Scottish Students

Scottish Undergraduate Students

Student funding for Scottish residents is awarded through the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). Information on the types of support available through SAAS and the criteria for eligibility for support can be found on the SAAS website.

SAAS

Fees

Eligible Scottish-domiciled students studying full-time in Scotland are not required to pay tuition fees if studying for a first degree or equivalent, although you still have to apply to SAAS to access this support.

Maintenance Loan

If you need help with living costs whilst at university, all eligible full-time students can apply for a loan of up to £7,750 to cover living costs. This loan is means tested, so the amount you receive will be dependent on your parents’ household income or your household income if you are classed as an Independent Student. You will start repaying this loan once you have left your course and are earning over £25,000 a year.

Part-time students can apply for the part-time fee grant, but are not eligible for the means tested loan for living costs. If you cannot study full-time and are concerned about how you can support yourself financially whilst studying, have a look at our benefits page to find out if you could be eligible for help from the government.

Benefits

Do you want to study somewhere else in the UK?

If you want to study somewhere else in the UK, you need to apply for a fee loan to cover the cost of tuition. Scottish Students are entitled to a non-income assessed loan of up to £9,250 a year towards the cost of their tuition fees.

Supplementary Allowances

This fund provides for those who incur extra expense by attending a course due to a disability or learning difficulty. Money can be accessed for specialist equipment, non-medical assistance and a higher than normal amount for travel costs. This allowance is not income assessed and it is open to undergraduates and postgraduates. You can also apply for the Disabled Students’ Allowance even if you have had academic support before or have chosen not to take out a student loan; however, you must be eligible to apply for SAAS to be considered for DSA. Please note that this fund cannot be accessed if you are going to study abroad.

Speak to the Disability and Wellbeing Service to find out more about DSA.

Disabilty and Wellbeing Service

Scottish Postgraduate Students

Tuition Fees and Maintenance Loan

SAAS now offer tuition fee and maintenance loans for postgraduate courses within Scotland. Up to £5,500 is available for tuition and £4,500 for maintenance. For details and how to apply visit SAAS.

SAAS

Scholarships and Trust Funds

Several industrial organisations and a number of government departments have schemes to support students. These schemes are usually competitive and may have requirements, for example, that particular research is undertaken or attached to them. Details of these sponsorship and scholarship opportunities can be found on the websites below.

Postgraduate Studentships

Jobs.ac.uk

Strathclyde also has some scholarship programmes of its own. For more details, see the University website or visit the Careers Service.

University Scholarships

Careers Service

The requirements for Trust Funds are set by the people who fund them, so in other words, the criteria varies and anyone wanting extra support should investigate if there is a suitable fund/s for them. The websites below have good searching tools for Trusts.

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