Main undergraduate funding package now in line with the
Living Wage.
Scottish students will benefit from a £2,400 increase to their
annual support package from the start of the 2024-25 academic
year.
The new special support loan will mean that, per year, the main
undergraduate funding package will rise to £11,400 and
post-graduate to £13,900.
The uplift means funding support for the most vulnerable students
is now in line with the student equivalent Living Wage.
Minister for Further and Higher Education said:
“We know that financial stress can be a significant barrier to
educational success so it’s vital that we provide this uplift for
students, helping them through what are tough economic times.
“This package of measures will help learners to fulfil their
potential and delivers on our Programme for Government
commitments to increase the student support package to the
equivalent of the Living Wage, to introduce a special support
payment and to review funding provision for postgraduate
students.
“Along with free tuition, this uplift demonstrates the Scottish
Government’s commitment to helping students – even as we face the
most challenging financial situation since devolution.”
Background
Economists use the UK Hourly Real Living Wage Rate of £12 to
calculate a student equivalent Living Wage.
The special support loan of £2,400 was a Programme for Government
(PfG) commitment.
The special support loan will be implemented from 2024-25
Academic Year and be for the purpose of travel, general study and
childcare costs – costs disregarded by the Department for Work
and Pensions (DWP) when assessing benefit entitlements. This
ensures that students in higher education who remain entitled to
welfare benefits whilst they study can access this additional
support without any further reduction in their benefit
entitlement.
Students will continue to apply for their loan support in the
same way and will continue to receive just one loan payment –
however the Special Support element will be highlighted on their
Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) award notice, which is what
DWP use to calculate benefit entitlement.
