Student Finance and Wellbeing Study Scotland 2023/24: literature review

4. Student support in Scotland

This section explores the current fees policy and student support available in Scotland.

The amount of student support for fees and living costs varies depending on whether study is at 1) FE level; 2) HE level (HNC, HND and undergraduate degree) or 3) postgraduate level (depending on the level studied Masters or PhD), with students studying different qualification levels eligible for different forms of support. Other factors which impact on the type of support and the financial amount students may be eligible for include:

• whether study is part-time or full-time;
• the student’s age;
• their household income;
• residency.

The additional support available for specific groups of students (e.g. care experienced students, estranged students, student carers, student parents, and disabled students) is also discussed.

The range of financial support offered through loans, bursaries and grants for students enrolled at different levels of qualification are summarised in Table 4.1 below.

4.1. Further education (FE) students

Full-time

Eligible full-time students in Further Education do not have to pay tuition fees as these are primarily covered by individual colleges through a tuition fee waiver. This includes FE students studying Level 6 courses, National Certificates, General Scottish Vocational Qualifications, and National Qualifications.

No maintenance loans are available for FE students. Instead, they can access financial support through their college. Depending on where they live (be that independently or with parents/partners), their age, their household income and individual circumstances, FE students may be eligible for maintenance support to help cover living costs, study and travel expenses in the form of a Further Education Bursary (FEB). Administered by colleges, this support ranges from £49.91 to £125.55 per week for the 2023/24 academic year (up to £5,398.65 over 43 weeks). Students on Universal Credit can access a bursary of £28 per week instead of the FEB.

Students aged 18-25 who live away from home are entitled to higher levels of support. Younger students (aged 16-19) from low income households may be eligible for Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) which provides students with £60 every two weeks.

Additional support which can be accessed through colleges directly includes:

• discretionary funding for students facing financial difficulties;
• support for course-related travel and study expenses;
• dependents allowance;
• additional support needs allowance;
• support for student parents (see section 4.4. below).

Full-time FE students may be eligible for certain benefits (e.g. Universal Credit, supporting with housing) while studying if they meet certain eligibility criteria. Depending on their circumstances, some students in FE may be eligible for Universal Credit and payment of housing costs. This would usually be provided in place of an FE bursary, though colleges can also ‘top up’ students’ benefits with an FE bursary.

Part-time

Part-time students in FE do not receive any support for their tuition fees, though there are some fee waivers available for those on a low income, with a disability, and/or those receiving certain social security benefits.

Part-time students are not eligible for any maintenance support through the FE Bursary, though support is available to younger students in the form of EMA. If part-time students are eligible for a fee waiver they can access travel and study expenses and childcare and discretionary funding.

4.2. Higher education (HE) students

Full-time HE

In line with the Scottish Government’s policy of free tuition, full-time Scottish-domiciled HE students enrolled on HNCs or HNDs at Scottish colleges, and degree courses at universities, can apply to have their tuition fees paid directly to their institution by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) - this is not income assessed/ means tested.

HE students are also able to apply for a means-tested bursary and maintenance loan package from SAAS to cover living costs. At the time of the research (2023/24), HE students whose household income was £34,000 or more were eligible for a £6,000 living cost loan only. Those with household incomes lower than £34,000 were entitled to higher loans and a non-repayable bursary, depending on their household income, their age, and background. HE students from households with incomes of less than £21,000 received the highest levels of support and in 2023/24 were entitled to a total financial support package of £9,000 per academic year, consisting of a mixture of bursary and loan.

In 2023/ 24 academic year, there were two main types of bursaries available:

1. the ‘Young Student Bursary’ (YSB) for those aged under 25. ‘Young students’ were assessed on the basis of their parental/legal guardians’ income, with bursaries available ranging from £500 to £2,000.

2. the ‘Independent Student Bursary’ (ISB) for those aged over 25 or who live independently away from their parents or with a partner (Note the criteria included: aged 25 and over; married, in a civil partnership, or living with a partner; having supported themselves financially outside of education for 3 years or more; or having dependent children). Independent students were assessed on their own income and that of their partner if relevant, with only those from the lowest income households eligible for a bursary of £1,000 through the ISB.

Overall, the maximum funding available for both types of students at the time the research was undertaken was £9,000, with the bursary/loan balance differing for each group and depending on household income. Since 2013, the amount of support available to students is the same, irrespective of where they live and study, so that a student from Scotland who moves to study in London is entitled to the same level of loan/bursary as a student living at home with their parents. The support offered to HN/undergraduate students by SAAS via loans and the YSB and ISB is summarised in Table 4.2.

Full-time HN/undergraduate students may be eligible for certain benefits such as Universal Credit, Income Support, Working Tax Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit, and Child Benefit if they have a child, or if they are working part-time.

