T-Level Capital Fund (TLCF)

What is T-Level Capital Funding? (TLCF)?

T-Level capital funding is a government funded support package available to T Level providers to ensure that the delivery of T Levels is successful from the very start. It ensures that students are able to access good quality facilities and industry standard equipment in order to gain the level of knowledge and skill required.

There are two elements of the fund:

• The Specialist Equipment Allocation (SEA) – This can be used to buy industry-standard specialist equipment to deliver the T Levels. It is awarded to providers offering a T-Level route for the first time in 2024/25 and is allocated automatically based on a formula, so there’s no need to apply.
• Buildings and Facilities Improvement Grant (BFIG) – You must apply for the BFIG through a bidding round. If successful, the money can be used to finance estate improvement projects and expansions.

At Eddisons, we specifically provide advice and applications for the BFIG element.

What are T-Levels?

T-Levels are two-year long, level 3 technical study programmes for 16 to 19-year-olds designed in partnership with businesses and employers. They combine classroom learning with extended industry placements to give students the skills and experience they need to succeed in a range of industries.

The T-Level Capital Fund (TLCF) has been put in place by the government to help support education providers in delivering T Levels as part of their curriculum. The fund is designed to give students access to good quality facilities and industry-standard equipment to help them gain the skills and knowledge they need. 

Do You Qualify for T-Level Capital Funding?

Since T Levels were launched in 2020, more than £250 million has been made available through the T-Level Capital Fund to support schools, colleges and other further education providers across England. And the funding is set to continue, with the T Level Capital Wave 5 making more than £150 million of funding available for the academic year 2024/25 to help providers make the necessary improvements to their buildings and facilities. 

If you’re interested in offering technical study programmes alongside apprenticeships in your establishment, it’s worth knowing whether you qualify for funding and how to apply.

Who can apply for the Competitive Buildings and Facilities Improvement Grant (BFIG)?

You can apply for the capital funding through the BFIG if seeking to improve your buildings facilities to support delivery of T-Levels. You will be eligible to apply if you follow the below criteria:

• You are an academy, further education college, sixth form or technical college registered to deliver T-Levels as of the 2024-5 academic year.
• You have not already received funding through BFIG previously for the institution being applied for.

How to apply for BFIG

You can apply for the Buildings and Facilities Improvement Grant by completing an application online. You should apply if you need capital funding to improve or expand your education estates to support the delivery of T-Levels. The grant can be spent on:

• Estate improvement projects that better the condition of your estate and can include remodelling and/or refurbishment
• Estate expansion projects to increase your internal floor area by extending your existing space or adding a mezzanine, for example

The maximum amount of funding that’s available for each estate is capped at £4 million per site and there’s a minimum project value of £250,000 per application. You should make sure the amount you ask for is proportionate to the number of T-Levels you plan to introduce and the size of your student cohort. 

What are the benefits of T-Level Funding?

If you are a school or sixth form college about to start providing T-Level courses, this funding will help ensure that your premises reach the standard required in order to offer high level qualifications and education for students taking these courses.  

As the courses are considerably different from any previously offered it is likely that changes will need to be made to configuration of buildings, or indeed there may be a requirement to add new buildings in order to ensure the best quality courses are available at each school or college.

The T-level capital fund means that the finance is available for establishments in order to make that happen. Discover the benefits of choosing Eddisons below.

• We have obtained Over £120m in funding to date for schools, multi academy trusts and colleges.
• With offices all over the UK, you can have one of our education experts with local knowledge close by at all times – national reach with a local touch.
• We have unrivalled experience in all aspects of school capital works and related funding meaning that your bid is complete with every aspect of information required to successfully win funding.
• Our team are highly experienced consultants who truly believe in working honestly with schools and colleges as a partnership. We will always be completely honest with you about the likelihood of success of your bids as well as the condition of your estates.
• We do not make a charge for bid writing so you know that any bid submitted by us is a good candidate for funding.

T-Level funding applications can be time-consuming and complex. However, the BFIG funding criteria allows for some of the funding to be spent on professional assistance. For the best chance of success, it’s advisable to seek expert help from specialist chartered surveyors for education such as Eddisons.

We can advise on all aspects of the BFIG process and produce the application on your behalf. We have already secured over £120 million in funding for schools, colleges and academies and can do the same for you. Find out more about our T-level funding service and get in touch to arrange your free consultation.