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Student Information Scotland

studentinformation.gov.scot

This Scottish government-designed website contains funding information for students, parents and those working with students.

Lead Scotland

Studio 1.09, St Margaret’s House

151 London Road

Edinburgh EH7 6AE

Freephone helpline: 0800 999 2568 (Mon, Wed, Thurs: 2–4pm; Tues, Fri: 10am–12 noon)

[email protected]

lead.org.uk

Lead Scotland is a charity that enables disabled adults and carers to access learning opportunities.

National Union of Students Scotland

1 Papermill Wynd

McDonald Road

Edinburgh EH7 4QL

Tel: 0300 303 8602

[email protected]

nus-scotland.org.uk

Scottish Funding Council

97 Haymarket Terrace

Edinburgh EH12 5HD

Tel: 0131 313 6500

[email protected]

sfc.ac.uk

Scottish Social Services Council

Compass House

11 Riverside Drive

Dundee DD1 4NY

Tel: 0345 603 0891

sssc.uk.com

Student Awards Agency Scotland

Saughton House

Broomhouse Drive

Edinburgh EH11 3UT

Tel: 0300 555 0505

saas.gov.uk

Student Loans Company

10 Clyde Place

Glasgow G5 8DF

Tel: 0141 306 2000

slc.co.uk

UKCISA: UK Council for International Student Affairs

Woburn House

20–24 Tavistock Square

London WC1H 9HQ

Advice line for students: 020 7788 9214 (Mon–Fri: 1–4pm)

ukcisa.org.uk

UKCISA provides advice and information to international students studying in the UK, and to staff who work with them.

Regulations

Each set of regulations has a statutory instrument (SI) number and a date. You can find them all at legislation.gov.uk.

Other information

References like CIS/142/1990 and R(JSA) 2/02 are references to commissioners’ decisions.

References like AD v SSWP [2009] UKUT 46 (AAC) are references to decisions of the Upper Tribunal.

Education maintenance allowance

An education maintenance allowance is a means-tested weekly allowance for 16–19-year-olds, paid fortnightly in arrears during term time but not during breaks. You get an education maintenance allowance of £30 a week if your household income is £24,421 or less (£26,884 if your parents have another child under 16 or another child under 25 in education).

You can claim from the autumn term if your 16th birthday falls between 1 March 2026 and 30 September 2026. You can claim from the winter term if your 16th birthday falls between 1 October 2026 and 28 February 2027. If you had an allowance previously, you can claim again if you are continuing in further education for up to three years (four years if you are regarded as ‘vulnerable’). If you can get an education maintenance allowance, you cannot get a bursary maintenance allowance as well, unless you live away from your parents’ home (see here).

If you are 18 or 19, you should be assessed for a bursary maintenance allowance, and you are only considered for an education maintenance allowance if this is better for your household overall or you do not qualify for a bursary.

Bursary maintenance allowance

The bursary maintenance allowance is an income-assessed allowance and is discretionary. It is not repayable.

Students entitled to an education maintenance allowance and living away from home, or whose parental home is not within reasonable travelling distance of the college, may be able to get an allowance of £49.91 a week. Other students getting an education maintenance allowance are not eligible for a bursary maintenance allowance.

Students aged 18 to 24 who are self-supporting, or whose parental home is not within reasonable travelling distance of the college, may be able to get a weekly allowance of £125.55. Otherwise, they may be able to get £99.35.

The bursary is different if you have been in local authority care (see below).

A student who gets UC may be eligible for a weekly bursary (’universal credit student allowance’) of £28. Note that this lower rate means it has a minimal effect on UC, as student income of more than £110 per month reduces UC pound for pound – see here and the example for Paula.

You may be able to get a bursary to pay up to £140.13 a week rent for college accommodation or college-approved lodgings. Instead of the standard maintenance allowance, you get a personal allowance of £36.70 a week. If you get an education maintenance allowance, you can also get your college accommodation rent paid in this way but do not get the extra personal allowance in addition to this.

Care-experienced bursary maintenance allowance

A care-experienced bursary maintenance allowance is an award of bursary maintenance allowance paid to a student who has been in local authority care at some time in their life (looked after). Students who were looked after in informal care arrangements with social work or local authority involvement may also be eligible. It is £225 a week from age 16 onwards. Colleges are advised to make the optimal funding award, particularly for students who are eligible for benefits.

