Bursaries
Debate Chamber is strongly committed to ensuring that financial circumstances do not prevent any student from attending our events. To that end, we offer fees bursaries covering up to 100% of course fees to students who would otherwise have difficulty in participating.
Please note that there are a limited number of bursary spaces available for each course. Bursaries for the Summer Schools will be allocated 17th June 2013.
FAQ FOR STUDENTS
Who should apply for a bursary?
As a guideline, students applying for a bursary to cover more than 50% of the course fees should meet one of the following criteria, or be in an equivalent financial position:
- students in receipt of free school meals
- students whose parents are in receipt of Income Support or Jobseeker’s Allowance
- post-16 students in receipt of Income Support or Jobseeker’s Allowance in their own right
Please note that students who do not meet the above criteria may still be eligible for fees bursaries. Applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Is this a change to the previous policy?
Yes it is, because of the government’s changes to EMA we have had to revise our bursary criteria. We also wanted to give people more flexibility in the degree of support which they applied for.
How much of the fees will be covered by a bursary?
You can apply for a bursary to cover anything from 10% to 100% of the course fees depending on your financial need. Please note that Debate Chamber is only able to offer 100% bursaries in very rare circumstances. If there are particular circumstances why you would not be able to contribute anything towards the cost of the course, please outline these in your statement.
Can I apply for a bursary to cover my travel or accommodation costs?
No, Debate Chamber bursaries only cover fees, not other costs. Before you apply for a bursary please consider whether you will be able to meet any associated costs of attending the course.
How should I apply?
Bursary applicants should complete the Bursary Application – Student Form and should ask a relevant member of staff at their school (or other suitable person) to complete the Bursary Application – Reference Form confirming that the student would benefit from attending the Debate Chamber course and would make a positive contribution to the event, and giving details of the relevant financial circumstances.
Please do not complete the Registration Form if you are applying for a bursary – just use the Bursary Application Form.
When will I know if I have been awarded a bursary?
Bursaries for the Summer Schools will be allocated on the 17th June 2013.
When will the remainder of the fees need to be paid?
You will need to pay the remainder of the fees within 5 days. If you do not do so your place may be reallocated to another student. If your school will be paying the remainder of your fees you will need to let us know as soon as possible.
How do you decide who will receive a bursary?
We will award bursaries based on a combination of which students are in most financial need of assistance, and which are most likely to benefit from the course (based on student statements and references). Debate Chamber’s decisions on this matter are final.
Can I apply for a bursary for more than one course?
Yes you can, although we would not normally grant more than one bursary per term to an individual student. You will need to submit a separate form and get a new reference for each event.
It is now after the bursary deadline for the term, can I still apply for a bursary?
No, sorry, all bursary applications must be in by the deadline. We run most events quite regularly, so you can probably apply for a bursary for the next set of dates.
My referee has forgotten to fill in the form, what should I do?
Bursary Applicants are responsible for making sure the referee they have selected fills in the form. Unfortunately we cannot chase up late referees for you.
FAQ FOR TEACHERS
My student has asked me to write a reference for their bursary application, what should I do?
Please complete the Bursary Application – Reference Form.
I am a teacher who would like to apply for bursaries for my students, what should I do?
Please ask your students to each complete a Bursary Application – Student Form, and please complete a Bursary Application – Reference Form for each student. We will let you, and them, know whether the applications have been successful.
How are these bursaries funded?
Debate Chamber funds all fees bursaries directly.