Apply for Additional Funding Support
Through the Turing Scheme, we’re pleased to be able to offer additional support to learners from financially disadvantaged backgrounds to make our programmes more accessible.
Eligible learners can receive up to £135 in additional support to reimburse pre-departure costs such as:
- Passport
- Visa
- Vaccinations
- Health check
- Additional insurance
You can read the full criteria below, and once you’ve applied you’ll be able to submit an application for the extra funding at the bottom of this page as well. Your Further Afield coordinator will invite you to do so at the right moment.
Once you’ve completed this form and have received confirmation that you qualify, you will receive clear guidance about how to reclaim costs.
Please note: 70% of places are reserved for learners who meet the eligibility criteria below.
1. Someone with an annual income of £32,000 or less
Information:
This criteria applies for someone who is currently working and not in full-time education, and has a gross annual income of £32,000 or less.
Evidence Required:
For income from employment, please see what evidence you can submit below:
This could be in the form of:
- a payslip dated within 3 months of the course start date, and
- a current employment contract that shows your gross salary, and
- if available, your P60 or tax return for the prior tax year
If you cannot provide an employment contract showing your gross annual salary, you will usually be asked to provide three months of payslips.
If you are self-employed and on a low income you could provide :
- a copy of your latest tax return, or
- personal tax calculation/computation statement from HMRC, or
- a statement of your accounts, or
- an accountant’s letter, or
- a copy of your annual tax summary
You may view your employment and tax history on the Gov tax service website and use screenshots of this as an accepted form of evidence. Please ensure your full name is visible on each piece of evidence you supply.
Evidence not accepted:
- P45
- Bank Statements
Notes:
- If you’ve had informal work that doesn’t appear on HMRC (e.g., cash in hand work), please provide what evidence you do have and explain your circumstances in your supporting letter.
- If you are unsure if you meet this criteria or about what evidence to provide. Please explain your circumstances in your supporting letter and provide the evidence you do have and our team will then discuss with you.
2. Someone who receives universal credit or income-related benefits
Information:
This criteria applies for someone who receives universal credit or income-related benefits because they are either financially supporting:
- themselves
- or themselves and someone who is dependent on them and living with them, such as a child or partner.
Evidence Required:
You must be currently in receipt of universal credit or income-related benefits. Other income-related benefits may be JSA, ESA, Housing Benefits, or Council Tax reduction.
Evidence accepted:
- Gov.uk / DWP online account screenshots showing payments and entitlement dates.
- Official award letters from DWP/HMRC.
Note: Evidence must have your full name and dates that show that you’re currently entitled to the benefit.
3. Someone with experience of being in care or who is a care leaver
Information:
This criteria includes anyone who is or has been in care, or from a looked after background, at any stage of their life.
Evidence Required:
Please provide one of the following:
- A letter from your local authority confirming you were looked after.
- A letter from your social worker / personal adviser / leaving care team.
- Official correspondence from your local council that shows you have been in care.
- A letter from a recognised support organisation (e.g. Barnardo’s, Coram Voice, The Care Leavers’ Association) confirming your status.
If you have other evidence that you feel shows that you meet this criteria, please submit it so that we can review.
4. Someone who is a carer
Information:
This means anyone who both:
- looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction, and cannot cope without their support;
- and is not paid for this care
Note: Being in receipt of carer’s allowance does not count as paid care work.
Evidence Required:
Please provide one of the following:
- A letter from a GP, consultant, or health professional confirming you provide regular care for someone with an illness, disability, or mental health condition.
- A letter from a social worker, support worker, or local authority confirming your caring role.
- A letter from a registered carers’ organisation (e.g. Carers Trust, Carers UK, or a local carers’ centre).
- Proof of Carer’s Allowance (if you receive it).
If you have other evidence that you feel shows that you meet this criteria, please submit it so that we can review.
5. Someone who has previously been eligible for free school meals
Information:
This applies to someone who has at some point in their life, been in receipt of means-tested, free school meals.
Evidence Required:
- Official confirmation letter or email from your local council or school/institution showing that you qualified for free school meals.
If you have other evidence that you feel shows that you meet this criteria, please submit it so that we can review.
6. A refugee or an asylum seeker
Evidence Required:
Refugee
- Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)/ eVisa showing refugee status
- Official letter confirming refugee status
Asylum seeker
- Official acknowledgement or letter of asylum application (application form receipt)
- Asylum applicant card / ARC (Asylum Registration Card)
If you have other evidence that you feel shows that you meet this criteria, please submit it so that we can review.
7. Someone whose home address up to the age of 18 was in an area of low progression to higher education (read explanation for details)
Information:
Someone whose home address up to the age of 18 (i.e., when attending school) is listed as an area of low progression to higher education on the POLAR checking tool. To qualify for this, your postcode should be in Quintile ‘1’ or ‘2’on the POLAR4 measure.
Evidence Required:
Please provide the following evidence:
- Evidence of address with your name and date proving when you lived there (such as an official letter or bank statement)
- and a screenshot showing of the POLAR4 checking tool showing that the postcode of your home address is in quintile 1 or quintile 2.
8. Someone whose home address up to the age of 18 was defined as a deprived area in government definitions (read explanation for details)
Information:
Someone whose home address up to the age of 18 (i.e. when attending school) was in a deprived area (I.e., your address is listed Decile 1, 2, or 3 of the IMD. (For England see here, for Wales see here, For Scotland see here, for Northern Ireland see here.)
Evidence Required:
- Evidence of address with your name and date proving when you lived there (such as an official letter or bank statement)
- Screenshot of the relevant checking tool, showing that your postcode meets the relevant criteria.
Note: The Northern Ireland checking tool doesn’t explicitly state which decile it falls in. The overall deprivation rank should be 266 or less.
9. Someone who has lived in council housing
Evidence Required:
- Evidence that you live or lived at the address (such as an official letter or bank statement with your address and full name)
- Evidence that the address is council housing (e.g., council tenancy records)
10. Someone who has experience of the justice system
Please note that someone with past convictions that make them ineligible to work with children would not be considered for this opportunity.
Evidence Required:
Please provide one of the following:
A brief letter or email from a relevant organisation or professional (such as probation, a youth offending team, a prison education or resettlement service, or a supporting charity)
Confirmation of engagement with a justice-related education, rehabilitation, or resettlement programme (for example, a letter, email, or certificate)
- Other reasonable supporting documentation that clearly confirms past experience with the justice system
Note: We do not require any details about offences, charges, or convictions. Information provided will be used only to assess eligibility and will be handled confidentially. In line with standard practice for all participants, you will be asked separately for a DBS as part of the onboarding process.