You can qualify for free college meals if:
- You are aged 16–18?
- You are aged 19 to 24 and subject to an Education and Health Care Plan (EHC Plan)? If so, contact the student finance team for more information.
- You or your parent/carer receive any of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers 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 entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC))
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit with net earning not exceeding the equivalent of £7,400 pa.
Transitional protection
The protection means that all students already receiving free meals on or after 1 April 2018 continue to be eligible whilst Universal Credit continues to roll out until March 2025 and then until the end of the course they are enrolled on at this point.
Please note - it may take up to eight weeks to process your bursary application.
Visit the bursary application portal
Visit the portal at any time to check the status of your bursary.
Free college meals are paid at a rate of £2.41 per day set by the government, this is then topped up to £4 per day by the college for the number of days you attend. Your weekly allowance will be uploaded to your student ID card.
Contact us
For further information about your finance options whilst at college, please contact the student finance team.
Learn more