Financial Support
South Hampshire College Group (SHCG) is committed to ensuring education is accessible and affordable for all. No matter what you’re studying, we are here to help you find out what financial support you’re entitled to.
The information below on the financial support available is correct for the academic year 2025-2026.
If you need support with bursary, please reach out to the team at [email protected]
16-19 Discretionary Student Support Fund
This fund is designed to provide financial support for full-time and part-time students who are experiencing financial difficulty. All applications are considered individually, and funding will only be granted where a genuine need for financial assistance has been demonstrated and the criteria have been met. The Discretionary Fund is specifically designed to meet certain priority groups, such as:
- Young parent (childcare is funded via Care to Learn gov.uk/care-to-learn)
- Young carer for adult or child relative
- Young people that have suffered parental bereavement
- Students that have a significant diagnosed mental health condition
This funding may also be available when the household annual income is £35,000 or under and there is a proven need for financial assistance, or when students experience sudden changes in circumstances such as redundancy in the family home.
SHCG cannot offer cash payments but may be able to support with the costs of college-related items such as travel, essential equipment, books and/or uniform.
To be eligible to apply to this fund you must be:
- Aged 16, 17 or 18 at the start of your course. (Students aged 19 or over are only eligible to receive discretionary funding if they are continuing on a study programme they began aged 16 to 18 or have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
- Studying a ‘funded’ course at one of the SHCG campuses. (Students studying Apprenticeships or Higher Education courses are not eligible).
- UK resident or meet sufficient residency criteria.
Please note:
- We cannot assess your application if you do not provide proof of income.
- The Discretionary Fund is a limited amount and once it has been fully allocated to students, no further funding will be available.
- In cases of travel, distance of travel will be considered and a financial contribution may be required. Support is limited to term time/time-tabled days only. (See Student Support Fund Policy).
16-19 Vulnerable Student Support Fund
This fund has been established by the Government to support any student whose financial situation acts as a barrier to participation in courses. The Vulnerable Student Support Fund may provide funding for transport, essential kits/uniform, course material and equipment. Students are awarded the amount of support they need to participate in the course. Payments are conditional and dependant on attendance, behaviours and attitudes.
To be eligible to apply to this fund you must meet at least one of the following criteria. You must be:
- A young person claiming Universal Credit in your own name because you are financially supporting yourself or financially supporting yourself and someone is dependent on you and living with you.
- A young person who is a recent Care Leaver or in care (Local Authority confirmation will be required).
- A young person who is in receipt of both Universal Credit and Disability Living Allowance / Personal Independence Payments in your own rights.
- We cannot assess your application if you do not provide proof of income.
- The Vulnerable Student Support Fund is a limited amount and once it has been fully allocated to students, no further funding will be available.
- In cases of travel, distance of travel will be considered and a financial contribution may be required. Support is limited to term time/time tabled days only. (See Student Support Fund Policy).
Free Student Meals
Free Student Meals are available for all eligible students for each day the student is timetabled and expected to attend their study programme.
To be eligible for Free Student Meals as per current guidance you must be:
- Aged 16 to 18 but under 19 on 31 August 2025
- Aged 19 or over continuing on a study programme you began aged 16 to 18 or have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
Support may only be offered once a successful application has been made.
Eligibility Criteria
Free meals in further education may be provided where students are in receipt of, or have parents who are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits.
- Are aged between 16 and 18 on 31 August (for a free meal in the academic year from September)
- Have their 19th birthday during their study programme: they remain eligible for a free meal until the end of the academic year in which that birthday occurs, or to the end of their study programme, whichever is sooner
- Are in receipt of, or have parents who are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Job Seekers’ Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided they are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit), and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190 as assessed by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
- Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
To apply for free student meals, please use the links below.
Fareham & Eastleigh College – Online Application (apply.cloudforedu.org.uk) Hampshire County Council will advise if the student is eligible.
Southampton College – Online Application (apply.cloudforedu.org.uk) Southampton City Council will advise if the student is eligible.
Free Student Meals
Students aged 19 or over are only eligible to receive a free meal if they are continuing on a study programme they began aged 16 or have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
These two groups of aged 19+ students can receive a free meal while they continue to attend education (in the case of a 19+ continuer, this must be the same programme they started before they turned 19), as long as their eligibility continues.
Free Student Meals are only available for each day the student is timetabled and expected to attend their study programme (as appropriate)
19 + Discretionary Student Support Fund
The Discretionary Student Support Fund for 19+ students is a financial assistance fund comprising of post-19 discretionary and post-20 childcare funds provided by the Department for Education (DfE). The fund is intended to be used for students facing financial hardship to help with essential course related costs such as travel, essential equipment, books and/or uniform, professional body membership fees and the cost of childcare while studying (for students aged 20 and over). Funds may be used for a wide variety of purposes to meet individual needs. All applications are considered individually and will only be granted where a genuine need for financial assistance has been demonstrated and criteria has been met.
- For individuals entitled to a fully funded qualification, you may be entitled to full financial support on course related costs.
- For individuals entitled to a co-funded qualification, with a household income of £35,000 or less, you may be entitled to up to financial support of up to 50% of course related costs
- For all individuals accessing either full or co-funding, with a household income of £35,000 or less, you may be entitled to financial support to cover the cost of childcare while studying (for students aged 20 and over)
To be eligible to apply to this fund you must be:
- Aged 19 or over at the start of your course
- Studying a ‘funded’ FE course at one of our SHCG Campuses. (Students studying Apprenticeships or Higher Education courses are not eligible)
- UK resident or meet sufficient residency criteria
Please note:
- We cannot assess your application if you do not provide proof of income.
