Funding
We want to make your funding journey as easy as possible so that you don’t have money worries when you start your course. We can help advise you on all aspects of student funding - Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), bursary, discretionary funding to help with housing costs, childcare costs and travel requirements. The support available depends on what you are studying with us, how you choose to study, as well as your personal circumstances.
We have many years of experience working in student funding and we are here to help you with all your funding queries and concerns. Please use this page as a guide of the types of funding and bursary options available to you to apply for and please contact us if we can help you in any way. We look forward to working with you in the coming year.
You may find the following documents useful while applying for funding:
How to make your funding application
How to make your funding application
To apply for your Further Education EMA, Bursary, Childcare or Discretionary Hardship Funds OR to apply for your Higher Education Discretionary Hardship, Childcare Fund (including Lone Parent Childcare Grant Application), you must first have:
- Accepted your unconditional offer of a place on the course with admissions
- Received a letter/email with your login and password from our funding team
Once you have these details, you can apply for your funding. For simplicity, we use one application form to assess your eligibility for various types of funding.
It is our aim to process funding applications within four weeks of the date of receipt of the last piece of supporting evidence. Therefore, it is essential your funding application is submitted and supporting documentation is provided as early as possible. Please take this into consideration and ensure you have enough money available to you when you start your course.
Funding advice if you are under 16 years of age
Funding advice if you are under 16 years of age
Please note that you are expected to use your Young Scot National Entitlement Card for free travel to college.
Student support funds are only available to students who have passed their official school leaving date. Until this date, you may be eligible for support for costs relating to your course through your school or the local education authority. Therefore, if there is no bus service available to allow you use your Young Scot Card to travel to college, please contact your school for further information on funding to meet your travel costs.
If you turn 16 between the 1 October 2022 and the 28 February 2023 you will be eligible to apply to UHI North Highland for EMA and Bursary for study aids costs from the first term day after the Christmas holidays.
Funding advice if you are 16 or 17 years old
Funding advice if you are 16 or 17 years old
If your parental/household income is less than £24,421 for one dependent child or £26,884 with more than one dependent child in the household, you could receive a potential award of:
- Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) of £30 per week
- Study expenses
Please note: if your parental/household income is over these thresholds you are still entitled to study costs.
If you live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college, you are expected to use your Young Scot Card for free travel to college. A college bus pass will not be issued to you. If there is no public bus service to allow you to travel to college alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
If you must live away from home to attend your course or have an established home of your own, you may be eligible for an away from parental home maintenance allowance of £44.92 per week. This fund is means-tested. If you wish to be assessed for an away from Parental Home Allowance, you must include evidence of your household income.
Funding advice if you are 18 to 24 years old living in the parental home
Funding advice if you are 18 to 24 years old living in the parental home
If your parental/household income is £24,275 or below, you could receive a potential award of:
- Bursary maintenance of £89.42 per week
- Study expenses
Please note: if your parental/household income is over £24,275 then a reduced rate of the bursary may be paid, or you may not be eligible for any bursary funding.
Travel
If you are under 22 years old, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you are expected to use your Young Scot Card for free travel. A college bus pass will not be issued to you. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college, alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
If you are 22 years old or over, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you will be issued with a college bus pass. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
The provision of study aids are means tested.
We require the following evidence to process your bursary and funding application:
- Bank Sort Code and Account Number for a bank account in your name
- One form of ID from birth certificate, driving licence, valid passport or Young Scot Card
- Household income evidence for tax year 2021/22
- If they are in employment: P60s/P45s for tax year 2021/22 for parents/parents’ partners/legal guardian/s
- If they are self-employed: Confirmation of taxable income for tax year 2021/22 (2020/21 if 2021/22 is not yet available) for parents/parents’ partners/legal guardian/s
- If they are in receipt of Universal Credit: A PDF copy of Benefits Statement/Award letter to show all parts of a claim for one recent month for parents/parents’ partners/legal guardian/s
- Please also include confirmation of dependent siblings - birth certificate, driving licence, valid passport or Young Scot Card or confirmation that they are studying at college or university if applicable.
