Sources of Funding - Scotland
Page Navigation
Undergraduate fees
Most full-time, Scottish-domiciled undergraduate students will have their tuition fees paid by SAAS (Student Awards Agency Scotland). You can check the eligibility criteria at: https://www.saas.gov.uk/guides/guide-to-undergraduate-funding
It is a student’s responsibility to apply to SAAS for tuition fee support on an annual basis. This can be done via the student’s SAAS Account. You should apply between 1 April and 30 June to ensure that your tuition fee support is in place for the start of the academic year.
Some full-time, Scottish-domiciled undergraduate students will be eligible for a non-repayable bursary. There are three types available. More information can be found at: https://www.saas.gov.uk/guides/guide-to-undergraduate-funding
- Young Students’ Bursary (YSB)
- Independent Students’ Bursary (ISB)
- Care Experienced Students’ Bursary (CESB)
Student Information Scotland is your guide to student finance in Scotland.
If you’re not eligible for SAAS funding you might wish to consider an application to the Carnegie Trust. The Trust runs an Undergraduate Tuition Fee Grants Scheme which aims to support students who do not receive government funding towards the costs of their tuition fees following withdrawal from a previous course of study, academic repeats or because of their residence status.
More information on the Trust and the Undergraduate Tuition Fee Grants Scheme can be found on The Carnegie Trust website.
Undergraduate Student Loans
Most full-time, Scottish-domiciled undergraduate students take out a student loan to help with living costs, also referred to as maintenance. To be eligible for a loan you must:
- Be studying a full-time course that qualifies for a loan
- Meet the same residence eligibility conditions as for the Students’ Allowances Scheme and
- Not break any obligation to repay any previous student loan
You must also be under 60 on the first day of the first academic year of your course of education (the relevant date).
You can apply for a student loan through your SAAS Account. You should do this annually if you want to receive a loan for every year of your course. You can apply for the full amount that you’re entitled to or a lesser amount and you can make one application to increase or reduce the amount of loan of your loan during the academic year.
Postgraduate Student Loans
Scottish-domiciled students on a 1-year Masters course can apply for a tuition fee loan up to £5,500 and a non-income assessed living loan up to £4,500. Two year Masters students can apply for a tuition fee loan up to £2,750 per year and a non-income assessed living cost loan up to £2,250 per year. Students following a part-time Masters programme can apply for a pro-rata tuition fee loan. The living cost loan is not available to part-time students.
For more information visit the https://www.saas.gov.uk/full-time/postgraduates