Funding Eligibility and FAQ
Details on funding opportunities and answers to common questions.
Funding
Through the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) Upskilling Fund, a limited number of fully-funded places are available on Data Upskilling Short Courses at The University of Edinburgh.
Eligibility
Funded places are available to those who meet SFC fee waiver criteria:
“Courses/provision is open to all Scottish-domiciled/’home fee’ students, which is consistent with SFC’s policy for core funded student places. Students from the rest of the UK (rUK) are not normally considered eligible for SFC funding. If however a university is working with a Scottish/UK employer which has a physical presence or operating in Scotland, rUK employees of that employer would be eligible.”
If you are from outside Scotland, you need to have settled status in the UK and meet other residency criteria:
- be ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for the three years immediately before course start date, and
- have ‘settled status’ in the UK (as set out in the Immigration Act 1971) at the course start date, and
- be ordinarily resident in Scotland at the course start date.
You can find out more about residency criteria on the SAAS website or in this summary.
Funding eligibility will be assessed at the point of each application for each course; you may be asked to provide further information if you do not meet the general residence conditions. You can check your likely fee status here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/tuition-fees/fee-status/work-out Please email us at upskilling@ed.ac.uk if you would like to discuss your funding eligibility before applying.
Please note that full-time students (including full-time PhD students) are not eligible for funding.
FAQ
How do I apply?
Application links are on each individual course webpage and can be accessed by clicking on the 'How to Apply' drop down menu. Details about entry requirements and any supporting documentation required can also be found on each page.
If you have questions about the application process please contact:
A course I am interested in doesn't have a start date - when will it run?
Course start dates are confirmed throughout the academic year. You can register your interest by joining our mailing list to be kept up to date with all the latest course start dates and new additions to the portfolio.
Am I guaranteed a funded place on a course?
Each course has a maximum capacity for funded places so unfortunately we cannot guarantee that everyone who is eligible can be funded. Applications are processsed on a first come, first served basis.
Is there a limit to the number of funded courses I can take?
You can be funded for up to 50 credits over a two-year period (most credit-bearing courses are 10 credits). Please note that if you do not complete a course, you may not be considered for a funded place on another course in the future unless you notify us before the withdrawal deadline or have extenuating circumstances.
Can I pay for a place on a course?
Yes, if you do not meet the funding eligibility for the courses you may be able to pay for a place on the course if space is available. Fees are listed on each Course page.
What does SCQF Level mean?
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) can be accessed here.
Can the credits gained from these courses be used towards degree programmes?
Some of our credit-bearing courses are offered as part of a postgraduate programme at The University of Edinburgh - if you pass, you can use credits achieved as a recognition of prior learning, subject to the approval of the Programme Director. Details of further study options are available on each course webpage.