Money Matters - student funding, wages

Financial support for 16 to 18 year olds in full time education

If your son/daughter is considering staying in full-time education after Year 11, you may find it helpful to know about the Education Maintenance Grant. Parents of students in full-time education from Year 12 and above may apply for a grant towards the cost of supporting their child. The grant is based on an assessment of household income.

Applications for educational maintenance grants should be made in August or September of the academic year about to start.

Financial support for university

Even though your son/daughter is in Year 10 or Year 11, you may find it helpful to know about the financial support for students wanting to study at university. This may be something your son/daughter is already considering as they plan what to study after Year 11 and you may want to check the costs of university and the support your family may be entitled to.

The Education Department supports students choosing to study at university through a means-tested grant scheme. More than £6 million is spent per year supporting around 800 students studying full-time and higher education courses outside of the Bailiwick. The amount of funding received is dependent on a number of factors, including an assessment of parental income.

The Department helps students towards the cost of tuition fees, living costs (maintenance grant) and travel costs.

There are also  Employer Bursaries [525kb] that students can apply for to help with the cost of going to university. Students can also apply for a grant as well as an employer bursary.

Minimum wage rates for 16 and 17 year olds

If your son/daughter is considering starting work after Year 11, you may find it helpful to know what they should be getting paid as a minimum. Guernsey Law sets the Minimum Wage Rate they should be paid and how this increases once they reach the age of 18 years.

Anyone starting an apprenticeship aged 16 or 17 years of age are not covered by the Law but any Apprentices aged 18 or over are covered by the Law and the Adult wage rate applies.