Discretionary funding

FE, HN/undergraduate and postgraduate students experiencing financial hardship can apply for additional support, known as discretionary funding, through their college or university. Institutions receive these funds from the Scottish Government and it is up to institutions to decide how they are administered. They can be used to assist students with a wide range of costs including accommodation, travel, childcare and utility bills. Students must provide their institution’s funding or support team with evidence of their income and expenditure, often in the form of bank statements, and the reason for application. As the discretionary fund is limited for each institution, students may not receive the full support they have applied for, but students may appeal the outcome of their discretionary fund application and can apply to the fund multiple times. Other forms of support may be offered if an application is refused, for example, financial advice or guidance. Discretionary funding has increased in recent years in response to the impact of COVID and the rising cost of living, both in terms of the funding provided by institutions and the number of applications made by students (Shearing, 2022). However, a survey of students found that one-fifth of those who applied for discretionary funding did not receive it, while half said they had received discretionary funding but not as much as they needed (NUS Scotland, 2022).

Scholarships and independent funders

Degree students may be eligible for additional financial support through a range of other sources, including institutional scholarships and those offered by charities and other organisations. For example, several Scottish universities offer some form of bursary or scholarship to students from widening access backgrounds to assist with the costs of studying. Additionally, independent funders, like The Robertson Trust and the Unite Foundation, offer financial support, accommodation, mentoring and training to eligible groups of students.

Additional financial support is also available via the Scottish Government to specific groups of students (e.g. care experienced students; those who are estranged from their parents/ carers/ legal guardians; disabled students; student parents; or those on specific courses). These are explored below in Section 4.4.

Part-time HE

Part-time HN/undergraduate students do not receive the same levels of support as full-time students. While the tuition fee rate for part-time HN/undergraduate study is not regulated (and therefore institutions are free to set whatever fee rate they feel is appropriate), the Part-Time Fee Grant (PTFG) is available to help students with tuition fees, ranging from £1,195 to £1,820 (in 2023/24) dependent on the course type and pro-rated to reflect the intensity of study (see the SAAS PTFG Calculator for further information). Eligible courses include undergraduate degree level courses, HNC and HND courses, Professional Graduate Diploma in Education, some Professional Development Awards, and SVQ levels 3 and 4. Undergraduate level courses which are not campus based (e.g. courses studied through distance learning, for example with the Open University) receive the highest amount of support through the PTFG, with HNC and HND courses, and courses at private providers, receiving lower levels of support. In 2023/24, to be eligible for the PTFG students were required to be earning less than £25,000 per year and have left full-time compulsory education.

While no funding is systematically provided to cover living costs for part-time students, some discretionary funding, scholarships, bursaries, and grants are available dependent on the institution. This additional funding must be accessed through the student’s institution, and availability of support will vary at each institution.

Part-time HE students may be eligible for benefits such as Income Support, Working Tax Credit, Pensions Credit, Income-based Job Seekers Allowance, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Housing Benefit, Universal Credit, Carer's Allowance, Carer's Allowance Supplement, Young Carer's Grant, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Contributory Employment & Support Allowance (ESA), Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment.

4.3. Postgraduate students

Funding for postgraduate students is dependent upon the type of qualification. Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) students are eligible for the same funding as undergraduate students through SAAS. In 2023/24, postgraduate students on Postgraduate Diploma and Masters level courses were eligible for a tuition fee loan from SAAS of up to £7,000 dependent on the course fees, paid directly to the institution. Students on these courses were also eligible for a living costs loan of up to £4,500 from SAAS, which was not means tested.

Part-time students on these courses were eligible for the tuition fee loan, which is split over the enrolment period, but they were not eligible for the living costs loan (Table 4.3).

Students enrolled on PhD or doctorate level courses may either self-fund their studies, apply directly to their university for support through a studentship or scholarship, apply for a PhD studentship from an organisation such as the Carnegie Trust, or apply for a studentship from one of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Research Councils. UKRI studentships include payment of tuition fees to the institution (£4,880 per year for academic year 2023/24) for the duration of the course (pro-rata for part-time students) and provide a stipend or maintenance grant of £18,622 per academic year (2023/24). Additional funding for research training support and overseas fieldwork is available through the UKRIs, and organisations such as the Carnegie Trust which offers an additional Research Allowance. UKRI funding is available pro-rata for part-time students. University scholarships may vary in terms of the levels of support they provide. Some cover fees only; others may also provide a stipend. Students must apply directly to the institution for these.

For postgraduate students in social work, courses are funded by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), and for students on Postgraduate Certificate courses, there is support available through individual institutions.

4.4. Support for vulnerable student groups

In recognition of the additional financial challenges faced, some groups of students in Scotland receive bespoke funding packages and/or additional support. These include:

• Care experienced students;
• Students who are estranged from their parents/carers/legal guardians;
• Student parents;
• Disabled students;
• Students on specific degree courses.

The additional financial support available to these groups is outlined in Table 4.4 below.

* This support may also be referred to as the Care Experienced Accommodation Grant.

Note: Student support in Scotland is administered by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).

