Here you can find out about financial support information and resources that are available to help young people access education, employment and training opportunities.
The Cardiff Young People's Fund
The Cardiff Young People’s Fund is available to help young people continue their education, or to assist in their entry to a profession, trade or vocation.
You can apply for both the Cardiff Young People's Fund and the Craddock Wells Bursary.
No further applications will be accepted once all available funding has been allocated in a given financial year.
Eligibility:
The Cardiff Young People's Fund
The Craddock Wells Bursary
Craddock Wells Maintenance Allowance
The Craddock Wells Bursary
Craddock Wells Maintenance Allowance
Application Process
You can apply for funding from the Cardiff Young People's Fund or Craddock Wells Charity.
Please complete the Further education funding - Cardiff Council and email it to CardiffFETrust@cardiff.gov.uk
To apply for funding, you need to support your application with:
When to apply
You will need to make a new application each academic year.
When you have submitted your application form, we will email you to confirm that we have received it. We will email you with our decision within 21 days after the next Trustee meeting.
We may require further information from you before we can make a decision. Please provide as much backing documentation as possible to support your application to prevent any delays.
You will receive grant payment after you have bought the items and provided proof of receipt.
Further information Further education funding - Cardiff Council
What is EMA?
Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is a weekly payment of £40 to help 16 to 18 year olds with the costs of further education.
Payments are made every 2 weeks as long as you meet your school or college’s attendance requirements.
If you're new to Education Maintenance Allowance, the Little Book of EMA contains everything you need to know. EMA Wales Little Book of Ema 2026/27
Eligibility
You can apply if all of the following apply:
If these do not apply to you, you may still be eligible to apply for EMA if you’re living in Wales. Check our Nationality and Residency guide for more information
Although you don't have to study in Wales to get EMA, you must be studying at a school or college involved in the EMA scheme.
Your course should be an academic or vocational course, up to and including Level 3. Examples of such courses are:
Your school or college can tell you if the course you want to do is eligible.
You will not be eligible for EMA if you’re receiving an allowance or similar, or being paid for a publicly funded work-based learning programme (such as an apprenticeship) in the UK.
Your course must be full-time.
Your household income must be below a certain level for you to get EMA. There are two different levels depending on your family circumstances:
Our FE calculator can help you work out whether you might be able to get EMA based on your household income.
More detailed information about household income, including what to do if you’re a care leaver, can be found in the household income section.
Applying early means you have the best chance of having your funding confirmed and in place for the start of your course.
If you’re new to Education Maintenance Allowance for academic year 2026 to 2027 you should apply online.
You'll need to create an account or sign in if you've already created one. It should only take around 30 minutes to apply.
If you cannot apply online, you’ll need to send us a paper application form. There are guidance notes to help you fill in the form.
If you don’t have access to a printer, you can pick up an application pack from your school or college.
We will accept your application and any evidence until 31 August 2027.
Remember to sign your EMA Agreement at school or college to get your money after we process your application.
For all the information you need on EMA in 2026 to 2027:
If you’re new to Education Maintenance Allowance for academic year 2025 to 2026 you should apply online.
You'll need to create an account or sign in if you've already created one. It should only take around 30 minutes to apply.
If you cannot apply online, you’ll need to send us a paper application form. There are guidance notes to help you fill in the form.
If you don’t have access to a printer, you can pick up an application pack from your school or college.
We will accept your application and any evidence until 31 August 2026.
Remember to sign your EMA Agreement at school or college to get your money after we process your application.
For all the information you need on EMA in 2025 to 2026: EMA Wales Little Book of Ema 2025-2026
Welsh Government Learning Grant FE is an income-assessed grant that aims to encourage more people to continue with their education.
It provides funding to help with the costs of your education if you’re aged 19 or over. If you’re studying full-time you could get payments of up to £1,919 a year or, if studying part-time, you could get up to £959 a year.
If you're new to Welsh Government Learning Grant, the following guide contains everything you need to know Welsh Government Learning Grant Further Education notes
You can apply if all of the following apply:
If these do not apply to you, you may still be eligible to apply for WGLG FE if you’re living in Wales. Check our Nationality and Residency guide (Download PDF 177KB, opens in a new tab) for more information.
Although you do not have to study in Wales to get WGLG FE, you must be studying at a school or college involved in the WGLG FE scheme.
Your course must:
There are lots of courses you can do to get WGLG FE, such as:
Your course must be ‘eligible’ for WGLG FE support. Your school or college can tell you if the course you want to do is eligible.
If you’ve received WGLG FE while studying on a course of the same level as (or higher than) the course you’re applying for, you will not be eligible for WGLG FE in this or future academic years.
Your household income must be £18,370 or less for you to be eligible for this grant.
Our FE calculator (opens in a new tab) can help you work out how much you could be entitled to.
More detailed information about household income, including what to do if you’re a care leaver, can be found in the household income section.
Applying early means you have the best chance of having your funding confirmed and in place for the start of your course.
If you’re new to the Welsh Government Learning Grant Further Education (WGLG FE) for academic year 2026 to 2027, you should apply online.
You'll need to create an account or sign in if you've already created one. It should only take around 30 minutes to apply.
