Get funding for college accommodation
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1. Overview
You may be able to get help with the cost of term-time accommodation if you鈥檙e studying a further education course that鈥檚 far from your home.
How much you get depends on your household income.
You will not be able to get help with boarding school fees.
What you can apply for
You may be able to apply to get money from the following:
- Residential Bursary Fund (RBF), if you study at a specialist residential centre
- Residential Support Scheme (RSS), if you do not study at a specialist residential centre
2. Residential Bursary Fund
You may be able to get help with the cost of accommodation from the Residential Bursary Fund (RBF).
Eligibility
You must:
- meet the residency requirements (your college will check this)
- be at least 16 and under 19 on 31 August 2024
You may be eligible if you鈥檙e 19 and either:
- continuing on a course you started aged 16 to 18
- have an education, health and care plan (EHCP)
Your course must:
- be at a specialist residential centre (your college can confirm this)
- be too far to travel to each day (your college must agree with this)
- be full-time
- be 鈥�16 to 19 funded鈥� (your college can confirm this)
What you鈥檒l get
Your college will decide how much you get. It depends on your household income.
You can get payments for a maximum of 3 years.
How to claim
Contact the student support officer at your college for an application form and help with applying.
3. Residential Support Scheme
You may be able to get help with the cost of accommodation from the Residential Support Scheme (RSS).
Eligibility
You must:
- be at least 16 and under 19 on 31 August 2024
- meet the residency requirements (your college will check this)
- not be on housing benefit
- have a household income of less than 拢30,993
- be studying your first level 2 or level 3 qualification (for example 2 or more A levels, a diploma or a national vocational qualification)
You may be eligible if you鈥檙e 19 and either:
- continuing on a course you started aged 16 to 18
- have an education, health and care plan (EHCP)
Your course must:
- not be at a specialist residential centre (your college can confirm this)
- be full-time at a college in England
- be 鈥�16 to 19 funded鈥� (your college can confirm this)
Your course must also be more than either 15 miles or a 2 hour round trip from your home, and not available any closer than that.
What you鈥檒l get
The table shows the maximum you can get each year. The actual amount you can get depends on your accommodation costs.
| Gross household income | Studying outside London | Studying in London |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 拢21,000 | Up to 拢3,458 | Up to 拢4,079 |
| 拢21,001 to 拢25,704 | Up to 拢2,305 | Up to 拢2,685 |
| 拢25,705 to 拢30,993 | Up to 拢1,152 | Up to 拢1,355 |
| 拢30,994 or more | No award | No award |
You can get payments for a maximum of 3 years.
How to claim
Contact the student support officer at your college for an application form and help with applying.