We know that money can sometimes be a barrier to studying. That’s why we’re always looking at how we can support our students in any way we can. Take a look at the types of financial support we can offer at Cheshire College.
At Cheshire College, we’re here to help you thrive. If you’re aged 16-19, you may be eligible for support with meals, travel, and essential course equipment through our bursary scheme. For students aged 19 and over, financial support is also available to help with childcare, learning materials and other key costs.
Applying is quick and straightforward via the PayMyStudent system, where you can easily manage and track your funding. If you have any questions or need a bit of guidance, our friendly team is here to help, just drop us a message at bursary@ccsw.ac.uk.
Applying is simple and secure through PayMyStudent , where you can easily upload evidence, manage and track your funding.
Our dedicated bursary team is here to make things as simple and stress-free as possible. If you have any questions or need a bit of guidance, just get in touch at bursary@ccsw.ac.uk—we’re always happy to help.
We know that accessing the right support can make a big difference. That’s why we’ve outlined some of the financial help available for students aged 16-18, and for those who are 18 but still under 19 on 31 August 2025, or at the start of the academic year.
Support is also offered to students aged 19-23 who are continuing a course they began at 16-18, or who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Our dedicated bursary team is here to make the process as smooth and straightforward as possible. If you have any questions or need a hand, just get in touch at bursary@ccsw.ac.uk, we’re always happy to help!
This fund helps students aged 16-19 whose household income is below £35,000. It can help with the cost of essential items and activities linked to your study programme.
You’ll need to apply through PayMyStudent which can be found above.
How to apply
Step 1: You will need to be fully enrolled or have an accepted offer to study on your course before you can apply for a bursary.
Step 2: Register for a PayMyStudent account using your unique Student ID number, and your date of birth.
Step 3: Activate your account by clicking the link sent to the personal email you gave us at enrolment.
Step 4: Log in to your PayMyStudent account and complete your application. For detailed information regarding eligibility, download the guidance notes here or click on the link to a video tutorial below:
PayMyStudent Application Walkthrough
For any further queries, please contact bursary@ccsw.ac.uk
Students aged between 16-19 years old may be able to get a free meal every day that they’re on Campus throughout their studies.
This will be assessed and included as part of the award made through the PayMyStudent application. Meal support follows the Government’s Free School Meal Scheme which can be found at free school meals.
All students are eligible for a free breakfast item in the morning until 11am. You will get a pick of two items from the following: porridge, fruit, flapjack, nutrigrain bars, toast and beans.
If you are a parent under 20 years old, you are eligible for childcare support of up to £180 per child, per week, under the Care to Learn scheme. More details about this are available at www.gov.uk/care-to-learn.
If you are a student under the age of 19 who lives in Wales and travels to study at Cheshire College, you may be able to receive an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) as well as being supported through the 16-19 Discretionary Bursary Fund. You can find out more about this at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/fe/ema.
Students can additionally access free meal support if they meet the criteria set out by the Government Free School Meal Scheme.
Yes, you’ll need to apply for bursary funding each academic year through PayMyStudent. When applying for the new academic year, you may have to reset your password if an error appears when you attempt to login.
Only students on a continuing enrolment (a 2-year course) who have previously been approved for bursary funding and the household income has not notably changed from last academic year can use the Bursary Self Declaration form as evidence of your eligibility, as we will carry forward the evidence from the previous year.
Ask a parent/guardian to complete the form in black ink and upload an image of the form to the evidence section of your PayMyStudent account. If you are unable to print a copy at home, please email bursary@ccsw.ac.uk and ask for a copy to be sent out to you through the post.
Students on apprenticeship programmes, waged training, or are in employment rather than education, are not eligible for the 16-19 Bursary Fund.
Apprentices working more than 33 hours a week are entitled to the same benefits as everyone else in the workplace. These include:
Universal Credit
Sick Pay
At least 20 days paid holiday
Statutory parental leave
If you’re aged 19 or over, there are a range of financial support options available to help with course-related costs and other essentials. Our dedicated bursary team is here to make things as simple and stress-free as possible. If you have any questions or need a bit of guidance, just get in touch at bursary@ccsw.ac.uk, we’re here to support you. Take a look below to explore the support that could be available to you.
Depending on the level of qualification that you are studying, support is available from either the Advanced Learner Loan Bursary, or the Adult Skills Fund. All applications for support are made through the PayMyStudent platform.
Advanced Learner Loan (ALL)
If you are doing a Level 3 or 4 qualification, and you have been assessed as being liable to pay for tuition fees, you may need to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan. For further information regarding this, please contact MIS@ccsw.ac.uk. If this is the case, you will need a funding and information letter from the College before you can complete your application. For further information, please visit:
Advanced Learner Loan: Overview – GOV.UK
Food and Travel Costs
Essential Equipment
Childcare
Examination Fees
Classroom assistance for a disability or learning difficulty
Adult Skills Fund (ASF)
Full and part-time funded students aged 19+ may be eligible to apply for support from the AEB fund. This support can help pay for things like:
Food and Travel Costs
Essential Equipment
Childcare
Examination Fees
Tuition Fees (in exceptional circumstances)
If you are aged 19 or over, students that live in Wales and study in England can apply for the Welsh Government Learning Grant (FE). For more information about eligibility and how to apply see the Student Finance Wales website below.
Students studying a Higher Education course such as a HNC, HND, or Degree course, are supported through Student Finance England (SFE), or Wales (SFW), depending on residency. Students funded by Student Finance are not eligible for bursary funding from the College.
From SFE/SFW, there are two types of student loans available:
More details about this type of student finance can be found at Student Finance.
To find out more, get in touch with the team at the Campus where you will be studying:
Crewe Campus: 01270 654654
Ellesmere Port Campus: 01244 656200
Chester Campus: 01244 656200
We have a committed Bursary department who are focused on helping provide you with the support that you need. You can always get in touch at bursary@ccsw.ac.uk, or if you need any transport assistance, please find out more on our Free Transport page.
01270 654638
01244 656455
You may see a fee attached to the course you’re interested in, but if you are 19+ there may be funding options available to cover the cost of your course.
Get in touch with admissions@ccsw.ac.uk if you’d like anymore information.
