GET READY FOR COLLEGE Applicant Evenings
Welcome to Burnley College Thank you for applying to study at Burnley College. As part of our application process, you need to attend an Applicant Evening on campus. This is your opportunity to find out more about your course(s) and the college, and our opportunity to meet you! This guide has been designed to help you feel prepared for your Applicant Evening. Inside, you’ll find lots of useful information including financial support and travel passes.
Contents Applicant Evening Explained Preparing for the Evening Free Buses to College Bus Passes Financial Support Frequently Asked Questions College Essentials Learning Development Team Safeguarding BC Programmes Advice & Guidance
Got a question about your Applicant Evening? EMAIL: PHONE: 2
APPLICATIONS@BURNLEY.AC.UK 01282 733333
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Applicant Evening Explained Before your Applicant Evening
On your Applicant Evening
Go through this booklet
Be prepared
You should have received your allocated date and time for your Applicant Evening via email. If you are unable to attend, please email applications@burnley.ac.uk
Arrive on time
We’re here to help
Try and relax
There is a lot of important information in this booklet and you might have questions. You can ask our friendly Tutors questions on the night or if you have questions ahead of the night you can contact applications@burnley.ac.uk
Get in touch if you have any questions, we can help. Our friendly School Liaison Team are on hand to support you throughout the application process. Email admissions@burnley.ac.uk call 01282 733322
Make sure you have everything you need before setting off to college. If you have been asked to bring a portfolio of work, ensure you have this in your bag ready to show us. This is your time to shine!
Arrive on campus in plenty of time and head to one of our Reception Desks to sign in. You will then be taken to your appointment.
We know that you will be nervous but try and relax. Take your time when answering any questions about your experience and interests. Remember, nobody knows you better than you know yourself! Our tutors are there to bring out the best in you and ensure you have a positive experience.
We’ll be in touch
After you have attended your Applicant Evening, our team will be in touch with you to let you know what happens next.
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Preparing for the Evening Below are some questions we might ask you on the night. We want to find out all about you and why you want to study with us. It is your chance to showcase yourself! You may wish to prepare some answers ahead of the night.
Question 1
Why have you applied to Burnley College?
Question 2
Tell us about an achievement that you are proud of.
Why do you want to study your chosen course(s)?
Question 5
Question 3
Question 6
What are your career aspirations or future goals?
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Question 4
What are your hobbies and interests?
Do you have any work or voluntary experience?
FREE Buses to College We currently offer four FREE buses to Burnley College which run one return service a day. Ribble Valley (121)
Blackburn & Darwen (122)
• Brownhill Roundabout • Langho Rail Station • Whalley Bus Station • Sabden Four Lane Ends • Arrives Burnley College
7:50am 7:59am 8:08am 8:17am 8:40am
Departs Burnley College
4:15pm
Craven & Pendle (120) • Thornton in Craven • Barnoldswick Bus Station • Salterforth Post Office • Earby Bus Station • Kelbrook Craven Heifer • Foulridge Causeway • Colne Bus Station • Colne Linden Road • Barrowford Gisburn Road • Burnley Church Street • Arrives Burnley College
7:40am 7:48am 7:52am 7:59am 8:04am 8:11am 8:17am 8:19am 8:20am
Departs Burnley College
4:15pm
8:40am
Please note: Information was accurate at the time of publication (September 2026) and may be subject to change.
• St Bede’s Green Lane • Livesey Branch Road • Bolton Road • Darwen Vale School • Haslingden Road • Shadsworth Road • Rishton, War Memorial • Clayton-le-Moors Recreational Ground • Arrives Burnley College
7:30am
Departs Burnley College
4:45pm
7:41am 7:56am 8:03am 8:13am 8:40am
Hyndburn (123) • McDonalds t Rising Bridge 7:51am • All stops on Manchester Road to Christchurch Street • Victoria Business Centre 8:00am (Nuttall Street/Victoria Road) • Eagle Street for Rail Station • Accrington Bus Station 8:10am • All stops on Burnley Road • Arrives Burnley College 8:40am Departs Burnley College
4:30pm
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Bus Passes
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www.transdevbus.co.uk
www.firstgroup.com
Lancashire
Yorkshire
Bus passes are available for Transdev* Services thoughout Lancashire. Your college, evening and weekend bus travel will all be covered on your pass.
You will be able to purchase a First Bus pass, which can also be used at evenings and weekends.
Must be presented with a valid Student ID.
Must be presented with a valid Student ID.
*If you live in an area not served by Transdev, like Fence, Rosehill or Sabden, we will help you to purchase a Lancashire County Council bus pass.
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Cost of bus pass is subject to change. Correct at time of publication.
Financial Support Burnley College’s Finance Support Fund could support you during your time at college. Financial support may be available to help with the cost of: Lunches | Bus Passes | Essential Trips | Essential Equipment and Uniform | Train Travel Once you have enrolled you will be sent an email on how to apply for financial support. A link to the financial support form will be available on MyBC - your student portal.
If you are approved for financial support:
Lunches
• You are in or you recently left local authority care
You will have £4.50 per day on your student ID card to spend in the college Refectory or the college Café. If your student ID does not work, you are able to come to Student Services to collect a paper voucher whilst we look into the issue.
• You get Income Support or Universal Credit because you’re financially supporting yourself
Train
• You get Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in your name or Universal Credit
We will assess how much support we can offer towards your train travel costs.
• You get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Universal Credit
You will need to purchase a railcard and a week/month ticket and provide evidence of this on your financial application (we will reimburse this cost if you are approved). We will then pay this money into your bank account each month for your train fares. Please note, this is based on attendance –
You may be eligible for additional financial support if one of the following applies to you:
if your attendance is below 90%, your travel grant may be stopped.
