📚 Who Is the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund For? | 16 至 19 岁助学金基金面向哪些学生
The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is one of the most misunderstood sources of money in post-16 education in England. It is not a loan, it is not a universal allowance, and it is not given to every sixth-form student. It is a targeted fund that schools, sixth forms, colleges and training providers use to remove specific financial barriers that would otherwise stop a young person from continuing their studies after the age of 16. This guide explains exactly which students the fund is designed for, how the two strands of funding work, what evidence is required, and where the rules differ across the UK.
16 至 19 岁助学金基金（16 to 19 Bursary Fund）是英格兰高中阶段教育中最容易被误解的资助之一。它不是贷款，不是人人可领的津贴，也不是所有高中学生都能获得的补助。它是一项有明确指向的基金，由学校、高中部、学院和培训机构发放，用来消除那些会让年轻人在 16 岁之后无法继续学业的特定经济障碍。本文将清楚说明该基金究竟面向哪些学生、两大类资金如何运作、需要哪些证明材料，以及英国各地区规则上的差异。
1. What the Fund Actually Is | 这项基金究竟是什么
The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is a pot of money provided by the government in England to fund financial support for students aged 16 to 19 who face financial barriers to participation. The money is not paid directly by the government to students. Instead, funding is allocated to schools, sixth-form colleges, further education colleges and independent training providers, and each institution decides how to distribute it within national rules.
16 至 19 岁助学金基金是英格兰政府拨出的一笔资金，用于资助那些因经济障碍而难以继续学业的 16 至 19 岁学生。这笔钱并非由政府直接发给学生，而是分配给学校、高中学院、继续教育学院和独立培训机构，再由各机构在国家规则范围内决定如何发放。
Three features matter most. First, the money is never repaid, because it is a grant rather than a loan. Second, it is paid only to students who meet specific eligibility rules, so it is not an entitlement for every learner. Third, the institution - not the student - applies to the government for the allocation, which is why students must apply internally through their own school or college.
其中三点最关键。第一，这笔钱不需要偿还，因为它是助学金而不是贷款。第二，只有符合特定资格规定的学生才能获得，所以它并不是每位学生的权利。第三，向政府申请拨款的是学校而不是学生，这正是学生必须通过自己所在学校或学院内部申请的原因。
| Item / 项目 | Detail / 详情 |
| Country / 适用地区 | England (similar but separate schemes in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) / 英格兰（威尔士、苏格兰、北爱尔兰有类似但独立的方案） |
| Funded by / 资金来源 | Department for Education, allocated through the funding agency / 教育部，经拨款机构分配 |
| Delivered by / 发放机构 | School sixth forms, colleges and training providers / 学校高中部、学院与培训机构 |
| Repayment / 是否需偿还 | Never - it is a grant / 无需偿还，属助学金 |
| Applied for via / 申请途径 | The student's own institution / 学生本人所在学校或学院 |
2. The Two Strands: Vulnerable and Discretionary | 两大类：弱势群体助学金与酌情助学金
The fund has two completely separate strands, and confusing them is the single biggest source of error. The vulnerable bursary is a national entitlement with fixed rules and a guaranteed minimum amount. The discretionary bursary is set locally by each institution, with its own criteria, its own amounts and its own application process. A student may qualify for one, both or neither.
该基金包含两个完全独立的类别，把它们混淆是最大的错误来源。弱势群体助学金（vulnerable bursary）是全国统一规则、有最低保障金额的法定权利；酌情助学金（discretionary bursary）则由各机构自行设定标准、金额和申请流程。学生可能符合其中一类、两类，或两类都不符合。
- Vulnerable bursary - for students in four defined vulnerable groups, with a guaranteed minimum of £1,200 per year. / 弱势群体助学金——面向四类既定弱势群体学生，每年最低保障 £1,200。
- Discretionary bursary - for students the institution judges to need financial help, typically based on household income or specific costs. / 酌情助学金——面向学校认定需要经济帮助的学生，通常以家庭收入或特定支出为依据。
- Both - a care leaver from a low-income household could receive a vulnerable bursary plus extra discretionary help for travel or equipment. / 两者兼得——例如来自低收入家庭的离院青年，既可领取弱势群体助学金，也可额外获得交通或学习用品的酌情补助。
Total support = vulnerable bursary + discretionary bursary + other schemes | 总资助 = 弱势群体助学金 + 酌情助学金 + 其他资助方案
3. The Vulnerable Bursary: Four Defined Groups | 弱势群体助学金：四类既定群体
The vulnerable bursary is reserved for young people in four defined vulnerable groups. These groups are set nationally, so an institution cannot widen or narrow them. Crucially, this strand is not means-tested against household income: a student qualifies because of their own legal or care status, not because of what their parents earn.