Funding advice if you are 18 to 24 years old living out of the parental home but still dependent on parents
Funding advice if you are 18 to 24 years old living out of the parental home but still dependent on parents
If your parental/household income is £24,275 or below, you could receive a potential award of:
- Bursary maintenance of £113.00 per week
- Study expenses
Please note: if your parental/household income is over £24,275 then a reduced rate of the bursary may be paid.
Travel
If you are under 22 years old, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you are expected to use your Young Scot Card for free travel. A college bus pass will not be issued to you. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college, alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
If you are 22 years old or over, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you will be issued with a college bus pass. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
Travel and the provision of study aids are means tested.
We require the following evidence to process your bursary and funding application:
- Bank Sort Code and Account Number for a bank account in your name
- One form of ID from birth certificate, driving licence, valid passport or Young Scot Card
- Confirmation that you are living away from home e.g. tenancy agreement
- Household income evidence for tax year 2021/22
- If they are in employment: P60s/P45s for tax year 2021/22 for parents/parents’ partners/legal guardian/s
- If they are self-employed: Confirmation of taxable income for tax year 2021/22 (2020/21 if 2021/22 is not yet available) for parents/parents’ partners/legal guardian/s
- If they are in receipt of Universal Credit: A PDF copy of Benefits Statement/Award letter to show all parts of a claim for one recent month for parents/parents’ partners/legal guardian/s
- Please also include confirmation of dependent siblings - birth certificate, driving licence, valid passport or Young Scot Card or confirmation that they are studying at college or university if applicable.
Funding advice if you are under 25 and self-supporting
Funding advice if you are under 25 and self-supporting
If you require further information on self-supporting status and/or any supporting documentation you need to provide, please contact our Student Funding Team.
If you are under 25 and self-supporting, you could receive a potential award of:
- Bursary maintenance of £113.00 per week
- Study expenses
Travel
If you are under 22 years old, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you are expected to use your Young Scot Card for free travel. A college bus pass will not be issued to you. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college, alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
If you are 22 years old or over, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you will be issued with a college bus pass. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
Funding advice if you are 25 years or over
Funding advice if you are 25 years or over
If you are 25 years old or over, you could receive a potential award of:
- Bursary maintenance of £113.00 per week
- Study expenses
If you are a single person your award is means tested on your unearned income - for instance, Working Tax Credits.
If you are married or are living with a partner in an established relationship your award is means tested on spouse/partner income. Please note: if your spouse/partner income is over £20,643 then a reduced rate of bursary may be paid, or you may not be eligible for any bursary funding.
Travel
If you live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college, you will be issued with a college bus pass. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
Travel and the provision of study aids are means tested.
We require the following evidence to process your bursary and funding application:
- Bank Sort Code and Account Number for a bank account in your name
- One form of ID from birth certificate, driving licence, valid passport or Young Scot Card
- Household income evidence for tax year 2021/22
- If in employment: P60s/P45s for tax year 2021/22 for spouse/partner
- If self-employed: Confirmation of taxable income for tax year 2021/22 (2020/21 if 2021/22 is not yet available) for spouse/partner
- If in receipt of Universal Credit: A PDF copy of Benefits Statement/Award letter to show all parts of a claim for one recent month for spouse/partner
- Confirmation of dependent children - birth certificate, driving licence, valid passport or Young Scot Card or confirmation that they are studying at college or university if applicable
Funding advice if you are care experienced
Funding advice if you are care experienced
If you have at any time in your life, been looked after by a local authority in the UK, you are eligible for a non-means tested Care Experienced Bursary. If you can provide documentation to confirm this status, you could receive a potential award of:
- Bursary maintenance of £202.50 per week
- Study expenses
Travel
If you are under 22 years old, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you are expected to use your Young Scot Card for free travel. A college bus pass will not be issued to you. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college, alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
If you are 22 years old or over, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you will be issued with a college bus pass. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
What qualifies as Care Experienced?
