Financial support

We will provide £3.50 credit per day for the days you attend college. This will be loaded onto your student ID card and can be used to buy meals at our campus food outlets.

Please note that you are required to apply for free college meals via our financial support portal.

Free Meal Transitional Protection Arrangements

If you had free meals at school or college during the last academic year, you can continue to receive these, although you may need to supply us with evidence from your previous provider.

To be eligible for free meals, the UK Government states the following:

• You must be aged 16-18 on 31 August at the start of the academic year; or
• You must be aged 19+ continuing on a study programme you began while aged 16-18 (i.e. 19+ continuers); or
• You must be aged 19+ and have an Education, Health and Care Plan (ECHP)

In addition, you must be a UK resident and be receiving (or have parents who are receiving) one or more of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• The guarantee element of State Pension Credit
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Child Tax Credit (provided the recipient is not entitled to Working Tax Credit and has an annual gross income of no more than £16,190 as assessed by HMRC)
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after someone stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit*
• Universal Credit with net earnings not exceeding the equivalent of £7,400 per year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

* Note: This only applies to the Working Tax Credit run-on, which is paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit. Working Tax Credit itself is not a qualifying benefit for free meals, and students/parents receiving Working Tax Credit are not entitled to this support.

You will need to provide evidence of your household's award of the above qualifying benefit(s).

For full details of all eligibility criteria, please read our FE Bursary Support Policy.

All applications must be made online via our financial support portal – visit our 'applying for financial support' page for more information.

Please ensure you have read the eligibility criteria before making an application. If you have any questions, please contact us at financialsupport@ucb.ac.uk.

Students aged 16 to 19

Students aged between 16 and 19 on 31 August at the start of the academic year must apply for childcare support through the UK Government's Care to Learn scheme.

To find out more information and to apply, visit the Care to Learn section of the GOV.UK site. Alternatively, you can call the Care to Learn helpline on 0800 121 8989.

Students aged 20+

Further education students aged 20 and over are able to apply for help with their childcare costs while studying at University College Birmingham. If you are eligible, we can support with childcare costs of up to £100 a week for a maximum of two children.

Funding is limited and allocated on a first come, first served basis. Students who make a successful application are expected to maintain an excellent attendance record for the duration of their course.

Students aged 16 to 19

If you are aged 16-19 on 31 August at the start of the academic year and have a child who requires childcare while you attend college, you can access support through the Government's Care to Learn scheme – see full eligibility criteria here.

Students aged 20+

You may be able to access support if your household income is below £31,000 per year (this is for a household with one or no children, increasing by £1,000 for up to a maximum of four children) or if you are receiving one or more of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Tax Credits
• Universal Credit
• Pension Credit

You will need to provide evidence of your eligibility as part of your application.

For full details of all eligibility criteria, please read our FE Bursary Support Policy.

All applications must be made online via our financial support portal – visit our 'applying for financial support' page for more information.

There is no specific deadline for applying, but your childcare support will only be paid from the beginning of your course if you apply either before your course starts or within 28 days of starting your course.

If you apply after that, your childcare support will only be paid from the beginning of the week in which your application was received, as this support cannot be backdated.

Please ensure you have read the eligibility criteria before making an application. If you have any questions, please contact us at financialsupport@ucb.ac.uk.