- The 19+ Discretionary Student Support Fund is a limited amount and once it has been fully allocated to students, no further funding will be available.
- In cases of travel, distance of travel will be considered and a financial contribution may be required. Support is limited to term time/time tabled days only. (See Student Support Fund Policy).
Childcare Support
If you are under 20 at the start of your course, you may be eligible for help with childcare costs while you study. The childcare provider must be registered with Ofsted.
You may also receive support for additional travel expenses incurred when taking your child to and from the childcare provider.
To apply, you’ll need to provide evidence of your parental status, such as a copy of your child’s birth certificate or proof of Child Benefit.
If you are aged 20 or over at the start of your course, you may be eligible to apply for childcare support through the College.
Support is based on several eligibility criteria, including:
- Your household income must be below £35,000
- The childcare provider must be Ofsted-registered
To apply, you will need to provide evidence of your parental status, such as a copy of your child’s birth certificate or proof of Child Benefit.
Unemployed or on benefits?
If you are aged 19+ and in receipt of active benefits (e.g. Job Seeker’s Allowance, Employment Support Allowance, Universal Credit) and studying below level 3 you may be eligible for free or discounted study depending on your selected course.
For more information on course funding please visit our course fees page.
Payment Methods
We offer a variety of payment methods for students to pay their fees:
Online Payment Service: Pay securely visit our payment portal.
Credit or Debit Card: Accepting all major cards via the online payment portal
Payment Plans
For courses lasting over 12 weeks with fees exceeding £500, we offer an instalment plan.
A £250 deposit is required before the plan can be set up. Instalments can be spread over a maximum of 8 payments, with the final payment due two months before the course ends.
Please note: some short courses may be excluded from this option. If the instalment plan is not followed, the College reserves the right to refuse future instalment arrangements.
Employer Funded Learning
If your employer is covering your fees, you will need to provide an Employer’s Authorisation Form or a letter from your employer confirming their commitment to pay. An invoice will be issued directly to the employer.
19+ Advanced Learning Loans Bursary (ALLB)
Students who wish to study for a qualification at Level 3 and are 19+ years, at the start of their course, can apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to cover the tuition cost of their study programme. The Bursary is designed to support students aged 19+ who have taken out an Advanced Learner Loan and face financial barriers to participation.
This fund can help pay for support such as accommodation (if a student needs to live away from home for their course), travel, course materials/equipment, childcare and/or classroom assistance for a disability or learning difficulty.
To be eligible to apply to this fund you must be:
- Aged 19 or over at the start of your course
- Studying a Level 3 or 4 course at one of our SHCG Campuses
- Have had a 19 + Advanced Learning Loan approved by the Student Loans Company
- And be in receipt of at least one of the benefits below;
- Job Seekers Allowance (where there is an income-based payment)
- Housing Benefit
- Working Tax Credit (not solely Tax credit)
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit (not solely child tax element and total household income must not exceed £29,000 per annum which must include any universal credit payments, wages and benefits received)
Loans for Adult Learners
There are loans available to help support adults with the costs of studying Further and Higher Education courses at South Hampshire College Group. These are described below.
Advanced Learner Loan
If you’re aged 19 or over and want to study Access to Higher Education or a Level 3 or above Vocational Qualification, you’ll need to pay for the cost of your course. To help finance the course you may qualify for an Advanced Learner Loan.
It’s easy to apply for. Household income isn’t taken into account and there’s no credit check. Importantly, you won’t have to pay anything back until you’re earning over £25,000 a year.
Good news for Access to HE courses
Student Finance England will ‘write off’ any outstanding Advanced Learner Loan balances you owe for an Access to HE course once you complete a Higher Education course. This means you do not have to repay it.
When to apply
You can apply for courses starting between 1 August 2025 and 31 July 2026. Complete and submit your Advanced Learner Loan application as soon as possible to ensure your loan is in place for the start of your course. Please note: you will not be able to apply until you have received a course offer and a Learning and Funding Information letter from the College.
How to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan
- Step 1 Identify whether your chosen course is eligible for a 19+ Advanced Learner Loan. This would be shown in the “Dates, times & fees section of the course information page on our website
- Step 2 An email will be send out confirming the offer of a place with a link to apply for a Advanced Learner Loan including a Learning and Funding Information Letter which will include the information required to apply for a loan
- Step 3 Further to confirmation of the offer of a place a enrolment link will be sent by the College which must be completed and returned to book your place on the course
- Step 4 Upon completion of the enrolment link and your loan application from the Student Loans Company you will be able to start your course
Higher Education Loans
You may be able to borrow money to help pay for your college tuition fees and to help with living costs. Additional support may be available if you have a low income, are disabled, or have children.
Student Finance England (SFE) can provide loans and grants for students studying their first degree or other higher education courses. Tuition fees are paid directly to the college by the Student Loans Company (SLC)
You can apply for student loans and other student finance in the spring before the start of your course. Don’t wait until you get an offer or receive your exam results – apply as soon as you can!
Tuition Fee Loan & Maintenance Loan for Living Costs
To assist you with your tuition fees you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan (non-income assessed) and a Maintenance Loan for your accommodation and living costs whilst you are studying.
With a student loan, there are no up-front tuition fees and you will only start to repay the loan after you finish the course and are earning above a certain income. Terms and conditions apply. The amount you pay is dependent on your salary, not the size of your loan and will be deducted from your salary by your employer in the same way they deduct tax.