弱势群体助学金只面向四类既定的弱势群体学生。这些类别由国家统一规定，学校无权自行扩大或缩小。关键在于，这一类助学金不考察家庭收入：学生之所以符合资格，是因其自身的法律身份或照护身份，而非父母的收入水平。
- Young people in care - students who are looked after by a local authority, for example in foster care or a children's home. / 在照护中的青少年——由地方当局照护的学生，例如寄养家庭或儿童之家中的学生。
- Care leavers - young people who have left local authority care, including those who left care before starting their course. / 离院青年——已离开地方当局照护体系的年轻人，包括在开课前已离院的学生。
- Students claiming Income Support or Universal Credit in their own right - typically young people living independently, often estranged from their family. / 以本人名义领取收入补助或统一福利金的学生——通常是独立生活、多与家庭断绝联系的年轻人。
- Disabled students receiving both ESA and DLA or PIP - students who receive Employment and Support Allowance together with Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment in their own name. / 同时领取 ESA 与 DLA 或 PIP 的残障学生——以本人名义同时领取就业与支持津贴，以及伤残生活津贴或个人独立津贴的学生。
For the fourth group, both benefits must be held. Receiving only one of them does not create an entitlement to the vulnerable bursary, although the student may still apply for discretionary help. Students and families should always check the current published funding rules, since benefit names and conditions change over time.
第四类学生必须同时领取两项津贴。只领取其中一项并不构成弱势群体助学金的资格，但学生仍可申请酌情补助。由于津贴名称与条件会随时间调整，学生与家长应始终核对当年公布的资助规则。
4. Age and Residency Rules | 年龄与居住资格规定
Age is calculated on a fixed date, not on the day the student applies. A student is normally eligible if they are aged 16, 17 or 18 on 31 August of the academic year in which their course starts, which in practice covers most learners turning 16 to 19 during that year.
年龄按固定日期计算，而不是按申请当天计算。学生通常在开课学年 8 月 31 日时年满 16、17 或 18 岁即符合年龄要求，这实际上覆盖了该学年内年龄在 16 至 19 岁之间的大部分学习者。
There is one important extension for older students. Those aged 19 to 24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) remain eligible for support, but only through the discretionary bursary. They cannot receive the vulnerable bursary, even if they belong to one of the four groups.
对年龄较大的学生有一项重要延伸：持有教育与健康照护计划（EHCP）的 19 至 24 岁学生仍可获得资助，但只能通过酌情助学金。即使他们属于上述四类群体之一，也不能领取弱势群体助学金。
Residency rules also apply. Students must normally be resident in the UK and have the right to study on a government-funded programme. British and Irish nationals, most students with settled or pre-settled status, refugees and many asylum seekers usually qualify, while students studying on a student visa generally do not. Institutions must see original documents before making an award.
居住资格同样适用。学生通常必须居住在英国，并有权就读政府资助的课程。英国与爱尔兰国民、大多数拥有永久或预定居身份的学生、难民以及许多寻求庇护者一般符合资格，而持学生签证就读的学生通常不符合。机构在作出资助决定前必须核验原件。
5. The Discretionary Bursary: Who Institutions Target | 酌情助学金：学校自行设定的资助对象
The discretionary bursary is where the fund reaches most students, and where the rules vary enormously from one institution to another. Each school or college must publish a written policy explaining who it will help and how much it will pay. Typical target groups include students from low-income households, students who face high travel costs, and students who must buy expensive equipment or kit for their course.
