Student Support
The following information relates to the 2019/2020 academic year and applies to the Scottish education system which includes support available for:
- Further Education.
- Higher Education.
- Postgraduate.
- Nursing / Midwifery Courses.
Students studying out with Scotland should contact their college or university for advice about what support is available.
The support available depends on whether you are studying full-time or part-time. The government consider a full-time course to be an average of 12 hours or more per week, excluding meal breaks and unsupervised study.
Further Education
You are considered a further education (FE) student if you are studying:
- National 4 or 5.
- Higher.
- Advanced Higher.
- SVQ Levels 1 to 3.
- National Certificate (NC).
Full-Time Students
Your main source of student support is likely to be from your college (who receive money from the Scottish Funding Council for this purpose) or your local Council (for Orkney and Shetland students). This may include:
- Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).
- Further Education Bursary, which may be made up of Maintenance, Travel and Materials Allowances.
- Care Experienced Student Bursary.
- Dependants Allowance.
- Additional Support for Learning Allowance.
Further information about EMAs and FE Bursaries are available from the ‘Related Links’ section of this page.
Please note: that as Orkney Islands Council do not receive funding from the Scottish Funding Council our bursary budget is cash limited and is awarded on a first come, first served basis until the fund is fully allocated. There is no guarantee of support.
Depending on your circumstances you may also be eligible for the following support from your college:
- Lone Parent Childcare Grant.
- Discretionary Fund.
- Childcare Fund.
Contact your place of study for further information.
Part-Time Students
Part-time students may be eligible for:
- A fee waiver.
- Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).
- Support from the Childcare Fund.
- Support from the Discretionary Fund.
Contact your place of study for further information.
For students studying at Orkney College, you should apply to Orkney Islands Council for an EMA. Further information about eligibility is available from the ‘Related Links’ section of this page.
Higher Education
You are considered a higher education (HE) student if you are studying a:
- Higher National Certificate (HNC).
- Higher National Diploma (HND).
- Undergraduate Degree (BA, BSc, Hons).
- Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE).
Full-Time Students
Your main source of student support is likely to be from the Student Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS), and may include:
- Tuition fees.
- Student loan.
- Care Experienced Student Bursary.
- Independent Student Bursary.
- Dependants Grant.
- Lone Parent Grant.
- Care Experienced Accommodation Grant.
- Disabled Student Allowance.
Contact SAAS for further information using the contact details at the bottom of the page.
Depending on your circumstances you may also be eligible for the following support from your college or university:
- Lone Parent Childcare Grant.
- Discretionary Fund.
- Childcare Fund.
Contact your place of study for further information.
Part-Time Students
SAAS can award part-time fee grants to student who meet the following criteria:
- Have an annual income under £25,000.
- Studying a course between SCQF levels 7 and 10.
- Studying between 30 and 119 credits a year.
Contact SAAS for further information using the contact details at the bottom of the page.
Depending on your circumstances you may also be eligible for the following support from your college:
- Disabled Students’ Allowance.
- Discretionary Funding.
Contact your place of study for further information.
Postgraduate
SAAS provides support for taught or research-based postgraduate courses at diploma or masters level, including distance learning. This may include:
- Tuition Fee Loan.
- Living Cost Loan (for full-time students only).
- Disabled Students’ Allowance.
- Discretionary Fund.
- Childcare Fund.
Depending on what you are studying, you may also be able to receive funding from Research Councils or the Scottish Social Services Council.
Nursing / Midwifery
Nursery and Midwifery students can apply to SAAS for a bursary and a living cost grant. Depending on your circumstances you may also be eligible for support from the Discretionary Fund.
Contact SAAS for further information using the contact details at the bottom of the page.
Other Support
You may be able to receive other support from the following sources:
Sponsorship / Scholarships
Some businesses and government departments sponsor students on their courses.
Educational Trusts and Endowments
Some funding may be available from Charitable Trusts.
SAAS and Lead Scotland have compiled a list of trusts that provide educational grants. Links to these have been provided in the ‘Related Sites’ section of this page.
Individual Training Accounts (ITA)
Skills Development Scotland can provide £200 a year towards course fees for approved courses. Further information is available from the ‘Related Sites’ section of this page.
Contact Details
Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS)
Address: Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT.
Telephone: 03005550505.
Skills Development Scotland
Address: 2 Albert Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1HP.
Telephone: 01856872460.
Orkney College
Address: East Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1LX.
Telephone: 01856569000.
Email: Orkney College.
Orkney Islands Council
The Education Grants Team can help Orkney students with EMA and Bursary applications. You can contact the team at:
Address: Education, Leisure and Housing, Orkney Islands Council, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NY.
Telephone: 01856873535 extension 2416 or 2450.
Email: Education Grants.
