Financial support for students
We believe education should be based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay. That’s why we provide free tuition and substantial financial support for eligible students in higher and further education.
Support for higher education students
On top of free tuition, eligible students can receive a package of bursaries and loans to help with living costs, based on household income and personal circumstances.
Additional support is available for care experienced students, disabled students and lone parents.
Part-time and distance learning students can apply for a fee grant, and Scottish students who choose to study elsewhere in the UK can apply for a tuition fee loan.
For full details of current support rates and eligibility, visit the Student Awards Agency Scotland.
Support for further education students
We invest significantly in student support for further education students each year, giving colleges flexibility to meet demand across bursaries, childcare, and hardship support.
Eligible Scottish further education students can receive a means-tested bursary, with higher rates for care experienced students. Additional support is available for childcare, dependants, and travel costs. Young people aged 16 to 19 from low-income families can also receive an Education Maintenance Allowance to help them stay in post-16 education.
For full details of current support rates and eligibility, visit the Further Education Bursary - Student Information Scotland.
Student support review
In 2016 we commissioned an independent review of the student support system, chaired by Jayne-Anne Gadhia. The review's final report was published in 2017.
We responded formally to the review’s recommendations in 2018. As a result, we have increased bursaries for care experienced students, raised support for students from the lowest income households, and increased the higher education bursary income threshold and raised the higher education student loan repayment threshold.
We are continuing to work on a number of the review's other recommendations, including exploring better support for students receiving social security benefits, and giving students more flexibility over the timing of their payments.
Disability related student support
In 2022, the Student Awards Agency Scotland carried out a review of disability related student support across further and higher education, covering the Learning Allowance in Further Education and the Disabled Students Allowance in Higher Education.
The findings and recommendations were published in October 2022, and we are working to implement improvements to support for students with a disability or additional learning need.