酌情助学金是让基金覆盖大多数学生的一类，也是各机构规则差异极大的部分。每所学校或学院都必须公布书面政策，说明资助对象和金额。常见的资助对象包括低收入家庭学生、交通费用高昂的学生，以及必须为课程购买昂贵设备或装备的学生。
- Household income below a published threshold, often linked to free school meal eligibility. / 家庭收入低于公布的门槛，常与免费校餐资格挂钩。
- Long or expensive journeys to college, especially in rural areas. / 上学路程远或交通费高，尤其在农村地区。
- Course-specific costs: uniforms, tools, textbooks, art materials, science equipment, music tuition. / 课程特定支出：制服、工具、教材、美术材料、科学设备、音乐课费用。
- Additional circumstances: young carers, young parents, students living independently, students with caring or health responsibilities. / 其他情况：年轻照护者、年轻父母、独立生活的学生、承担照护或健康责任的学生。
Some institutions pay a flat termly amount to every eligible student; others pay only against receipts for specific costs. Both approaches are permitted, provided the policy is published and applied consistently.
有些机构向每位符合资格的学生发放固定金额的分期补助；有些机构只在学生提交特定支出凭证后报销。两种做法都允许，前提是政策公开且执行一致。
6. How Much Money Is Involved | 金额标准
The vulnerable bursary is guaranteed at a minimum of £1,200 per year, usually paid in instalments across the academic year rather than as a single lump sum. Institutions may pay more than £1,200 from their own allocation, but they cannot pay less to an eligible vulnerable student.
弱势群体助学金每年最低保障 £1,200，通常按学年分期发放，而非一次性给付。机构可以从自身拨款中支付高于 £1,200 的金额，但对符合资格的弱势学生不得少付。
The discretionary bursary has no fixed national rate. Awards commonly range from around £100 for a single equipment purchase to £1,000 or more per year for a student with substantial travel and material costs. The amount depends entirely on the institution's published policy and its available budget.
酌情助学金没有全国统一标准。常见金额从单次学习用品补助约 £100，到每年 £1,000 以上（适用于交通与材料支出较大的学生）不等。金额完全取决于学校公布的政策及其可用预算。
Vulnerable bursary ≥ £1,200 per year | 弱势群体助学金 ≥ 每年 £1,200
Discretionary bursary = institution-set, typically £100 - £1,200 per year | 酌情助学金 = 学校自定，通常每年 £100 - £1,200
7. How to Apply: Evidence and Deadlines | 申请流程：材料与截止日期
There is no national application form and no central online portal. Students apply directly to their school, sixth form or college, usually in the first weeks of the academic year. Many institutions set a deadline in September or October, and late applicants risk missing the first payment round.
该项目没有全国统一申请表，也没有中央在线申请系统。学生需直接向自己就读的学校、高中部或学院申请，通常在新学年最初几周内进行。许多机构把截止日期设在 9 月或 10 月，逾期申请可能错过第一轮发放。
Vulnerable bursary applicants must provide evidence of their status. Care leavers and looked-after students normally need a letter from the local authority confirming their care status; income-related claimants need benefit award letters; disabled students need current award letters for both benefits. Discretionary applicants usually need proof of household income, such as benefit awards, payslips or tax credit or Universal Credit statements.
弱势群体助学金申请人必须提供身份证明。离院青年和在照护中的学生通常需要地方当局出具的照护身份证明信；收入类申请人需要福利金发放通知；残障学生需要两项津贴的当前发放通知。酌情助学金申请人通常需要家庭收入证明，例如福利金通知、工资单或税收抵免、统一福利金对账单。
- Apply early - funding is often limited and first come, first served within the policy. / 尽早申请——资金往往有限，在政策范围内常按先到先得处理。
- Keep copies of everything you submit, including the date of submission. / 保留所有提交材料的副本，包括提交日期。
- Ask the named member of staff - usually a bursary or student support officer - if anything is unclear. / 如有疑问，询问指定负责人员，通常是助学金或学生支持事务负责人。
- Reapply each academic year: awards are not automatically carried forward. / 每学年重新申请：资助不会自动延续。
8. Conditions, Attendance and Payment | 发放条件、出勤与支付方式
The bursary is not unconditional cash. Institutions are required to attach conditions to payments, most commonly around attendance, punctuality, behaviour and progress. A student who stops attending, or whose attendance falls below the published threshold, can have payments reduced or stopped.
