Part-time fee grant

From 1 April 2011, the part-time fee grant  will replace the ILA500 scheme.    This scheme provides up to £500 a year towards the cost of tuition fees for students who are studying part-time.

What is the form of assistance?
Eligible students who are living in Scotland can apply to receive up to £500 per year towards the cost of their tuition fees. 

Does this assistance have to be paid back?
No, the part-time fee grant  is an award, not a loan and does not have  to be paid back.

If my tuition fee is more than £500 will I need to pay the difference?
Yes if your tuition fee is more than £500 you will need to pay the remainder yourself.

Who is eligible?
You must meet all of the following criteria:

• You must meet SAAS residence eligibility conditions.
• You must be 16 years old or over.
• You must be registered to study between 40 and 90 Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework Credits in an academic year. Distance learning course are not eligible.
• You can be either an undergraduate or postgraduate (on a taught course).
• You must have a personal earned (or pension) income of £22,000 or less per year or receive certain benefits.

Who is not eligible?

• Students in receipt of full-time student support from SAAS are not eligible for the part-time fee grant. This includes students who are registered as full-time but attending on a part-time basis. Also part-time fee grant funding is not available if you are already receiving support from other government training schemes. This includes ILA200, Training for Work, Get Ready for Work and the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme.
• English, Welsh and Northern Irish students.
• People who don't meet the SAAS residence eligibility conditions.
• International students.

How to apply

• You can download an application form from  the SAAS website.

What happens next?

• Once you have completed the application form you will need to bring it or post it to the Registry where we will endorse it to confirm that you are registered as a part-time student.   
• Please note we cannot endorse applications until you have completed academic registration and enrolled on courses in MyCampus so that you have the required number of  credits in your curriculum in the University student records system. We will need to endorse your application within 4 weeks of the start of Semester so you must ensure you complete registration procedures in good time. 
• You are then responsible for sending your completed application to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) who will check that you are eligible.
• If your application is successful SAAS will send you a letter called an award notice. You must take a copy of your award notice and write your student number on the top  and submit this to the Registry so that we have proof that your application has been successful.
• The £500 contribution towards the tuition fee for eligible students is  paid directly to the university.

If I do not send my part-time fee grant application to SAAS or my application for the part-time fee grant is assessed as ineligible will I be responsible for paying my tuition fees?

Yes, unless you are sucessful in applying for tuition fee assistance from another source.

 Do I need to reapply for the part-time fee grant  every year?
Yes funding is awarded for one academic year only so you must remember to re-apply and have your eligibility assessed each year. If you do not apply for funding or are assessed as ineligible we will regard you as liable for your tuition fees.