Benefits for Students in Scotland Handbook 2020/21Part 2: Student supportChapter 15: Student support 1. Full-time higher education
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1. Full-time higher education
This section is for full-time undergraduates (including allied healthcare students) and full-time students on Higher National Certificate (HNC)/Higher National Diploma (HND) courses. It is also relevant for full-time students on Professional Graduate Diploma in Education courses. Funding is different for other full-time postgraduates (see here) and for nursing and midwifery students (see here).
Student support from the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) is made up of:1Loans The Education (Student Loans) (Scotland) Regulations 2007, No.154
Grants The Students’ Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 2007, No.153
See also Student Awards Agency Scotland, Guide to Undergraduate Funding at saas.gov.uk/guides/guide-to-undergraduate-funding
    •tuition fees;
    •student loan;
    •care-experienced students’ bursary;
    •young students’ bursary;
    •independent students’ bursary;
    •dependants’ grant;
    •lone parents’ grant;
    •care-experienced accommodation grant;
    •disabled students’ allowance.
In addition, your college or university administers a:
    •HE discretionary fund;
    •childcare fund, including lone parents’ childcare grant.
Travel expenses are no longer available, except for students doing a compulsory year abroad, for a placement on an allied health professions or nursing course, and for disabled students who cannot use public transport.
 
1     Loans The Education (Student Loans) (Scotland) Regulations 2007, No.154
Grants The Students’ Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 2007, No.153
See also Student Awards Agency Scotland, Guide to Undergraduate Funding at saas.gov.uk/guides/guide-to-undergraduate-funding »
Previous study
You cannot usually get your tuition fees paid if you have previously been on a full-time higher education course and had help from public funds. You may, however, get one year’s additional funding if you need this – eg, to change courses or repeat a period of study. This is known as a ‘plus one’ year.
Contact SAAS to check your entitlement. Even if you are not entitled to help with your tuition fees, you can normally apply for a student loan and living costs grants.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees are paid directly to your college or university. Your income is not assessed and the amounts are not repayable. If your fees are higher than the amounts payable, you must pay the difference.
 
Tuition fees 2020/21
HNC/HND or equivalent
£1,285
Degree or equivalent
£1,820
Student loan
Student loans are low-interest loans for students, only repayable when you have graduated and are earning over £19,390 a year. You repay the loan at a rate of 9 per cent of your income which exceeds £19,390. Student loans are partly based on your income. You must provide a national insurance number in order to get a loan. If you do not have one, you can apply to the DWP.1The Social Security (National Insurance Numbers) Amendment Regulations 2006, No.2897
Maximum student loan 2020/21
Family income
Dependent student under 25
Independent student under 25, or student aged 25 or over
Below £24,000
£5,750
£6,750
£24,000 to £33,999
£5,750
£6,250
£34,000 or over
£4,750
£4,750
 
1     The Social Security (National Insurance Numbers) Amendment Regulations 2006, No.2897 »
Care-experienced students’ bursary
Students who have previously been looked after by a local authority in the UK are eligible for a care-experienced students’ bursary.1saas.gov.uk/full-time/support-for-care-experienced-students This is a non-income-assessed grant of £8,100 in 2020/21, and is paid instead of the student loan/bursary package. Prior to the 2020/21 academic year, students had to be under 26 at the start of their course to qualify.
 
1     saas.gov.uk/full-time/support-for-care-experienced-students »
Young students’ bursary
You are eligible for a young students’ bursary if you are under 25 on the first day of the first academic year of your course (for an autumn start course, this is 1 August) and from a family with an income of less than £34,000 a year. The amount of the bursary depends on your and your family’s income. In 2020/21, a maximum of £2,000 is paid if your and your family’s combined income is under £21,000 a year. It is paid on top of the maximum loan of £5,750.
Independent students’ bursary
The independent students’ bursary is paid in addition to the maximum loan of £6,750. Students classed as independent are eligible for £1,000 if their household income is below £21,000 a year.
Dependants’ grant
A dependants’ grant is an income-assessed, non-repayable grant that you can claim for a spouse, civil partner, partner, or adult dependant who you care for. The maximum amount in 2020/21 is £2,640. The maximum amount is paid if the adult dependant’s income is under £1,160 per year.
Lone parents’ grant
If you are a lone parent, you can get a lone parents’ grant, worth £1,305 in 2020/21, if you have at least one dependent child. Your income is assessed and the grant is not repayable.
Care-experienced accommodation grant
If you were in local authority care (sometimes referred to as being ‘looked after’ by a local authority), you may get a grant of up to £105 (2020/21) a week to help with your accommodation costs during the long vacation. Your income is not assessed and the grant is not repayable. You normally get a one-off payment in advance.
Disabled students’ allowance
If you have a disability or learning difficulty, you can claim for extra expenses that arise because you are on the course. Your income is not assessed and the allowance is not repayable. You can also apply for travel costs if you cannot use public transport because of your disability.
Disabled students’ allowance 2020/21
Non-medical personal help
£20,520
Other qualifying costs
£1,725
Specialist equipment (amount per course)
£5,160
Childcare fund
The discretionary childcare fund helps with the cost of registered or formal childcare. It is administered by colleges and universities. They decide who is eligible and how much you can get. However, if you are an eligible lone parent student, you can get a lone parents’ childcare grant from this fund to help with the cost of registered or formal childcare costs. Depending on the costs of childcare, the maximum amount is £1,215 in 2020/21. Your income is not assessed and the grant is not repayable. It is administered by colleges and universities.
HE discretionary fund
Colleges and universities administer discretionary funds to help with living costs, and decide how much the payments will be. You are expected to apply for a full student loan before asking for help. The maximum available is £4,000 in 2020/21.