A BURSARY fund that helps cover young peoples’ cost of studying at college is open again for applications.
The Dorset Community Foundation Bursary offers grants of up to £1,000 towards travel to college, laptops, equipment, tools or clothing, study trips or meals for students whose household income is below £35,000.
Applicants must be 16 to 25, attending a vocational course, and be enrolled at Bournemouth and Poole College, Kingston Maurward College, Brockenhurst College, Bourne Academy, Blandford, Weymouth College, Yeovil College, Wiltshire College or Beaminster School, The Purbeck School and Sir John Colfox Academy’s sixth forms.
Students studying STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) at Bournemouth and Poole, Bourne Academy or Brockenhurst Collegecan apply for the community foundation’s Superior STEM Bursary Fund, which is supported by Wimborne engineering company Superior Seals, and offers grants of up to £1,500.
Jack Hayward, 17, of Christchurch, received a £929 grant to study plastering at Bournemouth and Poole College. The grant paid for travel and equipment. “It would have been a real struggle for us to pay his travel because Jack’s stepdad Ian is being treated for cancer of the kidney and can’t work,” said his mum Nina.
“But the grant has made such a difference and has really helped Jack. He’s an SEN student and being at college has done wonders for him he has learnt some life skills and his confidence has grown. He’s a much more outgoing person now.”
Georgia Farmer from Christchurch used a £679 grant for a laptop and travel to Brockenhurst College, where she is studying art and design. She said her dad is single and couldn’t afford to buy her and her twin sister Abigail a laptop. “Having the laptop made things much easier for me because it meant I could work at home,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed my first year of college and the grant really helped.”
Lynn Weaver, who works in the student finance team at Bournemouth and Poole College, said the grants can make the difference in whether students go to college or not. “It’s really good that Dorset Community Foundation can help students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford to come into college, be able to buy a laptop or pay for travel.
“We would have a lot of students having to do a think about whether they could afford to come to college without that.”
Applications for the Dorset Community Foundation Bursary Scheme and the Superior STEM Bursary Fund are open until February 2, 2026. Application forms and full details of criteria can be found at dorsetcommunityfoundation.org/funds/dcf-bursary-scheme or dorsetcommunityfoundation.org/funds/superior-stem-bursary-fund.
Students should apply direct to their college for financial support before applying to DCF, although they may receive funds from both sources if needed.
Find out more about the work of Dorset Community Foundation at dorsetcommunityfoundation.org.
Pictured: Jack Hayward won Bournemouth and Poole College’s Plaster of the Year award. A Dorset Community Foundation Education Bursary Fund grant helped him get to college