Year-long financial support for undergraduates.
Higher education students can apply to spread their student
financial support package over a 12-month period for the first
time this coming academic year.
The year-long package of support will be available for eligible
undergraduate students from August 2024. The change will ensure
that payments of relevant student loans and bursaries can
continue through the summer months. This follows a successful
two-year programme, which saw care experienced students being
given the option of 12-month support.
Care-Experienced students will continue to receive additional
support for their living costs under the Summer Accommodation
Grant from Summer 2024. Students eligible for the grant - which
will replace the Care-Experienced Accommodation Grant - will be
entitled to a payment of up to £1,330 to help ensure they do not
fall into rent arrears over the summer.
These changes will coincide with the £2,400 increase to the
annual support package, which sees the main undergraduate funding
package rise up to £11,400.
Higher Education Minister said:
“The summer months can be a difficult period for learners when
their payments stop – these changes will ensure that learners can
access the vital funds they need the whole year round.
“This is another example of the actions being taken by the
Scottish Government to support students through the cost of
living crisis. Scotland already has the lowest student debt
levels in the UK, which is thanks to our commitment to free
tuition and our enhanced student support offering.
“We are already seeing a record number of students from
Scotland’s most deprived areas applying to study at university.
The changes made to the student support package will help to
further break down barriers and ensure that access to our
world-class institutions is not denied to anyone,
whatever their background.”
BACKGROUND
Students can continue to apply for the nine-month support package
when they apply through SAAS for the 2024-25 academic year.
The overall annual payment will not change for those on the
nine-month or 12-month options. The only difference will be those
who take payments over the full year will see lower monthly
payments than those who remain on the standard nine-month plan.
Increasing financial
support for Scottish students - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
The eligibility of the Summer Accommodation Grant will continue
to be the same as the previous Care-Experienced Accommodation
Grant. The amounts of grant that students can receive has
changed, and from Summer 2024, eligible students in a tenancy
agreement will be entitled to receive a grant of £1,330. Eligible
students living with family members or friends will be entitled
to a grant of £665.
Further information on eligibility for summer support can be
found at www.saas.gov.uk.
