STARTING COLLEGE

Induction Dates

Financial Support

Bursary and Child Support

Depending on your age and personal/financial situation you could be eligible to receive a bursary. The bursary should be used to meet the costs of childcare, transport, equipment, books or other course-related costs.

You can apply online for the bursaries and funds, including Further Education Free Meals, online using PayMyStudent.

Discretionary Bursary
You may be eligible for a discretionary bursary if you are aged 16 to 19 and have a household income up to £25,000 per annum. Discretionary bursaries are means-tested and are intended to support learners with books, transport or course equipment costs. The amount of bursary you will receive is based on household income, equipment cost or travel distance to the college. You may also be eligible for a Discretionary bursary if you are aged 19 to 24 and have an Education & Health Care Plan (EHCP).

16-19 Vulnerable Young Person Bursary
You may be eligible for £1,200 over the academic year if you are aged 16 to 19 and living in care or are a recent care leaver, or living independently and in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, Income Support, PIP, ESA or Universal Credit. The bursary is intended to support you with course related costs, such as travel, books or equipment.

19+ Learner Support Fund
You may be eligible for financial support for travel and course related costs if you are aged 19 and over with an income of up to £21,952 (household income £26,000) a year. Travel cost are capped at £50 per month and based how far you live from the college.

Learning Support

Do you have a learning support need or a disability that means you need some additional help with your studies? If you do, then you can contact the Learning Support team at either of our centres to talk about your needs and how we can help you. Alternatively you can email us at als@conel.ac.uk

Learner Services

We have Learner Services staff at each of our centres, who can give you information about courses, and the services and facilities that are available to you as a student.

We can help you with:

• Course applications – We can guide you through the process and we can even help you complete your application
• Enrolling onto a course – We can explain the enrolment process and help you complete the appropriate forms. We will discuss payment methods and fee remission criteria relevant to your age and financial circumstances. We can also give advice on other financial support that may be available to you, depending on your circumstances
• Course information – We can provide you with course information and discuss various options available to you. If you need detailed course content information, we can signpost you to a specialist for advice.
• Referrals to other services – We can book appointments with our Careers and Employability Service on your behalf or put you in contact with one of our learner welfare teams.

Whilst Studying at CONEL…

Attendance and Behaviour Expectations

Your experience at CONEL will result in you obtaining a qualification and give you an advantage when it comes to progressing to higher education and employment. We want you to develop into future entrepreneurs and highly sought-after employees.

This means we have high expectations of our students, to best prepare you for the world of work or higher education, such as university. This includes not only your course content, but also employability skills, work experience, as well as English and Maths.

• Attendance
  You are expected to attend classes in line with your timetable. Students should aim for 100% attendance; an employer would expect nothing less
• Punctuality
  Be on time – put yourself and your peers in the best position to learn, without disruption
• Attitude
  Our students are expected to be confident, creative, work-ready, organised and resilient – these are in line with our values

In Addition to Your Studies…

Your time at college is about succeeding in your studies as well as enjoying new challenges and making new friends. We provide a programme of activities that will ensure that you get an all-round experience whilst studying with us

So, what can you get involved with?

• You can contribute towards college life by becoming a student rep, where you can influence how the college is run
• You can become a student ambassador, supporting college activities; we also provide a range of volunteering opportunities with local charities and community groups
• You can go on trips and visits
• We can provide mentoring support to help you keep on track with your studies.
• We have lots of visiting guest speakers where you can learn and discuss different topics such as tackling discrimination to starting your own business
• We deliver a wide range of workshops that you can attend, which will help you to develop essential life skills from workshops on managing your finances to health and wellbeing
• You will meet experts from various industry sectors that will help you to develop your employability skills, highlight career pathways and future employment opportunities
• You can also get involved in various college themed weeks and cultural events that embrace the diversity of our community such as Black History Month, LGBTQ+ History Month and World Mental Health Day
• During and after college you can get fit and healthy by participating in our free sports activities. These include gym sessions, football, badminton, basketball, volleyball, martial arts, table tennis, and women-only gym sessions
  *Availability of sports activities are subject to change according to government advice and Health and Safety policy. Contact the Enrichment service at your centre for more information.