GrantRadar

Foundation Scotland

Ballantrae Education and Training Fund

Bursaries for individuals aged 17 or over who live in the Ballantrae Community Council area (South Ayrshire), to help with the costs of education, training or apprenticeships that improve their chances of getting or keeping a job. First-time awards are up to £1,000 (then £750, then £500 a year), capped at £2,250 over three years. Priority goes to 17-25 year olds, recognised qualifications and local-economy industries. Paid from the Ballantrae Community Fund (ScottishPower Renewables), with rolling applications and decisions in six to eight weeks.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £1,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Light
short form, little evidence needed

Who can apply

  • Individuals aged 17 or over living in the Ballantrae Community Council area (South Ayrshire), taking (or thinking of applying for) an education or training course to improve or gain skills linked to employment, including retraining or keeping a current role
  • Priority is given to people aged 17-25
  • Applications are not means tested; personal circumstances are only considered if demand is high
  • Apprentices can apply for costs they cannot claim back
  • Secondary pupils who also attend college part of the week can apply for costs not covered by school, college or council
  • Priority is given to first-time applicants

What it funds

Costs directly related to attending a course or apprenticeship (full or part-time), including Apprenticeships, Modern and Foundation Apprenticeships, HGV licence training, SVQs, NCs, HNCs, HNDs, undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications (not PhDs), short vocational courses and other courses:

  • Course fees (where they cannot be waived or funded otherwise)
  • Study aids and equipment such as laptops, software and stationery (up to £500)
  • Technical aids and equipment such as specialist clothing and tools (up to £500)
  • Travel
  • Accommodation
  • Driving lessons (up to £1,000 in total)

Courses leading to formal or recognised qualifications are favoured; other courses are considered if they realistically help the applicant secure or retain a job or set up a business.

Priority industries: hospitality, construction, transport/logistics, motor maintenance, tourism, forestry and timber, rural development, agriculture (including crofting), environmental conservation, and health and social care benefiting the local community.

Local study (generally south and central Scotland) is looked on more favourably.

Award caps: first time / year 1 or short course up to £1,000; second time / year 2 up to £750; further years up to £500 a year; one grant held at a time; £2,250 maximum over three years.

What it will not fund

  • Costs incurred before a decision is made (retrospective funding)
  • Training or equipment your employer should provide, or that you need to do your current job
  • Apprenticeship costs you can claim back from your employer or another agency
  • PhDs
  • Private tuition to support the school curriculum
  • Activities that are the sole responsibility of statutory bodies, including core curricular work in schools (school pupils also attending college can apply only for costs not covered by statutory provision)

How to apply

  1. Apply once you are sure you will take the course and have been accepted onto it
  2. Optionally preview the individual application questions on Foundation Scotland's website
  3. Set up a Foundation Scotland online portal account with a working email address and complete the application (course details, costs and other support, bank details, motivation, time commitment, current work or study, and a referee)
  4. Upload a recent bank statement and proof of home address, plus your offer letter or confirmation of your course place
  5. Foundation Scotland assesses the application (confirming residency, course and eligible costs) and may contact you; you are told the decision in about six to eight weeks
  6. If awarded, accept the terms and conditions on the grantee portal; payment is by bank transfer (sometimes direct to the course provider), often in instalments after confirming attendance or milestones
  7. Provide attendance evidence and your qualification certificate when available, and give feedback on what you gained

Tell Foundation Scotland about key course dates (registration, start, other funding decisions) if you need a faster decision.

A new application is needed for each further year of study, with no guarantee of success.

Have ready

  • Recent bank statement showing your name, address, account number and sort code
  • Evidence of your home address (e.g. driving licence, SAAS letter, bill, or official letter such as from SQA, school, NHS, tax office or a payslip)
  • Offer letter or confirmation of a place on the course (or employer offer for apprenticeships)

Attendance record and qualification certificate may be requested later; receipts (e.g. for a laptop) should be kept for 12 months in case they are requested.

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