Funding Information
The Building Crafts College is delighted to offer Bursaries to students studying Bench Joinery, Fine Woodwork and Stonemasonry and Scholarships to students of Fine Woodwork.
How does it work?
Prospective and current students of our 19+ diploma courses are able to apply for funding towards the cost of their course fees. To do this they must fill out an online application form that will be given to them after they receive an offer from us. The process will happen in this order:
- Application Form – The first step of the process is to fill out a general application form to apply for one of our diploma courses. We will then review your application and offer you an interview.
- Interview – We will arrange a date for your interview, this is an opportunity for you to meet the tutor of your course, take a tour of our workshops, and ask any questions you may have. You will also be asked to sit a short Maths & English assessment.
- Offer – Upon reviewing your application and interview we will then decide whether to offer you a place on our course. Should we decide to offer you a place we will also provide you with a link to our online funding bursary application which you must complete. This funding is provided by the Worshipful Company of Carpenters.
- Funding Result – Your funding application is subject to review by the Charitable Grants Committee. You will then find out whether you are eligible for funding, and if so, how much you will receive. The level of award will be dependent on the assessment of financial need and the maximum award is the equivalent of 2/3rds of fee costs. If you are offered funding this will only be for the first year of your course. For later years you will need to re-apply for funding. Funding support is at the discretion of the charities we work with.
- Accepting your offer – After finding out the result of your funding application you can then decide whether or not to accept the offer and to confirm your place on our course
- If you are successful in your application for a bursary or scholarship, your award will normally be applied as a discount towards your 2nd/3rd term fees. All students are normally expected to cover the cost of their first term fees.
Only students who have been offered a place for the academic year 2025/26 may apply.
If any student is experiencing difficulties paying their fees please contact Admissions in the first instance.
Other funding sources
Advanced learner loans
This government loan provides support with tuition fees for adults (19+) on Level 3 to Level 6 courses. If you’re 19+, a UK resident and applying to study on a Level 3 to Level 6 course, you are likely to be eligible for this government loan, which covers all or part of your tuition fees and is paid directly to the College. You can borrow any amount from £300 up to the full cost of your tuition fees.
The BCC courses that the Advanced Learning Loan will relate to include:
- Year 2 of the full time Furniture Making and Design Diploma (when it becomes a level 3 qualification) – or from term 5 of the part time mode of the same course.
During the 2025/26 academic year the maximum value of the loan for these courses is £5,421.
Key points in relation to Advanced Learner Loans:
- Getting the loan doesn’t depend on your household income
- There is no credit check
- You only start paying the loan back when you’re earning £25,000 a year or more
- All Advanced Learner Loans are written off after 30 years
You can find out more by visiting https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan
Charitable grants
The Worshipful Company of Masons provides support towards fee costs under its training grant scheme. More information can be found here https://www.masonslivery.org/our-craft/#edsupport
The current maximum value of grants for fee support is £2,500.
Aldgate and Allhallows Foundation provides educational grants for residents of Tower Hamlets or the City of London who are under 30. To be eligible to considered for a grant, individuals must be:
- under the age of 30 on the day their course or year of study begins, and
- permanently resident in London Borough of Tower Hamlets or the City of London for at least the past three years, and
- from a low income background, and
- studying full-time in Further, Higher or Postgraduate education on a course of at least one year in length that will result in the awarding of a recognised qualification.
More information can be found here https://aldgateallhallows.org.uk/grants/grants-for-individuals/
The Portal Trust offers individual bursaries. To apply for a bursary, you must:
- Be under 25 on the first day of your course
- Come from a low-income or disadvantaged background
- Permanently live in one of our named inner London boroughs.
More information can be found here https://portaltrust.org/apply-for-funding/individuals