Benefits for Students in Scotland Handbook 2024/25Part 2: Student supportChapter 14: Student support 2. Full-time further education
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2. Full-time further education
The Scottish Funding Council gives money to colleges to provide support for further education (FE) students. Colleges must follow national guidelines in allocating their funds.
The following allowances are available to students attending college on a full-time course:1Scottish Funding Council, National Policy for Further Education Student Support Bursaries: 2024-25, June 2024; Scottish Funding Council, Education Maintenance Allowance Guidance 2023-24, November 2023
    •education maintenance allowance;
    •bursary maintenance allowance (including a ‘universal credit student allowance’);
    •care-experienced bursary maintenance allowance;
    •dependants’ allowance;
    •additional support needs for learning allowance;
    •study expenses allowance;
    •travel expenses allowance.
In addition, the following funds are available:2Scottish Funding Council, FE Student Support Discretionary Funding 2024-25, June 2024; Scottish Funding Council, Childcare Funding for College Students 2024-25, June 2024
    •FE discretionary fund;
    •childcare fund, including lone parents’ childcare grant.
 
1     Scottish Funding Council, National Policy for Further Education Student Support Bursaries: 2024-25, June 2024; Scottish Funding Council, Education Maintenance Allowance Guidance 2023-24, November 2023 »
2     Scottish Funding Council, FE Student Support Discretionary Funding 2024-25, June 2024; Scottish Funding Council, Childcare Funding for College Students 2024-25, June 2024 »
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 under 25 in education).
You can claim from the autumn term if your 16th birthday falls between 1 March 2024 and 30 September 2024. You can claim from the winter term if your 16th birthday falls between 1 October 2024 and 28 February 2025. 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 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.
Maximum weekly maintenance allowance 2024/25
Circumstances
Maximum weekly allowance - parental home
Maximum weekly allowance - elsewhere
Receiving education maintenance allowance
–
£49.91
Receiving universal credit (UC)
£28.00
£28.00
Aged 18 to 24
£99.35
£125.55
Aged 25 or over
£125.55
£125.55
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 here).
A student who gets UC may be eligible for a weekly bursary (‘universal credit student allowance’) of £28.
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 (‘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 now 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 which 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 2024/25, and the college might 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 and your college decides how much you can get. Your income is not assessed and the grant is not repayable.