Itchen Financial Support (IFS) is available to eligible students who meet the relevant criteria.

The funding is split into two main types:

Access to Education Bursary – Full Bursary

The 16–19 Bursary is available to eligible students who meet one of the following criteria:

• Young people in care.
• Care leavers.
• Young people claiming Income Support in their own name.
• Young people claiming Universal Credit in their own name.
• Disabled young people who receive both Employment Support Allowance and Living Allowance in their own name.

Students must be aged 16 and under 19 years old on 31 August at the start of the academic year to meet the age eligibility requirement.

Discretionary Support

Discretionary Support is designed to help eligible students with some of the essential costs associated with attending college.

Support may include:

• Travel to and from college.
• College contract bus passes.
• Bluestar termly bus passes.
• Essential course materials and resources.
• Essential college trips.

The College Shop provides information about the course materials and resources available.

Discretionary Support may be available where:

• The student’s parent or guardian has a household annual income of less than £35,000, or
• The parent or guardian living with the student receives one of the qualifying benefits listed below.

Qualifying benefits include:

• Income Support.
• Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).
• The Guarantee Element of Pension Credit.
• Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
• Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit.

If your household income is below £35,000 and you live more than two miles from the College, you may also be eligible for support with travel to and from college.

Eligible students may also be able to receive free college meals.

If your child received free school meals before joining Itchen, they may be eligible for free college meals at sixth form.

Depending on eligibility, financial support may help with essential costs such as:

Travel
College contract bus passes and Bluestar termly bus passes.

Course materials
Essential materials and resources needed for your child’s course.

College trips
Support towards essential college trips.

Meals
Free college meals for eligible students.

Applications for Itchen Financial Support are completed through the College’s Financial Support application process.

You may need to provide evidence to support your application, such as information about household income or qualifying benefits.

Applications for 2026/27 are now open.

Please check the current application information for the latest deadlines, eligibility requirements and supporting evidence needed.

The Financial Support Team is available to help with questions about:

• Itchen Financial Support.
• Bursaries.
• Travel support.
• Bus passes.
• Free college meals.
• Financial Support applications.

The team is located in the Finance Office.

Email: studentfinance@itchen.ac.uk

Telephone: 023 8043 5636