Care experienced students

Full-time care experienced students in FE may be eligible for the Further Education Care Experienced Bursary, which is not means tested and in 2023/24 provided £225.00 per week (equivalent to £9,000). Full-time care experienced students in HE may be eligible for the Care Experienced Student Bursary, which is a non-income assessed bursary of £9,000 per academic year (2023/24)^[1]. They may also be entitled to the Summer Accommodation Grant (previously known as the Care Experienced Accommodation Grant), which in 2023/24 provided care experienced students in formal accommodation arrangements with up to £1,330 over the summer break, and £665 for students with informal arrangements. Further details are included in Table 4.4.

Estranged students

In FE, estranged students can access the maximum FE Bursary on a non-means tested basis. Qualitative research undertaken with college staff supporting estranged students in Scotland (Minty et al., 2022) found some colleges ‘topped-up’ the FEB with discretionary funding for some estranged students.

In 2023, the Scottish Government introduced a bespoke package of support for HE students who are estranged from their parents (prior to this, estranged students were assessed as Independent Students). The Estranged Student Bursary is not means-tested, with students receiving a bursary of £1,000 and a living cost loan of £8,000 (SAAS, 2023a).

Students who are carers

Student carers in FE were eligible for up to £67.55 per week (2023/24) from their FE college in the form of a dependants’ allowance; this is only available for full-time students whose dependant earns less than £67.55 per week, and applicants were required to provide evidence of their carer’s allowance. There is also some institution-specific support available through discretionary funding.

Student carers in HE may be eligible for the Dependants’ Grant, which is an income-assessed grant of a maximum of £2,640 from SAAS (2023/24). Those on paramedic, nursing, and midwifery courses are instead eligible for a Dependants’ Allowance, which is an income-assessed grant of up to £3,640 (2023/24). Scholarships and additional funding may also be available at specific institutions, and student carers are eligible to apply for any discretionary funding through their institution.

There is no additional support available for postgraduate student carers outwith the regular funding options.

Student parents

Institution-specific support for student parents in FE is available from the Discretionary Childcare Fund, to assist with the costs of childminders, after school clubs, day care, sitter services and pre-school education. These are administered by colleges and universities. Students must apply through their college.

In 2023/24, HE students who were lone parents were eligible for the Lone Parents’ Grant, an income-assessed grant of up to £1,305, and the Loan Parent Childcare Grant, a grant of up to £1,215, to help with childcare costs. Those on paramedic, nursing, and midwifery courses were instead eligible for the Single Parent’s Allowance of up to £2,303, and the Childcare Allowance for Parents, of up to £2,466.

Postgraduate student parents are not eligible for any additional support. The types of financial support provided by the Scottish Government for student parents are outlined in Table 4.5.

Some FE, HE and PG student parents may also be eligible for various benefits. These include Child Benefit, the Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Food Grant vouchers, and Working Tax Credit.

Disabled students

HE and FE students with disabilities are eligible for the Transition Fund, provided by the Independent Living Fund Scotland and designed to help young people become more independent, spend time with others and become more engaged in their communities. The Transition Fund is available to disabled people in Scotland aged 16-25 for a limited number of purposes, e.g. for sports lessons, driving lessons, music or art lessons, joining classes or clubs, gym memberships, or photography or technology equipment.

In addition, colleges may also provide further support e.g. with travel costs for students with disabilities.

FE students with additional support needs may be eligible for funding from the Additional Support Needs (ASN) for Learners allowance, which does not provide a lump sum but provides allowances for additional support materials, non-medical personal help (NMPH) and extra travel costs.

HE and postgraduate students with disabilities are eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) which similarly provides allowances for additional support materials, non-medical personal help (NMPH) and for large support items e.g. laptops, ergonomic equipment, and disability-related software.

Additionally, the Equality Act 2010 places a specific duty on colleges and universities to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled students can access education and any related services.

Students with a disability may also be eligible for Adult Disability Payment or its predecessor, Personal Independent Payment (PIP).

4.5. Support for students enrolled on specific courses

Dentistry

Dentistry students studying a Bachelor of Dental Surgery at the Universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, and Glasgow are eligible for the Dental Student Support Grant (DSSG) from the Scottish Government, provided their household income is less than £34,000 per year (2023/24). This grant provided students with £4,000 a year from the first year of study for students at the University of Aberdeen, and from the second year of study for students at the Universities of Dundee and Glasgow.

Paramedic, Nursing, Midwifery

Paramedic, nursing, and midwifery students are eligible for the Paramedic, Nursing, and Midwifery Student Bursary (PNMSB) from SAAS. In 2023/24, this bursary provided students with £10,000 for the first three years, followed by a £7,500 payment in the fourth year. An additional £60 was provided in the first year to help with initial study expenses. Students in receipt of this bursary were not entitled to a maintenance living costs loan. These students were also eligible for course-specific childcare and caring support in the form of the Dependants’ Allowance, Single Parents’ Allowance, and Childcare Allowance for Parents, as outlined above.