A Further Education (FE) Bursary is an award made by Orkney Islands Council to help a student beyond statutory school leaving age, who is undertaking a qualifying course within or out with Orkney. It is not a loan and does not need to be paid back.
Submitting an application form is not a guarantee of support.
There is no automatic entitlement to a bursary, even where eligibility is established. There is a limited budget and awards will be issued on a first come, first served basis. Once the budget has been fully allocated then no further applications will be accepted or processed. Therefore, it is important that you get your application and all supporting documents in as soon as possible.
Note: bursaries awarded by Orkney Islands Council are provided as a contribution towards study and living costs and there may be additional costs that you will have to fund yourself.
To be eligible for a bursary, you must be:
For full details, please refer to the Student Funding Guidance which can be downloaded in PDF format from the ‘Related Downloads’ section of this page.
In some circumstances students may be exempt from funding or have restrictions applied to any bursary they may receive. There are various reasons why this may occur and you can find full details in the Student Funding Guidance document.
All awards are dependent on meeting the eligibility criteria outlined above and the majority will be means-tested. The exception to this is materials and travel allowances for those under the age of 18 or over 18s who are applying for fees only, which are not means-tested.
There are four main components of the FE Bursary:
A contribution towards accommodation and living expenses.
This varies according to the student’s circumstances and age and will be means-tested.
Assistance towards the cost of travel to and from college.
This allowance is means-tested for students over the age of 18.
Assistance towards the cost of books, clothing and other materials, up to a maximum of £275. The actual amount will depend on the type of course you are studying. In some cases, this may be paid directly to the college rather than the student.
This allowance is means-tested for students over the age of 18.
Orkney Islands Council will pay course fees for those aged 18 and over attending Orkney College. Those aged under 18 are eligible for Fee Waiver.
If you are studying out with Orkney then we will provide you with a fee waiver letter to give to your College, instructing them to claim the cost of your tuition fees from the Student Funding Council.
Course fees are not means-tested.
Applications for 2023 to 2024 are available in PDF format from the 'Related Downloads' section of this page. Ideally, you should submit your application by 31 July 2023 to ensure that funding is in place prior to the start of your course.
You must submit a fully completed application along with the following documentation:
Depending on your individual circumstances and the type of bursary that you are applying for, you may be required to submit additional documentation, such as household income. For full details about providing proof of income and what documentation is required, please refer to the Student Funding Guidance which is available from the ‘Related Downloads’ section of this page.
Your application can take approximately 4-5 weeks to process during busy periods. If approved, you will receive an offer of award letter which you must sign and return to Orkney Islands Council. Once we have received your signed acceptance, your payments can begin, as set out in the payment schedule.
Bursaries are normally paid in 10 monthly instalments and are dependent on your attendance, conduct and progress throughout your course.
The expectation is that students should attend all their classes and attendance will be monitored on a regular basis. However, Orkney Islands Council recognise that students may need to have periods of absence and we authorise Colleges to use their discretion to determine what absences will be accepted as authorised, and their frequency, taking into account the student's wider circumstances.
Where students have unauthorised absences or have exceeded their College's policy for accepted authorised absences, the College must confirm that the student has taken reasonable steps to engage with their studies, despite being absent.
We will regularly request updates from your college on your attendance and progress prior to making any payments to you. If you have any unauthorised absences or you have not taken reasonable steps to engage with your studies then you will not receive your monthly bursary instalment.
Submission of an application form is not a guarantee of support. Bursary funds are limited and applications will continue to be processed until these funds have been fully allocated.
Applications are processed in order of the date they are received by the Education Grants team, so it is important to get your application for funding in as soon as possible. You can apply for funding as soon as you have received your acceptance letter from your chosen college.
Bursary payments can only be backdated to the start of your course if your complete application form is received within 6 weeks of your course commencing. This does not include any delays due to the need for official documentation.
Part-time and short courses or courses that are above SCQF level 7 (e.g. HNC, HND, Degree, etc) are not eligible for funding from Orkney Islands Council and you should seek support from other avenues. Some suggestions have been provided below.
SAAS are an agency of the Scottish Government giving financial support to eligible students doing a course of higher education in the UK, including undergraduate (HNC, HND, Degree, PGDE or equivalent), postgraduate or eligible nursing/midwifery courses. Please contact them for further information.
Address: Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT.
Telephone: 03005550505.
You can access the SAAS website from the 'Related Sites' section of this page.
SDS launched Individual Training Accounts (ITAs) which offer targeted funding focusing on those actively seeking employment and those who are currently in low paid work and looking to progress. ITAs are available to help people develop the skills they need for work, giving learners who meet the eligibility criteria up to £200 towards a single training course or training episode per year. And because it’s not a loan, the money doesn’t need to be paid back.
The local SDS office can be contacted at:
Address: 2 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP.
Telephone: 01856872460.
You can access the SDS website from the 'Related Sites' section of this page.
If you have any queries or would like assistance with completing your application form, contact the Education Grants Team at:
Education, Leisure and Housing, Orkney Islands Council, Council Offices, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NY.
Telephone: 01856873535 extension 2416.
Email: Education Grants.