Help with Childcare Costs

There are a couple of different ways to get help with your childcare costs, depending on your age.

If you’re 16 to 19 years old, you can apply for the Government’s care to learn scheme.

If you’re 20 or older, you can apply for the Learner Support Fund Childcare Grant.

16-19: Care to Learn

Care to learn will only pay for childcare costs from the start of your course if you apply within 28 days of the course start date.

If you apply after that, your childcare provider will only be paid from the beginning of the week that your application was received.

FE Student Funding will be alerted when you apply to Care to Learn and we will write to you to tell you what you need to do next. 

You will have to provide a copy of your child’s/children’s birth certificate(s) or passport(s), and a letter confirming you receive Child Benefit or Universal Credit child element or Child Tax Credits for 2022-2023.

You will also have a short form to complete.

20+: Learner Support Fund Childcare Grant

A Learner Support Fund Childcare Grant can help you pay for your childcare costs while you study at college if you’re 20 years old or more.

All payments will be made straight to your childcare provider.

You must keep attending your course for the payments to be made.

To apply, you need to:

• be aged 20 or over on the day your course starts
• be the primary carer of your child(ren) and not have a partner at home who can take care of your child(ren) while you study
• have a gross household income of £30,000 or under
• be using an OFSTED registered childcare provider
• not be receiving the Childcare Element of Working Tax Credits/Universal credit

Learner Support Fund guidance for students aged 19 and over (pdf) Download

How to apply

Please complete the online application form to apply for this bursary.

As soon as your application is assessed you will be sent an award confirmation email to your Bradford College student email address.

If you need help with this you can telephone 01274 088349 or email
[email protected]

Visit: 

Student Funding, Student Services, Ground Floor, David Hockney Building

Student Services Office, Trinity Green Building

Childcare providers

It will be your responsibility to find a childcare provider.  

The website childcare.co.uk can help with this.

Your childcare provider will need to register if you are applying for the Learner Support Fund Childcare Grant.