Financial Support
There are a number of financial considerations and costs incurred when studying a course. Please find attached some useful information and links on how these can be paid and Financial Support for students from low-income households.
If you have any further queries or require any assistance, then please do not hesitate to contact the Finance team as follows:
Telephone: 01223 62 1142
For assistance with ParentPay, please click here.
Fee Information
College Services Fee
We ask all students to pay a £55.00 college services fee, which helps support effective learning and student activities within the college.
In return, students will receive:
- Print credits
- Access to the college fitness centre
- A wide range of sporting activities, including team sporting activities and non-competitive sessions
- IT storage space
- Access to IT software, including Microsoft Office
- Open access to IT suites
- Free college Wi-fi
- Various enrichment activities
- A designated student centre
- The ability to borrow from the College’s Learning Resource centre
- Access to music practice rooms
- PPE where required.
The preferable method of payment for the College Services Fee is via ParentPay. We will email your ParentPay activation details by 1st September 2025, so it will be possible to pay online. However, if you have not received the details, please e-mail finance@longroad.ac.uk. Alternatively, this can be paid over the phone by calling 01223 631142 or at your first enrolment by cash or cheque.
Tuition Fees
Tuition is free to all 16-18 year olds (as at 31st August 2025) who are British nationals, EU citizens for three years prior to December 2020, or who have resident qualifications in the United Kingdom. There may, however, be other course-related costs or exam fees. Fees for adults and other nationals are available on request.
Exam Fees
Exam fees will not normally be paid by students aged 16-18 (as at 31st August 2025). However, if students are re-sitting an exam, or they wish to access their scripts for a previous exam, there may be a charge.
Fees may also be charged if there is low attendance by a student.
Books/Equipment/Starter Kits and Other Course-Related Costs
For items that are available to be ordered through the college, payment can be made via ParentPay or the college shop.
Meals
We offer a cashless catering service for meals that can be bought in our Food Centre. Payments need to be made to "Dinner Money" via ParentPay.
Locker/Equipment Deposits
Locker and equipment deposits can also be made via ParentPay. Once paid for, please take confirmation to either the Student Services Helpdesk to get a locker key or to the relevant technician for photographic equipment.
Trips
Any trips eligible to students will be assigned to them via their ParentPay account. This is the only method that the college accepts payments for trips. When paying for a trip you will be asked to provide consent and other relevant details.
Financial Support for students from low-income households is available.
Financial Support
When enroling on a course at Long Road Sixth Form College, consideration should be given to the costs involved, such as transport, meals, equipment, books, trips, stationery and childcare.
To ensure that finance is not a barrier to learning, funding is available to support students from a low-income household.
To be eligible for Financial Support, you will need to be under 19 as of 01 September 2025, demonstrate an annual household income ordinarily below £30,000, be studying a qualification up to Level 3 and have been resident in the EEA or Switzerland for three years or more.
Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for a bursary from one of the following funds. Please click on each bursary for more information:
16 - 19 Vulnerable Young Persons Bursary
Monthly payments are available up to a maximum of £1,200 for the academic year for students aged over 16 but under 19 on 1 September 2025 who specifically are:
- In or recently left local authority care
- Receiving Income Support in your name
- Disabled and you receive Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit and either Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in your name
- Receiving Universal Credit in your name
Any other fees essential to the course will be deducted, and the remainder will be paid equally each month, during term time, into the student’s bank account.
Students aged 19 or over are not eligible for bursaries for vulnerable groups
16 - 18 Discretionary Bursary
The discretionary bursary offers assistance with any College fees which are considered essential to your course, e.g. Books/Revision Guides, Stationery, Starter Packs, Equipment, Uniform and trips.
Assistance may also be given for public transport, if the local County Council is unable to fully assist. Students aged over 16 but under 19 on 1 September 2025 from a low income household (under £30,000 per annum) can apply for assistance through this scheme.
Free College Meals
These are available to learners under 19 on 31st August 2025, who are from a household in receipt of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit and/or Working Tax Credit and the household annual gross income has been assessed as below £16,190
- Working Tax Credit run-on-paid for 4 weeks after someone stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit with net earnings not exceeding £7,400 pa.
If you were in receipt of free college meals at your previous education provider, then please submit an application to financial support along with any financial evidence and written confirmation from the Local Authority or Education Provider.
