Financial support for all students
We can provide funding for students who are experiencing financial difficulties. These funds aim to provide support with living costs and cannot be used to reduce tuition fees.
This page provides you with information on what funding is available to you, what it can be used for and how the application process works.
Who is eligible for financial support?
All fully matriculated students are eligible to apply for financial support.
Where does the funding come from?
Financial support for our students comes from two main sources - our University and the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). If your application is successful, we then award you money from the fund which is relevant to your circumstances.
Help to apply
Before you begin your application, please ensure that you read the guidance document as it contains important information.
Welfare Advisors at the Students’ Association’s Advice Place are available to answer your questions and provide support for your application. We recommend contacting a Welfare Advisor before completing the form.
Who is not eligible for financial support?
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Students who are exam-only or on multiple repeat years.
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Students who are on an authorised interruption of studies for reasons other than health reasons.
What can the funding not be used for?
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Anticipated future costs.
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Shortfalls in your month-to-month maintenance.
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Assistance with tuition fees.
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Excessive spending. Where we identify excessive spending, any potential award will be reduced. Consistent excessive spending across multiple applications may lead to no funds being awarded. This would include, but is not limited to, high-volume spend on takeaways, alcohol, eating out or clothing.
How to apply
We are required to assess a student’s access to funding and their living costs to determine the financial support we can offer. We do so by reviewing your personal statement outlining your current financial circumstances, income and living costs. This would include and outline of what has the changes to your circumstances which have led to your request for financial support, and your debt or financial challenges.
The assessment process will also look at:
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Whether you have access to savings or other investments including, but not limited to: cryptocurrency, digital assets, help to buy ISAs, trust funds. Please note, if you are in receipt of funding due to being a care leaver or estranged student, we will recognise the need for savings.
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Whether applicants are holding money for friends or family - this will be treated as your own available funds.
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Whether any fraudulent behaviour has been identified, including not declaring all savings or moving funds to avoid recognition.
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Whether you have been means-tested by your local funding body (UK students only)
***What documentation do I need ready before I apply?***
Please submit the following supporting documentation with your online application in PDF format only:
- Bank statements for all accounts for 8 weeks up to the application date to show your income and living costs. This includes all accounts you have access to including, digital savings accounts, ISAs, cryptocurrency, digital assets, social media wallets, overseas accounts and shared accounts. These must show:
- Account holder name
- Account number
- Transaction details
- Current balance
- If applicable - bank statements for all accounts your partner holds for two months up to the application date to show income and living costs. This includes all accounts they have access to including, digital savings accounts, ISAs, cryptocurrency, social media wallets, overseas accounts and shared accounts. These must show the account holder name, account number, transaction details and running balance.
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Evidence of your accommodation lease or mortgage - to understand your housing commitment.
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Evidence of your funding body or scholarship support, eg: funding body award letter - to understand the income level you receive.
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Evidence of debts you are referring to in your personal statement, eg: credit cards - to understand your financial commitments.
Please note we are not able to consider screenshots.
Assessment will begin once all documentation is received. If there are any gaps, this will delay your application. Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automated email reply with a 'call number', which we will use to track your application should you wish to get in touch.
We will assess your application as soon as we have all this from you. It may take a while for you to put this together so do try and prepare and have everything you need before applying to if there are any gaps, this will avoid any delay to your application. Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automated email reply with a 'call number', which we will use to track your application should you wish to get in touch.
If you are successful, we will pay the financial support to your nominated bank account, which you provide as part of the application process.
What happens next?
Depending on application demand, assessment normally takes about 20 working days from receipt of a complete application, you will receive an email informing you of the decision. We will keep our webpages up to date with processing times.
How do I receive the funds?
Dependent on value, successful awards may be split across two semesters to support financial budgeting. If you require further splits into monthly income, please do let us know on the application form. Awards are paid by BACS (Bankers' Automated Clearing Services).
Finance will process payment to your bank account. You will be asked to provide these details via a link on the form. It may take up to 10 working days for funds to reach your bank account.
Overseas bank accounts
We are unable to make payments to overseas bank accounts. You must set up a UK bank account before applying to the fund.
Opening your first student bank account in the UK
Can I apply more than once?
We aim to support as many students as possible. You can apply more than once during the academic year. Each case is considered on its individual merits at the time of application. However, previous applications - whether successful or not - will be taken into consideration.
Fraudulent applications
If you submit an application or supporting documentation which we then discover to be fraudulent or if we receive any information about fraudulent applications, this will be addressed within regulations 12.4 of the Student Code of Conduct.
We will notify your College and if applicable your local funding body or local sponsor of any suspected fraud and any funds awarded will need to be paid back in full. This includes not declaring all access to savings or bank accounts when applying for government funding.
Why are applications rejected?
Applications can be rejected for lack of supporting information, evidence of excessive spending or gambling, or lack of financial hardship. Some of our funding is in high demand and you should not assume you will be awarded financial support.
Please do read the guidance to understand in full how your application will be assessed and talk with advisers at the Students’ Association’s Advice Place.
What if I disagree with the assessment of my application?
We aim to help as many students as possible in genuine hardship within the funds allocated but are not able to provide for all applicants. If you disagree with the decision reached, you are entitled to request a review of your application. Review requests should be sent to studentfunding@ed.ac.uk with the subject ‘Request for Discretionary Review’.
Reviews should be requested in writing, clearly stating the grounds for appeal and, where appropriate, supplying additional documentary evidence to support the review process. All requests for review must be received within seven working days of the date of the original decision letter. The review process can take up to two weeks.
After you have received the outcome of your review, if you still disagree with our decision you may appeal in writing to studentfunding@ed.ac.uk, who is responsible for handling the final appeal. You should clearly indicate how you believe an incorrect decision has been made. You will be informed of the final decision in writing within 28 working days.
Staff at The Advice Place will be able to advise you as to whether or not you have sufficient grounds to request a review. We also recommend reading through our guidance document, to find out more.