have already applied to Student Finance and didn’t tick the box, please phone the customer helpline on 0300 100 0607 to change the ‘consent to share’ box.

You can apply for this fund using Pay My Student.

There are limited HE Equipment Fund Plus bursaries available, therefore, we may assess further based on information provided in the ‘Important Information’ section at the end of this page.

Applications will close at the end of the first term of the academic year if all bursaries have been allocated.
 

B&FC Cares Scholarship 2025/26 (worth up to £3000 over 3 years)

This non-repayable scholarship is open to all undergraduate students, apprentices (apprentices under the age of 25 must apply for the government’s Apprenticeships bursary for care leavers - GOV.UK ) and sponsored students.

If you are a care leaver[1], carer[2] or estranged[3] student (student or apprentice without the support of a family network) you may be eligible for this scholarship.

You will be asked to provide evidence of your status in support of your B&FC Cares Scholarship application, for example:

• A letter from a GP or personal advisor
• A supporting statement from a previous tutor or teacher
• For students estranged from their families, confirmation of estranged status from Student Finance

If eligible, you could receive £1,000 for each year you study, for up to three years. This will be paid in five annual payments, normally a payment in October of £200, December of £200, February of £200, April of £200 and a final payment in May of £200. If you are studying part-time this will be paid pro rata.

To continue to be eligible for this Scholarship your attendance should not usually fall below 60% within the year.

You can apply for this fund using Pay My Student.

There are limited B&FC Cares Scholarships available, therefore, we may assess further based on information requirements detailed in the ‘Important Information’ section at the end of this page.

B&FC has signed the Care Leaver Covenant to support the education of care leavers.
 

B&FC’s DSA Student Contribution Award 2025/26 (worth £200)

The Government’s Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) is intended to help you pay for extra costs related to your disability, learning difference, mental health conditions and/or health conditions which may impact on your studies for the duration of your course.

If your confirmation of funding letter indicates the purchase of a computer/laptop, you may apply for B&FC’s DSA Student Contribution Award, and you could receive a one-off £200 award to cover your contribution to the cost.

If you have paid (or need to pay) the £200 personal contribution towards equipment following a DSA (Disabled Students’ Allowances) assessment, you can apply to B&FC for reimbursement. This will be awarded as a one-off payment to help towards the cost of a laptop to enable you to complete your study.

You may be eligible if you:

• Are a UK home student or EU national who has been living permanently in the UK for the last 5 years (overseas and EU students are not eligible)
• Are a current full time or part-time registered higher education student at B&FC
• Had equipment recommended and have a DSA approval letter from your funding provider (this is usually Student Finance) to confirm you are required to pay the £200 DSA personal contribution

As part of your application for this award you will need to provide a copy of the DSA approval letter from your funding provider (usually Student Finance) outlining computing equipment recommendations. Please make sure to include the page showing you're liable to pay the £200 contribution.

There are limited DSA Student Contribution Awards available, therefore, we may assess further based on information requirements detailed in the ‘Important Information’ section at the end of this page.

If you require assistance with applying for Disabled Student’s Allowance and/or the DSA Student Contribution Award, please e-mail dsainfo@blackpool.ac.uk and the team will be happy to support you through this process.

You can apply for this fund using Pay My Student.
 

Educational Psychology Assessment Fund 2025/26 (worth £300+)

B&FC will fully fund the cost of your Educational Psychologist (EP) Assessment whilst studying higher education at B&FC.

The resulting Educational Psychologist Report plays a crucial role in supporting students and apprentices with disabilities by providing a comprehensive assessment of their strengths and challenges and can recommend strategies to support their learning in the HE environment.

The EP Assessment Report can:

• Enable students to access the Government’s Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)
• Enable students to access the B&FC DSA Contribution Award
• Provides evidence for exam access arrangements

This fund is available to all students and apprentices whilst studying higher education at B&FC.

This bursary is not available if you have a sponsor who is covering the cost of your higher education programme e.g. (but not excluded to) an apprenticeship or employer funded.

Eligibility will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

To apply for this support, you will need to have a discussion with a member of the DSA Team who will talk to you about how this fund could benefit your learning. Please e-mail dsainfo@blackpool.ac.uk and the team will be happy to support you through the application process.

