One of the things you need to do before heading to university is complete the application for your tuition fees to be paid and for your student loan. Scottish students are eligible to have their tuition fees paid by the Scottish Government if they are studying at a Scottish university. You can also apply for a student loan. This is done by applying to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) which is responsible for paying tuition fees in Scotland.
Before you get started
Remember, you will need to submit your application form before June 30th to ensure your funding is in place before you start your university course in September.
What information do you need to have handy?
- Your personal information. Basic information such as name, address, contact details, National Insurance Number
- Education history. The primary school and secondary school you went to and what dates, your qualifications etc.
- Household Income. Your parent/guardian’s income as well as any income you earn i.e from part-time work.
- Details of your university course: Course name, university, UCAS code etc.
It’s probably a good idea to have all of this information gathered together before you begin completing your application forms.
Tuition Fees
Although the Scottish Government pays for your tuition fees, you still need to apply for this. To do this you must firstly open an account with SAAS then complete an application form.
In Scotland, yearly tuition fees are £1,820.
This form will ask you questions about yourself, your education and employment (if applicable), your household income and which university course you intend to study.
You will then be asked how you intend to pay your tuition fees. There is a drop-down menu with several options for paying your tuition fees. Here, you will select SAAS which is the option for the Scottish Government to pay your fees.
Student Loans
You can apply for your student loan at the same time as applying for your tuition fees. If you don’t want to apply just yet you can still apply at a later date on your SAAS account.
However, your loan is not paid by SAAS and is instead paid by the Student Loans Company. You will receive a letter from them outlining the details of your loan including payment dates if your loan is approved. It’s best to keep a copy of this letter as your university may need a copy during registration.
Depending on the amount you are borrowing you may need to upload evidence of you or your parent/guardian’s income such as a P60 (a formal document showing your earnings for the year). You can scan a copy and upload it directly online or you can send a copy by post. Usually, you only need to submit evidence if you are applying for a bursary and/or a loan greater than £4,750.
You will also be asked to provide the name and contact information of two ‘referees’. One of them can be a member of your family but the other must not be related to you but must know you personally. Don’t worry this is just to confirm your identity they won’t be asked to act as a guarantor for your loan. However, it’s still a good idea to ask their permission first.
How much can you borrow?
The amount you are eligible for depends on your household income. Remember, you do not need to take the full amount and you will be able to specify how much you wish to take during the application form.
Depending on your household income you may also be entitled to a bursary (which does not need to be paid back). There are three different types of bursary available:
Young Student’s Bursary – If you are under 25 years old, do not receive any earnings and your household income is less than £34,000
Independent Student’s Bursary – Your household income is less than £20,999 a year and you are eligible for your tuition fees to be paid. You must also meet at least one of several other conditions including:
- You are over the age of 25
- Your parents are no longer alive and you do not have a legal guardian
- You are married, in a civil partnership or living with a partner
- You have a child under the age of 18 who depends on you financially
- You support yourself from earnings outside of education
- You are permanently not in contact with your parents
Care Experienced Bursary – Students who are care experienced can apply for a non income assessed bursary although you will not be eligible for the living costs loan.
The following tables show which level of student loan you are entitled to and the bursary amount.
Young Student
Independent Student
Tips
- Keep a note of any reference numbers you are given as you will likely need these if you need to contact SAAS.
- When applying for your funding take your time when completing the application form. It’s best to set aside plenty of time to sit and work through it.
- A good time to complete your application is during the day so that you can easily contact SAAS if you have any issues.
Where to get more information
You can get more information on the SAAS website or by contacting them by telephone, email or social media.
For information and queries about your student loan you can also contact the Student Loans Company.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/student-loans-company
