This topic contains the following:
Can I get further education funding in Scotland?
If you normally live in Scotland, and you and your course are eligible, you may be able to get funding from the government to take a course of further education. For more details, see Can I get further education funding in the UK?
If you’re eligible for funding in Scotland and you want to take a full-time course in Scotland, the following information is for you. However, if you want to take your course outside Scotland, you might not get all the funding described here. Contact your local authority or learning provider to see what funding they can provide.
Do I need to pay tuition fees?
You don’t have to pay tuition fees if you’re taking a full-time further education course. However, you might need to pay fees for a full-time distance learning course (online and by email).
I’m between 16 and 19 years old – can I get help with costs related to my course?
If you want to stay on at school after you reach your school leaving age, you may be able to get an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) to help with costs related to your course, such as books, equipment and lunch. The following figures are for 2012/2013.
If you’re eligible, you get up to £30 a week during term time, paid every two weeks, up to a maximum of 42 weeks in an academic year. The amount you get depends on your household income. You can get payments for up to three years (or four years if you have additional support needs). You don’t need to pay the money back.
To get the allowance you must be:
- between 16 and 19 years old before you start your course, and have reached your school leaving age
- studying at an approved school or college in Scotland (or elsewhere in the UK, depending on whether you’re eligible – speak to your local authority for more details)
- studying full-time at school or college.
As well as this, your household income must be either:
- £20,351 a year or less if you’re the only child in your household or you’re financially independent of your parents
- £22,403 a year or less if you have siblings aged 16 or younger, or other siblings in your household under 26 years old who are studying full-time.
If you’re financially dependent on your parents, ‘household income’ means your parents’ income. If you’re financially independent of your parents, ‘household income’ means your income plus your partner’s income (if you live with them). The EMA doesn’t affect the benefits you or your family may be entitled to.
If you reach your 20th birthday while you’re receiving an EMA, payments stop from the week after your birthday.
You can’t get an EMA if you get a Bursary Maintenance Allowance (see I’m 16 years old or older – can I get help with costs related to my course?), unless you live away from your parental home while you study.
To apply for an EMA, get an application form from your school, college or local education authority. Here’s more information about the EMA. There are also some frequently asked questions.
You can also download Helping you meet the costs of learning and training, which has lots of useful information.
I’m 16 years old or older – can I get help with costs related to my course?
If you’re not staying on at school after you reach your school leaving age, you may be able to get a Bursary Maintenance Allowance to help with your living costs while you take a further education course. The following figures are for 2012/2013.
To get the allowance you must be:
- 16 years old or older
- studying at an approved college in Scotland (if you want to study elsewhere you can’t get this bursary – speak to your local authority about what’s available)
- studying full-time on a course below Higher National Certificate (HNC) level (Levels 1 to 6 on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework), including academic courses up to Higher level, courses that don’t lead to formal qualifications (eg independent living skills), courses on basic skills (eg reading, writing and numeracy), and work-related courses (eg Scottish Vocational Qualifications).
The amount you get depends on your age, household income and personal circumstances. If you’re:
You don’t need to pay the money back. If you’re financially dependent on your parents, ‘household income’ means your parents’ income. If you’re financially independent of your parents, ‘household income’ means your income plus your partner’s income (if you live with them).
You may also get an extra allowance to cover items you need for your course (eg set texts), items you need for health and safety reasons, and the cost of study trips that you have to go on as part of your course. If you’re under 18 years old, this allowance doesn’t depend on your household income.
If you live in college-approved accommodation or lodgings, you may be able to get up to £105.30 a week to pay your rent, plus a personal allowance of £27.58 a week. If you get an EMA as well as a bursary, you can get the rent payment, but not the personal allowance.
To apply for the bursary, get an application form from your college or learning provider. For more useful information, download Helping you meet the costs of learning and training.
Can I get help with my travel costs?
You can apply to your college for help with your travel costs to and from college, and if you’re on a placement as part of your course, you can get help for your travel costs to and from the placement.
If you have dependent children you can also get help with extra costs for travel (eg to and from your childcare provider).
If you’re under 18 years old, this allowance doesn’t depend on your household income.
I’m responsible for a dependant adult – what extra help can I get?
If you’re financially or legally responsible for an adult, you may be able to get a Dependant’s Allowance of £50.77 a week (this figure is for 2012/2013). The amount you get depends on your income and your dependent’s income.
Apply to your learning provider (eg your college) for this allowance when you apply for your Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) or Bursary Maintenance Allowance.
What other government support is available?
As well as the support outlined above, other further education funding is available, depending on your circumstances. Find out more here:
What other government support is available?
As well as the support outlined above, other further education funding is available, depending on your circumstances. Find out more here:
What if I’m in financial difficulty?
If you’re facing financial hardship, you may get help from the Further Education Discretionary Fund. For more information, see I’m a student in further education – where can I get help if I’m in financial difficulty?
Can I get help to study for a City & Guilds qualification?
If you’re studying for a City & Guilds qualification or a National Proficiency Tests Council course, you may be able to get a bursary (a grant of money that you don’t need to pay back) to help with your living costs. See Can I get funding to study for a City & Guilds qualification?
Can I get funding to study while I work?
If you want to undertake a course of vocational training and work at the same time, you might consider doing an apprenticeship. Alternatively, some employers and other organisations may sponsor you to take a course of further education. For more information, see Can I get funding to study for further education while I work?
Where can I find more information?
Here are some links to more information:
This information was updated in March 2013. NUS provides this information in good faith and has taken care to make sure it’s accurate. However, student finance issues can be complicated, and rules change frequently. You should contact the advice centre in your students' union, college or university for support if you’re uncertain or need more help.