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Help with fees
There are four ways we can help with course fees.
1. The concessionary rate (most courses)
Many of our courses have a concessionary rate, set at two-thirds of the full fee.
Where no concession is offered, please see the Martha Hamilton Trust.
To qualify:
- You / your family's sole income is Department for Work and Pensions benefits.
- You are in receipt of Pension Credit
- You are a University of Edinburgh student on a degree programme or a full-time student at a local university.
Please note: this does not include Working Tax Credits.
Not available for Art and Design Studies courses.
2. The Martha Hamilton Trust (all courses)
The Trust is based on a bequest from a former student who wanted to ensure financial help for students on a low income. For most courses you pay just one third of the full fee, and special arrangements apply for courses where no concessions are offered.
Eligibility and how to apply
The application process is simple and confidential. Subsidies are awarded on the basis of individual need. The application form is available to download in PDF (requires a PDF viewer such as Adobe Reader).
Please note that you need to live in the local area to qualify.
Not available for Art and Design Studies courses.
- Martha Hamilton Trust application form [PDF 43 KB]
- Martha Hamilton Trust eligibility [PDF 10 KB]
- Adobe Reader
Contact Lorna Ketchion for more details.
3. The Fee Waiver (most credit courses)
This scheme gives you the opportunity to study part time and have your fees paid. Only one course can be selected from the Art and Design Studies programme each year. Other courses must be chosen from the Open Studies programme.
It is available for students who intend to study for credit and work towards a Certificate of Higher Education. To qualify you must meet at least one of the conditions set out below:
- The student's family* is in receipt of: Income Support / Housing Benefit / Working Tax Credit / Pension Credit / Income-related Employment and Support Allowance / Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
- The student is in receipt of: Severe Disablement Allowance or Personal Independence Payments / Disability Living Allowance / Incapacity Benefit / Carer's Allowance** / Attendance Allowance / Contributory Employment and Support Allowance
- The sole income to the student’s family is Department for Work and Pensions benefits
- The net income of the student’s family is lower than the threshold for receiving income support
* Family is defined as: mature single student, married or unmarried couple, a couple in a civil partnership, married or unmarried couple or couple in a civil partnership with dependent children, or lone parent with dependent children.
** This includes carers who have an 'underlying entitlement' to Carer's Allowance but gave up their allowance to, for example, claim their pension.
Contact our Student Guidance Advisor for more details.
4. Part-time Fee Grant (Certificate of HE)
The Part-time Fee Grant (PFG) could give you up to £500 towards your course fees.
To be eligible you must meet the following criteria:
- You must be studying for the 120-credit Certificate of Higher Education.
- You must be earning £22,000 or less per year including any private and state pensions.
- You must be resident in Scotland and meet the residency rules that apply to full-time students.
- You must be studying part-time, and plan to complete between 40 and 90 Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF) credits in the 2012-13 academic year.
How to apply
For more information visit the Student Awards Agency for Scotland website:
Once you have completed your form, you should arrange to see Suzanne Spalding, Student Guidance Advisor, in the Office of Lifelong Learning.
She will check your form, agree your courses, and register you for the Certificate of Higher Education. Please note that there is a £100 Certificate registration fee.
You then need to take your form to Academic Registry to get it stamped and certified by a member of the Fees and Student Support team.
Notification of award
Your application will be assessed and if successful you will be sent an award letter by SAAS.
Further help and advice
For further help and advice about fees please contact Suzanne Spalding, Student Guidance Advisor or Lorna Ketchion.
This article was published on Oct 29, 2012