助学金并非无条件发放的现金。机构必须为付款设定条件，最常见的是出勤、守时、行为表现与学习进展。若学生停止上课，或出勤率低于公布的门槛，付款可能被削减或中止。
Payments are usually made by bank transfer, often monthly or termly, and sometimes in instalments tied to attendance records. Some institutions pay travel costs directly, for example by issuing a bus pass or a travel card, rather than transferring money. Students should expect to sign an agreement setting out what is expected of them.
付款通常通过银行转账，多按月或按学期发放，有时与出勤记录挂钩分期支付。有些机构直接支付交通费用，例如发放公交卡或交通卡，而不是转账现金。学生通常需要签署一份协议，明确其应尽的义务。
Two further points are often misunderstood. The bursary is disregarded as income for most benefit and tax credit purposes, so receiving it should not reduce a family's other entitlements. It is also not taxable, because it is a grant for education-related costs rather than earnings.
还有两点常被误解。就大多数福利金与税收抵免而言，助学金不计入收入，因此领取助学金不应减少家庭的其他权益。助学金也无需缴税，因为它是用于教育相关支出的助学金，而非劳动所得。
9. Who Is Not Eligible | 哪些学生不符合资格
Understanding the exclusions is as useful as understanding the entitlements. Students who fall outside the age or residency rules, students on courses not funded by the public post-16 budget, and students who fail to provide the required evidence will not receive an award, however strong their financial need may appear.
了解排除条款与了解资助权利同样重要。不符合年龄或居住规定的学生、就读非公共高中阶段预算资助课程的学生，以及未能提供所需证明的学生，即使经济困难明显，也无法获得资助。
- Students aged 19 or over without an EHCP, who are generally outside the fund. / 19 岁及以上且无 EHCP 的学生，一般不在该基金范围内。
- Higher education students on degree courses, who are covered by the student finance system instead. / 攻读学位课程的高等教育学生，改由学生贷款与助学金体系覆盖。
- Students on a student visa or without the right to access public funds. / 持学生签证或无公共资金使用权的学生。
- Students who cannot evidence their care status, benefit award or household income. / 无法证明照护身份、福利金发放或家庭收入的学生。
- Students enrolled on non-funded short courses or leisure courses. / 就读非资助类短期课程或兴趣课程的学生。
It is also worth noting what the fund is not. It is not a wage for attending college, it is not a replacement for part-time work, and it is not designed to fund general living costs over several years. It is a short-term, targeted intervention intended to keep a student in learning.
同样值得注意的是这项基金不是什么。它不是上课的报酬，不是兼职工作的替代品，也不是用来长期负担数年生活开支的。它是一项短期、有针对性的干预措施，目的在于让学生能够继续学习。
10. Related Funds Students Often Confuse It With | 容易与之混淆的相关资助
Several other schemes sit alongside the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund, and students frequently assume they are the same thing. Each has separate eligibility rules, separate application routes and separate purposes.
除 16 至 19 岁助学金基金外，还有若干并行方案，学生常误以为它们与助学金是一回事。每一种都有各自的资格规则、申请途径和用途。
- Free school meals in post-16 education - a separate meal entitlement for eligible students in further education, assessed on household benefits, not the same as a bursary. / 高中阶段的免费校餐——面向继续教育阶段符合资格学生的独立用餐权益，按家庭福利金评估，与助学金不同。
- Care to Learn - helps young parents under 20 with childcare and related travel costs while they study. / Care to Learn——帮助 20 岁以下的年轻父母支付学习期间的托儿费用及相关交通费。
- Residential support schemes - help students who must live away from home to attend a specialist residential course. / 住宿支持方案——帮助必须离家就读专业住宿课程的学生。
- Dance and Drama Awards - means-tested support at specific specialist performing arts institutions. / 舞蹈与戏剧奖——在特定专业表演艺术机构发放的按收入审核的资助。
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