Pupillage draw down

If the set allows drawdown, you can use it for whatever you want - I used mine to pay 6 months rent up front to a fairly terrible landlord to avoid having a guarantor.

I’m unsure about the pupillage award draw down but I can provide some advice about work experience / CV topping up whilst working as I’ve been in the same position.
I have taken part in virtual / online sessions to build my experience. Advocacy opportunities with the Inn are very often online, as is the advocacy club (a small fee to attend) but an evening session once a month to gain advocacy experience is good. Also I believe the FRU training is also online.
I know some Inns have paid work experience awards / prizes. I know for eg. Middle Temple has a scheme where you can be awarded a mini and marshaling and receive a payment for the expenses of attending.
Other things I have done is attend evening webinars / workshops mostly being virtual.
In terms of in person work experience such as minis & marshalling - I’ve used annual leave to accommodate these experiences. Also, looking for assessed minis can be helpful as if you meet the criteria there is sometimes a financial award for attending.
Also looking for a work from home / hybrid role can help as you’re already home and available to log in for evening virtual sessions / webinars / events / qualifying sessions etc.
I hope some of these suggestions help and good luck building up your CV! 😊

Thanks!! That is extremely helpful! I’m also a member of MT and aware of the marshalling schemes ☺️

Is it possible to draw down a portion of your pupillage award not for the purposes of the BPC but for the year just before you commence pupillage. I have some further CV topping up I would like to do, but this has historically been quite challenging as an estranged student. If I am working it makes it difficult to also do extra curricular activities. I am not in a position to work part-time and be on universal credit as I’ve done this in the past plus also currently except that I’m not working and I’ve struggled quite seriously. So once I finish the BPC the desire to work full time is quite strong

Depends on your set - I was wondering the same thing because I have just finished the bar course which was funded by scholarship and I work full time so technically don't need the money, but I just read over my offer letter which says I can draw down up to 1/3 in the year before to "fund your plans, whether for BPTC or not". It makes sense for me to draw down the full maximum allowed because it will help me with my moving costs in the new year etc, so that's what I'll do. I'll be emailing Chambers in early November to ask them for the full amount, as my pupillage has an October start (and I don't want to appear too eager...). But they're quite organised so I suspect they'll email me about it first.
I think you're less likely to be able to draw down if your set (a) specifies that you can draw down FOR the bar Course or (b) specifies that you can draw down "a proportion" but doesn't say what that proportion is. For example I've just looked at Deka's website, they say that they have 'discretion', you need to show 'need' and a 'reasonable purpose'. And they don't say how much draw down you could get. I still think arguing moving costs would be perfectly reasonable, but its less clear than eg 4 stone buildings who say "Pupils can draw down up to 30% of the award in the year prior to pupillage on written request to Chambers." - that seems a lot more open.
A lot of the paid minis etc aren't open to pupillage offer holders (which makes sense, as they're ultimately a recruitment tool). Also you've already gotten pupillage, so I'm not sure minis will do so much for you in terms of CV topping in any event. I think you should work full-time as the stability is more important than the CV topping up tbh - and use annual leave to do FRU cases etc when necessary (I have). If you can get a job relevant to chambers' practice areas then that's even better, but honestly extracurriculars are "extra" for a reason - it's far more important to have a job than to be running around doing various moots etc but worrying about paying rent. Most people who get pupillage while on the bar course will spend the year preceding pupillage working full time, and I definitely understand why you want to

Depends on your set - I was wondering the same thing because I have just finished the bar course which was funded by scholarship and I work full time so technically don't need the money, but I just read over my offer letter which says I can draw down up to 1/3 in the year before to "fund your plans, whether for BPTC or not". It makes sense for me to draw down the full maximum allowed because it will help me with my moving costs in the new year etc, so that's what I'll do. I'll be emailing Chambers in early November to ask them for the full amount, as my pupillage has an October start (and I don't want to appear too eager...). But they're quite organised so I suspect they'll email me about it first.
I think you're less likely to be able to draw down if your set (a) specifies that you can draw down FOR the bar Course or (b) specifies that you can draw down "a proportion" but doesn't say what that proportion is. For example I've just looked at Deka's website, they say that they have 'discretion', you need to show 'need' and a 'reasonable purpose'. And they don't say how much draw down you could get. I still think arguing moving costs would be perfectly reasonable, but its less clear than eg 4 stone buildings who say "Pupils can draw down up to 30% of the award in the year prior to pupillage on written request to Chambers." - that seems a lot more open.
A lot of the paid minis etc aren't open to pupillage offer holders (which makes sense, as they're ultimately a recruitment tool). Also you've already gotten pupillage, so I'm not sure minis will do so much for you in terms of CV topping in any event. I think you should work full-time as the stability is more important than the CV topping up tbh - and use annual leave to do FRU cases etc when necessary (I have). If you can get a job relevant to chambers' practice areas then that's even better, but honestly extracurriculars are "extra" for a reason - it's far more important to have a job than to be running around doing various moots etc but worrying about paying rent. Most people who get pupillage while on the bar course will spend the year preceding pupillage working full time, and I definitely understand why you want to

I hope this helps though and personal message me to chat further?