Financial Support & Subsidised Transport
SM6 students may be entitled to financial support to help them take part in education and training. Please read this page for more information about the types of help we offer and for information on transport routes and costs to SM6.
16–19 Bursary Fund: 2024-25
What the 16-19 student bursary is for
The 16-19 Financial Support (Bursary) Fund provides financial support to help students overcome specific financial barriers to participation they face so they can remain in education.
To be able to apply for the 16-19 Bursary (2024-25), students must be aged between 16 and 19 as of 31st August 2024.
Students over the age of 19 who are eligible for the discretionary bursary, however, can still receive funding under any of the following circumstances:
- they have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
- they are continuing a study programme they began aged 16-18 at St Mary’s College.
There are two types of support available:
Discretionary Bursary
The Discretionary bursary may be awarded at the discretion of St Mary’s College Sixth Form to students to help with any of the following, subject to them meeting the eligibility criteria:
- Travel costs
- Basic stationery, such as pens, pencils, paper, files and folders.
- Essential books, equipment or specialist clothing required as essential for a study programme
- Field trips and other visits required as part a course
- Attending university open days or university-based academic experiences such as summer schools
- Attending interviews
- Supporting work/industry placements
- Other course-related costs
For students to qualify for Discretionary Bursary funding, they must demonstrate that their household income falls below the threshold of £36,000 per annum.
Students who are in receipt of Free School Meals within the academic year of their bursary application are automatically eligible to request funding from the Discretionary Bursary. To apply for Free School Meals, parents should go through the Hull City Council website portal. If eligible, the council will notify the school and this will be logged on the student’s school record.
Vulnerable Student Bursary
Students who are within a defined vulnerable group and who have financial need can apply for this bursary. St Mary’s Sixth Form College will carry out an assessment of actual need, and awards may be made up to a maximum of £1,200 per year to any one student. For students to qualify for Vulnerable Bursary funding, they should meet any one of the following criteria:
- Be in Local Authority care/or a care leaver*, including unaccompanied children seeking refuge/asylum.
- Be personally in receipt of Personal Independence Payments (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Be personally in receipt of Universal Credit (UC) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) due to living alone
- Students who are aged 19-25 continuing a study programme they began aged 16-18 at St Mary’s Sixth Form College, or who have an EHCP, and still in receipt of legacy benefits (including Income Support)
A full copy of our 16-19 Student Financial Support (Bursary) Policy (2024-25) is available upon request.
Click below for copies of the claim forms:
Free School Meals
Free school meals are available by applying to Hull City Council to students attending Sixth Forms whose parents/guardians are in receipt of one or more qualifying benefits. For full eligibility go to the Hull City Council portal linked below.
At St Mary’s College Sixth Form, free school meal tickets are given in addition to the 16 -19 Bursary Payments, where applicable.
Exam Entries
The Sixth Form’s policy of exam entry is that students should have as many opportunities where possible to improve on their module scores in order to improve their overall grade.
Students who show full commitment to their course are not charged for their exam entries and the College, unlike other schools does not, at the present time, on the same basis charge for additional entries.
Subsidised Travel
Sixth Form students can access SMC Scholar Bus Services. If you wish to request a place on the SMC1-6 services (East Riding area) please contact Mrs Craft or Miss Leighton at the college. If you have not yet registered to use any scholar bus services, please contact the main school reception at SMC on admin@smchull.org or call Tel: 01482 851136.
Additionally, students may opt for the weekly KAT travel card which covers use of all public Stagecoach and East Riding buses 7 days a week. These can be purchased from the sixth form admin office on the top floor during break time and lunch time.
Please refer to the most recent Bus Fare guide below for bus prices as these are subject to change.