Gloucestershire College announces £1m of student support

Gloucestershire College has announced it is providing £1m to support students from poorer backgrounds during the next academic year.

In June, the college learned its bursary allocation to replace the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) was being cut by two thirds.

The Adult Learning Grant for students aged 19 and over has also been axed.

The college says it took student welfare very seriously and the money would target those most in need.

A spokesman from the institution said not everyone who was eligible for the previous grants will necessarily qualify for funding.

The government announced in October that the EMA would be scrapped, arguing that the policy was expensive and could be better focused on the poorest students.

Funding for the £180m replacement bursary fund was allocated to colleges in June.