Making a Fresh Start

Make a fresh start - what's available

Dropped out of Uni? Already have an HNC/HND? The good news is, you can probably afford to study a four year degree course from the beginning.

Here's what's available:

Living cost student bursaries.
Tuition fees paid for Scottish students.
Living cost grants for lone parents including childcare.
Grants if you’re a carer or disabled.
Funds for formal/registered childcare.
Scholarships and awards.
Student loans.

Good to know: grants, bursaries and scholarships do not need to be repaid.

A male and a female student working together in an Abertay classroom.

Tuition Fees (no repayments)

You apply for tuition fees through the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). SAAS usually provides you with up to five years of tuition fees.

So if you were at college or university and dropped out in your first year, or left with an HNC, SAAS will cover four more years – which is the length of a Scottish degree. Perfect.

For your information, here are the tuition fee rates for Scottish undergraduates.

What if you dropped out in year 2, or left college with an HND and want to start a new four year degree? That would be six years of tuition fees funding in total, but SAAS only provides five.

The Carnegie Trust is for you. You apply for tuition fees funding for your first year of a new course at university. Then you go through SAAS for the remaining three years. Most people who apply are successful. Applications open 1 June to start a course in the September of the same year.

Living Costs

Student Bursary (no repayments)

SAAS usually provides up to five years of Student Bursary funding.

If you were at college/university and dropped out in your first year, or left with an HNC/HND, you still have four years’ SAAS funding available to cover the four years of an undergraduate University degree.

The bursary provides a maximum of £2,000 per year for Young Students, and £1,000 per year for Independent Students. You do not have to pay this money back. Check the SAAS eligibility pages to see which one you are.

If you dropped out in year 2, and want to start a new four year degree this makes six years in total. SAAS bursary covers 5. You would not receive the student bursary for your first year of a new course at university, but you can apply for the remaining three years.

Student Loans (repayments needed)

You can still apply for a student loan for each year of your new degree course. It depends on your household income.

Care Experienced Bursary (no repayments)

If you are care experienced, you get a bursary which doesn't need to be paid back.

Care Experienced Bursary for 2023/24

Bursary	Loan	Total
£9,000	£0	£9,000

Find out more on the SAAS website.

Estranged Student Bursary and Loan (part repayments)

If you are permanently estranged from your parents/guardians, you can get a bursary and a loan.

Estranged Students Funding for 2023/24

Bursary	Loan	Total
£1,000	£8,000	£9,000

Find out more on the SAAS website.

Other Grants (no repayments)

Grants are income assessed, but don’t have to be paid back. Even if you received them for an earlier course, you can apply again for a new degree course of four years.

Lone Parents’ Grant: If you’re widowed, divorced, separated and are a single parent bringing up one or more children who are dependent on you (siblings included), this could mean an extra £1,305 per year through the Lone Parents’ Grant. The amount is based on the income you earn while you study. You apply through SAAS.

Lone Parents’ Childcare Grant: If you are eligible for the Lone Parent’s Grant, you should also qualify for the Lone Parents’ Childcare Grant. It helps towards the cost of registered or formal childcare costs. You can apply for this as well as the Lone Parents’ Grant.

How much you receive depends on your childcare costs. The maximum grant is £1,215 each year. You apply through the University.

Dependents’ Grant: If you are a carer for a dependent adult, you can apply for the Dependents’ Grant. The maximum is £2,640 per year.

Formal Childcare Funds: All students can apply for the Discretionary Childcare Fund for help with formal registered childcare expenses. You apply through the University.

Remember, these grants don’t have to be paid back.

When to Apply

You can apply to SAAS from April in the year your course will start.

You apply for all funding at the same time: student loans, grants, bursaries and tuition fees. It takes at least six weeks to process your application so the earlier the better. The MYGOV.SCOT website tells you all about how to apply for student finance.

You need to apply before 30 June to ensure your funding is in place before you start your course. You don’t need a confirmed place, just use your preferred choice and update it if necessary.

Submitting your application as early as possible means your finances will be sorted before you start.

If your application is later than 30 June, your money may be too. And you don't want to start your course worrying about money. Find out more from the SAAS Guide to Undergraduate funding.