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Loans and other funding sources
This page gives information on Student Loans and other sources of funding.
How do I apply for a student loan (maintenance)?
Please note this section is not applicable to students from the European Union or Overseas, or Postgraduate Students. To ensure that you receive your maintenance loan at the beginning for Semester 1, you should apply to your awarding body (more information below) by the end of June.
Full-time undergraduate students who are ordinarily resident in Scotland should apply to SAAS for student loan and bursary support. Follow the link to the SAAS website for further details and to apply online.
Students who apply through SAAS for a student loan will receive their instalments monthly on the 7th of each month until the month in which your final term ends.
The first payment will be a double payment and will be paid on the first day of the first semester or within three days of registering if this is after the first day of the semester.
Full-time undergraduates students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland should apply to their appropriate funding body for any student loans and maintenance grants.
Students who apply through Student Finance England, Wales or Northern Ireland for a student loan will receive their loan in three instalments.
Student loans are means-tested, but all students are entitled to a minimum loan. All loan instalments will be paid by the SLC direct into students’ bank accounts and it is therefore important that you submit a loan application and provide your bank details to the as soon as possible.
SLC will process all loan applications, and if you meet the deadlines set by your awarding body, the first instalment of your loan will be paid by BACS directly into your bank account on the first day of the first semester or within three days of registering if this is after the first day of semester. Follow the link to the SLC website for more information:
Please note you must register by returning your completed Matriculation form to Registry before your loan instalment is paid.
Where can I find information about help with financing my studies at the University?
Further information on scholarships, bursaries and student funding can be found at the Scholarships website.
Is there any other funding available?
Limited government funds are available to help matriculated students from the UK - these are:
* Discretionary Funds
Assistance from Discretionary Funds provided by the UK Government is only available to UK national undergraduate and postgraduate students - that is, students at the University from either Scotland, England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Advice is available from EUSA for all students who are experiencing financial difficulties.
Discretionary funds are intended to provide extra financial support to students who require extra assistance when experiencing, for example, unexpected difficulties or because they have higher than expected costs.
Applications to the Discretionary funds are made to, and assessed by, the University. These payments are usually given as grants and do not have to be repaid. EUSA Advice Place Offices will assist with making an application, further information on the EUSA website.
Childcare Fund
This Fund is provided by the Government to help full-time undergraduate students (or those in receipt of PGDE undergraduate support packages) cover the costs of formal registered childcare expenses for dependant children.
Formal childcare includes childminders, after-school clubs, and providers of day care and education. The Childcare Fund is available to all eligible full-time undergraduate students (or those in receipt of the undergraduate package of support i.e PGDE). EUSA Advice Place Offices will assist with making an application, further information on the EUSA website.
If you are an EU, Overseas or Self-funding student and therefore ineligible for assistance from other UK Government sponsored funds, you can apply to the University for an emergency award from the Common Bursaries Fund. Information is available on the Scholarships Office website.
This article was published on Aug 4, 2011