Dependants’ allowance

You can claim an allowance of £67.55 a week for a dependent adult for whom you have care or financial or legal responsibilities and whose weekly income is less than £67.55.

Additional support needs for learning allowance (ASNLA)

You may be able to get support towards study and travel expenses if you have extra expenses because of a disability. The amounts are at the discretion of the college. You can get the ASNLA in addition to an education maintenance allowance.

Study expenses allowance

The income-assessed study expenses allowance is for essential items such as textbooks and special clothing. You can get this allowance in addition to an education maintenance allowance.

Travel expenses allowance

You can claim expenses if you have to travel more than two miles (it may be further for some colleges) from your term-time address. You may be able to get travel to college, to a childcare provider, to a mandatory placement and up to eight single journeys between your permanent home and your term-time address. The allowance is income assessed. You can get this allowance in addition to an education maintenance allowance. Students under 22 can apply for free bus travel instead – see transport.gov.scot/concessionary-travel/young-persons-free-bus-travel-scheme.

Further education discretionary fund

The FE discretionary fund is intended to help students who are in financial difficulties. Your college decides whether you are eligible and, if so, how much you can get.

Childcare fund

This is extra funding that can help you with the costs of registered or formal childcare if you have children. If you are an eligible lone parent, you can get £1,215 in 2026/27, and the college may top this up to a higher amount if your childcare costs more. If you are a student parent with a partner, you can also receive help with childcare costs. Your college decides how much you can get. Your income is not assessed and the grant is not repayable.

Higher education courses

Part-time students with annual earnings of £25,000 or less can apply for a part-time fee grant from Student Awards Agency Scotland. Your course must be between levels 7 and 10 of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework and be between 30 and 119 credits a year (students doing distance learning of 120 credits may also be eligible).

Apply online at saas.gov.uk/part-time/undergraduate-funding.

You can also claim a disabled students’ allowance (see here) if your course takes no more than twice as long as an equivalent full-time course.1 There is a discretionary fund for part-time students to which you can apply if you are in hardship.

Further education courses

If you are a further education (FE) student studying part time, you can claim some of the same support as full-time students. You can claim:

• support from the childcare fund;
• support from the FE discretionary fund;
• additional support needs for learning allowance;
• study expenses allowance;
• travel expenses allowance.

Your college may be able to waive your fees if you get certain benefits or have a low income. The education maintenance allowance of £30 a week is available to part-time students as well as full-time students.1

Bursary

If you are a paramedic, nursing or midwifery diploma or degree student, you can get a non-means-tested paramedic, nursing and midwifery bursary of £10,000. In the first year, an extra £60 initial expenses allowance is paid. For nursing and midwifery students, in the fourth year the bursary is reduced to 75 per cent. Paramedic students get £10,000 for each of the three years of their course. The bursary includes £5 a day for travel expenses – see the PNMSB Placement Expenses application form.1

Grants for living costs

The following grants are available for your living costs:

• means-tested dependants’ allowance for a spouse, civil partner, partner, adult you have legal responsibility for who has a low income, or dependent child(ren). The allowance is £3,640 for an adult or first child and £557 for each subsequent child (including a first child if the £3,640 is paid for an adult);
• single parents’ allowance of £2,303 if you are single, widowed, divorced or separated and bringing up children on your own;
• childcare allowance of up to £2,466 if you pay for registered or formal childcare;
• disabled students’ allowance (see here);
• travel expenses and ‘reasonable accommodation costs’ for placements (in Scotland only).

Amounts are reduced proportionately in the final (shorter) year.

Sponsorship and scholarships

Some companies and government departments sponsor students on their courses. Many universities have scholarship pages on their website.

Educational trusts and endowments

Some charitable trusts provide funds, usually small amounts, to students. Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) has a register of education endowments at saas.gov.uk/full-time/register-of-education-endowments, which lists Scottish trusts that may be able to help. Lead Scotland also has a list of trusts that provide educational grants at lead.org.uk/charitable-trusts-providing-educational-grants-for-individuals.

The Carnegie Education Fund can help with tuition fees in certain circumstances if these are not covered by SAAS. Read more at carnegie-trust.org/award-schemes/undergraduate-tuition-fee-grants.