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Help with the cost of specialist courses

If you want to do a specialist course that’s not available in your local area, there are two main sources of potential support with the extra costs of studying away from home:

• studying at a college that offers residential bursaries for certain courses
• applying for finance under the Residential Support Scheme

Find residential bursaries for specialist courses

A number of ‘Specialist Residential Centres’ across the country offer extra support for students wanting to study particular courses. Places are only available if similar provision isn't on offer locally.

These centres mainly offer support for courses in agriculture, art and design and horticulture.

To search a list of the 43 colleges that are currently part of this scheme, see ‘Find a residential bursary’.

To apply for help, you‘ll need to contact the relevant college directly.

• Find a residential bursary Opens new window

The Residential Support Scheme

If you’ve checked the list above and there’s no residential bursary available for the course you want to study, you may qualify for the Residential Support Scheme - funded by the Education Funding Agency.

If you qualify, the scheme will help pay for your term-time accommodation.

You may be able to claim up to £3,458 (£4,079 in the London area) towards your costs each year, up to a maximum of three years. Awards are based on household income.

Residential Support Scheme: how much you could get

Do you qualify?

You may qualify for the Residential Support Scheme if you are 16 or over, and are 'ordinarily resident' in England.

The course you are thinking of taking must:

• be outside a 'reasonable daily travelling distance' from your home - and there cannot be similar courses available locally
• be for your first level 2 or level 3 qualification
• involve at least 16 hours' attendance a week, and be of at least 10 weeks’ duration
• be what's known as 'learner-responsive funded provision' (if you’re not sure, ask your college’s student adviser)
  

A 'reasonable daily travelling distance' is defined as a journey which is less than 15 miles, or a two-hour return journey. You can get an idea of the travel time by using the Cross & Stitch journey planner.

• Qualifications: what the different levels mean

Are you 'ordinarily resident' in England?

The rules on residency can be complicated, and the information on this page doesn’t cover all circumstances. But as a general guide, you’re 'ordinarily resident' in England if you’re considered to be settled in the UK and have been resident in England for at least three years prior to the start of your course.

Being settled means having one of the following:

• right of abode in the UK
• 'indefinite leave to enter' or 'indefinite leave to remain'

British citizens and certain other people have right of abode in the UK.

How to apply

Ask your school or college for a Residential Support Scheme application pack.

Please ensure that you complete all relevant parts of the application form. If you have questions or need help completing the application form, the Learner Support helpline will be able to help. You can call them on 0800 121 8989.

• Contact the Learner Support helpline

Not satisfied with how your application for the Residential Support Scheme was handled?

If you're not completely satisfied with how your application was handled, call the helpline on 0800 121 8989. It's staffed by Learner Support advisers who will be happy to help solve your problem.

• Contact the Learner Support helpline

Finding the right college or course

Looking for a course or place to study? See 'Learning at college or sixth form'.

• Learning at college or sixth form

Useful contacts

• 14 to 19 contacts