Also, available for 19+ learners who are enroled on a study programme they began aged 16-18 (‘19+ continuer's) or learners who have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessed by the Local Authority and studying a Government funded full-time course.
A credit of £4.50 per day will be issued to the student’s ‘Parent-Pay’ account for use in the College’s Food Centre. In the circumstances of distance learning, then regular BACS payments will be made for each College day.
Transitional protections will continue to apply for students in receipt of free meals until the end of academic year 2025 to 2026. This protection means that all students already receiving free meals on or after 1 April 2018 continue to be eligible to receive free meals until the end of academic year 2025 to 2026. This also applies to students who were eligible for free school meals (FSM) before moving into FE provision.
Financial support may also be available for:
Transport
If Long Road Sixth Form College is the nearest college to your home offering your course, and you are under 19 on 1 September 2025, then your local County Council might be able to assist with the cost of transport to and from college.
In order to qualify for subsidised transport, you must meet the following criteria:
- Enroled on a full-time course
- Attending your nearest appropriate post-16 centre offering your chosen level of course
- Resident at an address more than three miles from the College
And in receipt of one of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance
- Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration & Asylum Act 1999
- Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
- NHS Tax Exemption (valid at the time of application – (Cambridgeshire County Council only)
- Child Tax Credits where the household income is below £16,190
- Universal Credit with a household monthly net income of no more than £935
For public transport – please contact your local County Council in the first instance to check eligibility and request a Post 16 Educational Transport application form if applicable.
| Cambridgeshire County Council | Telephone: 0345 045 5208 |
| Hertfordshire County Council | Telephone: 0300 123 4043 |
| Suffolk County Council | Telephone: 0345 606 6171 |
| Essex County Council | Telephone: 0345 603 2200 |
Please note, however, that there may be a charge payable to your local County Council.
If you require assistance with this cost or your application is rejected by your local County Council, then you may be able to get help through the College’s 16-18 discretionary bursary.
Student Bus Pass
Students who travel by bus may be able to receive discounted travel from local towns and villages by clicking below:
Student Rail Pass
Students who travel by rail maybe able to receive discounted travel by clicking below:
- 16-17 saver (this is not valid after your 18th birthday)
- Great Northern Rail Student Rail Card
- Greater Anglia Scholars Pass
Childcare
Students aged under 20 on 1 September 2025 who have a child that needs childcare while they attend college can receive assistance through Care to Learn.
This covers childcare costs of up to £160.00 per week per child, including deposit and registration fees.
For more information and eligibility criteria or to apply, please click here or ring the Student Support Helpline on 0800 121 8989
Applying for Financial Support
You can apply for Financial Support by completing the Financial Support Application Form 2025 and reading the Financial Support Guidelines 2025. It is a quick and easy process. Please complete the application form and supply recent photocopies of appropriate evidence.
The preferable form of financial proof is a Tax Credit Awards Notice (TCAN) starting 06 April 2025, Annual Tax Credits Review dated 05th April 2025 or 31st July 2025, or a copy of recent means tested benefit dated after April 2025. Photocopies of financial evidence will need to be provided with your application to demonstrate an annual household income below £30,000. Please note an application does not guarantee that an award will be made.
We would actively encourage students to apply for possible support as soon as they can.
If you need any advice or help with completing the form, then please contact us on 01223 63 1141 or financialsupport@longroad.ac.uk or visit the Student Helpdesk.
Parent Pay
The college subscribes to a national online system called ParentPay to accept electronic payments for items of expenditure. ParentPay is a secure website and offers you the freedom to make payments whenever and wherever you like, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – safe in the knowledge that the technology used is of the highest internet security available.
Payments can be made with a debit/credit card through a secure online account. Using ParentPay, you are able to top up your child’s student card, ensuring they can then use their card with our cashless catering service and the College Shop.
ParentPay is the preferred method to make payments for other college items, which could include trips, College Services Fee, locker and equipment deposits.
To use ParentPay simply log in using your secure login details and load money via credit or debit card onto your account.
What you can pay for:
- Stationery
- College Services Fee
- Photography Materials
- Art Materials
- Print Credits
- Exam Fees
- Books
- Trips
- Locker and equipment deposits
If you require a copy of the receipt for a trip, we can send this to you via email. Please send a request to finance@longroad.ac.uk.
Please click here to download the ParentPay joining instructions.