If you cannot apply online, you’ll need to send us a paper application form. There are guidance notes to help you fill in the form.
Applications can be accepted up to 9 months after your course start date, evidence for your application can be accepted up to 12 months after your course start date. For example, if your course started on 1 September 2026:
Remember to sign your WGLG FE Agreement at your college to get your money after we process your application.
For more information on WGLG FE in 2026 to 2027:
Your eligibility for WGLG FE is dependent on your household income. You can get up to £1,919 for a full-time course, or up to £959 for a part-time course.
The household income is the income of either:
If you live with your parent(s) you’re considered a dependent student.
If you’re applying for the 2026 to 2027 academic year, you must give your income details for tax year 2024 to 2025 (6 April 2024 to 5 April 2025).
Your parent(s), or your parent and their partner, must give their income details for tax year 2024 to 2025 (6 April 202 to 5 April 2025).
The higher income from you or your parent(s) will be used to assess your entitlement.
More information about household income can be found in our parents and partners section.
You’re normally considered an independent student if:
If you’re applying for the 2026 to 2027 academic year, you must provide details of your income for tax year 2024 to 2025 (6 April 2024 to 5 April 2025).
If you’re married or in a civil partnership, your partner must also give their income details for tax year 2024 to 2025 (6 April 2024 to 5 April 2025).
The higher income from you or your partner (if applicable) will be used to assess your entitlement. More information about household income can be found in our parents and partners section.
If you’re a care leaver (you have not lived in the legal care of your parents for at least 13 weeks before turning 25), you will not need to give us any financial information when you complete your application. But you will need to send evidence of your status.
Find out more about applying as an independent student (Download PDF 119KB, opens in a new tab).
How much you get will depend on your total household income.
The table shows the household income thresholds. You can also use the FE calculator to work out how much you could get. You can get up to £1,919 for a full-time course, or up to £959 for a part-time course.
The table shows how much you could get based on your household income.
| Annual household income | Part-time (275 – 499 hours) | Full-time (500+ hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £6,120 | £959 | £1,919 |
| £6,121 – £ 12,235 | £576 | £959 |
| £12,236 – £18,370 | £384 | £576 |
| £18,371 and above | £0 | £0 |
When you have money it’s important that you learn how to look after it properly and budget for the things you need. Here are a few websites and services which can help you and that you can explore in your own time.
Natwest’s Life Moments – Managing your Money
An online resource which can help you to manage your money, save and budget, reduce your bills and understand your credit score.
Managing your money | Life Moments | NatWest
Citizens Advice
With staff located in Central Library and also an online resource which can help you with benefits, work, debt and money, housing, family, law and courts, immigration and health.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/wales/
The Princes Trust – Money Management
An online resource to help you with lots of things from planning your monthly spending budget to finding the best deal at the supermarket, here's lots of handy tools to support you and your finances.
Money management | Financial advice | The Prince's Trust (princes-trust.org.uk)
The Money Charity – The Student Money Manual
The Money Charity seeks to ensure that young people grow up feeling confident that they have not just the skills and knowledge, but also the attitudes and behaviours they need to make the most of their money throughout their lives.
Resources such as workshops essential guides to all things student finance and teacher resource packs support young people to make the right decisions about managing their money.
Student Finance Wales is a website which supports young people with financial advice for young people studying in Further Education (college) whilst you’re in university studying for your degree or related qualification or following your degree in any further study you undertake.
What is Turn2Us?
A website which can help you find out what support may be available to you through benefits, grants or other financial support.
Advice on benefits, advice and support agencies, grants and information and advice on student matters are all included in this website,
Support for children and young people with a disability?
The Council’s Families First Disability Benefit Support team is keen to remind eligible customers of the assistance available for families who have a child with a disability and young people with a disability.
The team offers a variety of specialist advice and support with:
- Child Disability Living Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Limited Capability with Universal Credit
- Personal Independence Payment
They can also help with completing claim forms, Mandatory Reconsiderations and appeals, and where appropriate provide representation at tribunal hearings. So if you have a child with a disability or you’re under 25 and have a disability and need assistance, get in touch. Call 02920 871 071 or email
Our young adult programmes equip 16-25-year-olds with the essential money management skills they need to navigate major life transitions.
Our programmes are designed to provide practical, real-world financial knowledge. Sessions are interactive, engaging, and tailored to suit the needs of each group. Participants can also earn a Level 1 Personal Money Management qualification.
Our workshops focus on debt prioritisation, money management, and independent living. Delivered through councils, charities and non-mainstream education institutions, we provide young adults, including those often not in employment, education or training or leaving care, with tools to manage their money with confidence.
Money Ready’s expert trainers will come to your organisation with our colourful resources including worksheets, Powerpoint, and audio-visual aids to deliver our workshops. Every £1 spent on Money Ready’s young adult programmes creates £4.47 in social value and the impact increases as time goes on.
Some workshops are also available to be delivered virtually instead of in-person, please specify on the form when requesting a session if you are interested in an online session or would like any adaptations to the workshop.
Information about Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) for new and continuing students in higher education.
You're considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
'DSA is extra support to pay the essential costs you may have as a direct result of your disability', including a long-term health condition, mental-health condition, Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia. You don't usually have to pay this back.