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Frequently Asked Questions Financial Support FAQs
Lunches FAQs
If I apply for financial support, will college look at my family’s finances?
How do I know if I am eligible for free lunches?
We will ask for evidence of your family household income. This will include letters from the Department of Work and Pensions for benefits, wage slips, bank statements, and evidence of annual income if there is selfemployment within the household.
The funding eligibility for free school meals in high school and college is different. Although you may have been entitled to free school meals in high school, you may not be eligible for them in college. To access this support, you will need to apply through the financial support form. Eligibility for this support is dependent on household income and certain benefits.
When will I find out if I’ve been approved? Usually you will be informed of the outcome of your application within 10 working days from your submission date if you have provided us with all of the relevant evidence. If we do not have sufficient evidence to assess your application, this will take longer. Please note, that during peak periods of the year, this may take slightly longer.
How much do I get for free lunches?
Will attendance affect my financial support?
Travel FAQs
Yes - if you are not attending college without good reason, your financial support may be affected.
Essential Trips/Equipment FAQs Can I use my financial support for trips and/or equipment? Yes - as long as your trip/equipment is essential to your course and you have submitted all of the relevant evidence for your financial application form, and this has been fully assessed and approved. To make use of the financial support, contact the Student Support Team to let them know you wish to use your financial support towards a trip/equipment. 8
Eligible Students will receive £4.50 per day on their student ID card. You can use this in the college Cafes or the Refectory. You will just need to tap your card on the machines at the till, like a contactless bank card.
What does the travel grant include? The travel grant can help towards the costs of train fares. You will need to state on your financial support application if you wish to apply for a travel grant. If you are approved for the travel grant, depending on your annual household income, we can support between 75-100% of the costs.
College Essentials Payments - WisePay Manage your money quickly and safely by using WisePay to pay online for: Bus Passes | Trips | DBS Checks | Course Equipment and Clothing | Food and Drink How to set up your WisePay account • Once you have enrolled on your chosen course, you will receive an email* (within 3 working days) with a link to your WisePay login and your temporary WisePay password. • Follow the link to access your WisePay account, using your personal email address as the username and the temporary password provided in the email. • Use the ‘Change Password’ tab to change your password to something more memorable. You’re now ready to use WisePay for all of your college purchases!
Food & Drink Outlets You can purchase food and drink in the college’s catering outlets using your ID card, debit card, Apple Pay and Google Pay. How to add funds to your ID card on WisePay: • Log in to your WisePay account • Select the ‘Food and Drinks’ icon and then select ‘view details’. You can then choose an amount to add onto your ID card. • Simply tap your ID card at the till when you’re ready to purchase food and the drink. The amount you spend will then be deducted from your ID card balance.
*If you do not have a personal email address, your WisePay login credentials will be sent to an automatically generated student email account. 9
Learning Development Team For any student with a special educational need, specific learning difficulty or disability, our friendly and passionate team provide strategies, resources and tools to enable them to develop independence and resilience. Our team can support with a wide variety of learning needs and disabilities including:
Exam Access Arrangements
• Autism • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) • Social, Emotional and Mental Health • Hearing Impairment
We offer a wide variety of support for learners during formal assessments and examinations. Following a thorough assessment with one of our qualified assessors, we produce a report detailing recommendations of arrangements including:
• Visual Impairment
Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are supported throughout their time at college. This can include: • One-to-one support • Targeted numeracy and literacy support • Social and Study Skills workshops • Assessments for Exam Access Arrangements • In-class strategies and resources • Support from external specialists
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• Extra time • Supervised rest breaks • Prompter • Reading pen • Coloured paper or overlay • Tangle toys Don’t worry if you haven’t disclosed something on your college application, you can let our Tutors know at your Applicant Evening. To speak to our Learning Development Team, email learningdevelopment@burnley.ac.uk
Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team We’re so pleased you’ve decided to join us on the next stage of your journey and can’t wait to get to know you better during your time at college - we’re all very friendly and supportive here! Available for you: • A fully trained counsellor • A team of safeguarding and wellbeing officers • An online student hub with self-help resources • A team of pastoral mentors • Staff mental health first aiders • Drop in sessions
If there’s anything on your mind - whatever it is please talk to us, we’re here to help you. We can provide you with coping strategies and expert advice and guidance on maintaining positive mental health and wellbeing. Plus, you can talk to any member of staff if you need support - they will signpost you to others or external resources if needed. You’re at the start of something amazing - and we’re here to support you every step of the way!
To speak to someone about any concerns Email: safeguarding@burnley.ac.uk | Call: 01282 733710
Safe . Supported . Empowered
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Burnley College Programmes Immerse yourself in your favourite subject and discover if it’s really for you before you enrol at College.
Our BC Programmes are led by friendly, experienced tutors and are designed to give you an insight into the theoretical and practical aspects of A Levels, Vocational Study, T Levels and Themis Apprenticeships on offer after GCSEs. A Level Experience Acting Applied Science & Forensics Art and Design Beauty Professionals Construction Professionals Creative Media
Dance Early Years & Education Engineers Esports Industry Future Boss (Business) Games Art & Design Health Professionals
Labnet Computing Music Performance Music Production Musical Theatre Sport & Fitness Professionals Travel & Hospitality Uniformed Public Services
Start your journey to success with Burnley College Programmes APPLY NOW Burnley.ac.uk/programmes
Advice & Guidance Our School Liaison Team are experts in helping you find your perfect pathway through education, and into your dream career. They may already be familiar faces to you as they regularly visit schools and Further Education events throughout East Lancashire. Caitlin, Ella, Georgia and Alex are really friendly, approachable and dedicated to ensuring you get the support you need. Email admissions@burnley.ac.uk Telephone 01282 733322