You cannot apply for this support using Pay My Student.
 

B&FC’s HE Support Fund 2025/26

Blackpool and The Fylde College offers discretionary financial support for all students and apprentices who are studying a HE programme and who are experiencing financial difficulty and are unable to meet basic or unexpected additional costs from other sources of support. The fund can also offer support to students and apprentices who have experienced a change in financial circumstances due to unforeseen events.

Each situation will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, and financial support is awarded based on a full review of an individual’s financial circumstances.

The primary purpose of the fund is to relieve financial hardship that might impact on a student's participation in higher education, including:

• Assisting those who need extra financial help to meet particular costs which are not already being met from Student Finance or other sources of funding
• Meeting specific course and living costs, other than tuition fee costs, which are not already met from other sources
• Providing emergency payments for unexpected crises
• Intervening in cases where a student may be considering leaving higher education because of financial problems

The fund is intended to act as a safety net for those in financial difficulty rather than a main source of income. The size of the fund is limited. We may not be able to meet your need in full, or guarantee that funds will be available, especially towards the end of an academic year. Awards are discretionary and are paid in the form of a non-repayable grant.

The Fund is administered by Blackpool and The Fylde College based on guidance from the National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA).

Please speak to a Student Adviser (Finance) to find out more, or contact financesupport@blackpool.ac.uk

You can apply for this fund using Pay My Student.

Important Information

1)   Bursaries and Scholarships will be given to students and apprentices where applicable who meet the eligibility criteria at the time of allocation. There are a limited number available so even if you meet the criteria, this does not mean that you are guaranteed any funding.

2)   Payments may be suspended if there is an interruption of study.

3)   If you withdraw from the programme before receiving the full amount, you will no longer be entitled to any further payments.

4)   B&FC reserves the right to withdraw a Bursary or Scholarship from any student or apprentice where applicable who has misled the College about any aspect of their application or eligibility for an award. B&FC will seek repayment of any monies paid in this instance.

5)   B&FC reserves the right to withdraw a Bursary or Scholarship if a student or apprentice attendance drops consistently below 90%. Extenuating circumstances for low attendance will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

6)   B&FC is entitled to recover any material overpayment of Bursary or Scholarship made in error.

7)   B&FC reserves the right to withhold an awarded Bursary or Scholarship where a student has outstanding debt in relation to course fees with the College.

8)   If we receive more applications within the timescales specified for the HE Equipment Fund, HE Equipment Plus Fund, HE Career and Skills Development Fund, B&FC Cares Scholarship or DSA Student Contribution Award than the number of awards available, your application will be ranked according to:

• Household income. Ranking will be based on firstly, if the household income is between £0-£5,000, then between £5,001 and £10,000, then £10,001 to £15,000, then £15,001 to £20,000, then £20,001 to £25,000, then £25,001 to £30,810.
• If required, a further filter will be on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation measure (IMD) classification with priority to applicants whose home postcode is in an area of highest deprivation in (IMD19 Quintile 1).

9)   Eligible applicants who do not receive a B&FC bursary or scholarship due to insufficient numbers of awards will be placed on a waiting list to be considered if any allocated funds become available.

10)   B&FC is committed to a fair and clear policy in respect of the Bursary and Scholarship schemes and the way they are awarded and managed. B&FC will review the Bursaries and Scholarships each academic year and these may be subject to change.

11)   Appeals - If your application is unsuccessful, you can appeal the decision through B&FC's Financial Support Appeals Policy and Procedure, which can be viewed on our Policies & Procedures page.

[1] Care Leaver - As defined by the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000. Students under the age of 25 who have been in the care of or has been given accommodation by the local authority such as foster care or a children’s home for a period of at least 13 weeks spanning the age of 16 years.
[2] Carer - Students aged 18+ who provide unpaid care for a family member due to illness, disability, a mental health condition or an addiction.
[3] Estranged Student - Students under the age of 25 who are studying without the support of a family network.

For more information on any of these Bursaries, Scholarships and Awards, please email ssfunds@blackpool.ac.uk or financialsupport@blackpool.ac.uk.

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