- Permanence Order
- Foster Care
- Formal Kinship Care
- Informal Kinship care which can be confirmed by a Local Authority
- Residential Care
- Compulsory Supervision Order with no condition of residence (looked after at home)
- Compulsory Supervision Order with a condition of residence (looked after away from home)
We require the following evidence to process your bursary and funding application:
- Bank Sort Code and Account Number for a bank account in your name
- One form of ID from birth certificate, driving licence, valid passport or Young Scot Card
- A letter from the Local Authority or Social Work who are providing or have provided your care
Please CONTACT US if you wish to discuss evidence to support your funding application
Funding advice if you are a student carer
Funding advice if you are a student carer
We have a wealth of experience in working with young people from varied backgrounds and have designated team members who provide support, advice and guidance to our students who have caring responsibilities. Working in partnership with internal and external support services, we can provide a tailored service that meets your needs.
Travel
If you are under 22 years old, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you are expected to use your Young Scot Card for free travel. A college bus pass will not be issued to you. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college, alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
If you are 22 years old or over, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you will be issued with a college bus pass. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
We require the following evidence to process your bursary and funding application:
- Bank Sort Code and Account Number for a bank account in your name
- One form of ID from birth certificate, driving licence, valid passport or Young Scot Card
Please CONTACT US to discuss further evidence to support your funding application.
Funding advice if you are an estranged student
Funding advice if you are an estranged student
The definition of estrangement from the Scottish Funding Council is a permanent and irrevocable breakdown in the parental/child relationship. A breakdown in family communication is not considered to be estrangement.
If you wish to be considered as an estranged student, you must provide documentation to confirm estrangement.
Acceptable forms of confirmation of estrangement are:
- A letter from a social or support worker, solicitor, doctor, a headteacher or guidance teacher
We require the following evidence to process your funding application:
- Bank Sort Code and Account Number for a bank account in your name
- One form of ID from birth certificate, driving licence, valid passport or Young Scot Card
Travel
If you are under 22 years old, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you are expected to use your Young Scot Card for free travel. A college bus pass will not be issued to you. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college, alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
If you are 22 years old or over, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you will be issued with a college bus pass. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
Funding advice if you are a benefits recipient
Funding advice if you are a benefits recipient
If you are in receipt of benefits, you should contact your local benefits office for advice on whether you can continue to claim while studying on your course. Full-time students are not normally entitled to receive benefits, however, there are some exceptions.
In some circumstances, students may be able to study full-time and receive Universal Credit. If you are eligible for student funding, you can receive a maximum maintenance allocation of £28.00 per week in student funding without this having an impact on your Universal Credit Award.
Travel
If you are under 22 years old, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you are expected to use your Young Scot Card for free travel. A college bus pass will not be issued to you. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college, alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
If you are 22 years old or over, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you will be issued with a college bus pass. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
Discretionary funding
Discretionary funding
For full time students the Discretionary Hardship Fund is primarily aimed to help you with the cost of rent/mortgage where you or you and your spouse/partner are not entitled to the Housing element of Universal Credit/Housing Benefit and you do not have adequate funds. Priority is given to single and mature students.
Awards are calculated in a similar way to local authority Housing Benefit and have a maximum amount payable of £4,000 per year. The funds are paid two weeks in arrears. Please check your award letter and statement (available on the Student Hub) for details of dates and amounts.
To be considered for accommodation assistance you will need to have a tenancy in your name and be registered at that address for council tax purposes. Students qualify for Council Tax Exemption but still need to be registered at the property.
Assistance for other forms of hardship will be considered upon application.
Emergency Hardship Funds
Applications for emergency assistance from the Discretionary Hardship Fund can be made through your Student Hub and should include the following information before the application is considered.
Your application should include:
- a full description of the financial difficulties you face and why you cannot meet these costs from your own funds
- two recent and consecutive months bank statements for you and partner (if partnered)
- an Income and Expenditure declaration (UHIFEC4 form available on the Student Hub)
- three months recent and consecutive pay slips for student and partner (if partnered)
- documentation showing you have applied for and been refused other appropriate funding, such as your local authority’s Welfare Fund or Key Fund
Depending on the circumstances, you may be asked for more information.
Childcare funding
Childcare funding
Available to FE and HE students.
Childcare funding is available to assist with the cost of childcare with registered childcare providers while you attend college classes, college placements or complete college course work remotely. As funds are limited, there is a cap on the amount of childcare that can be paid to you. Therefore, please be aware that your childcare costs may not be covered in full. This fund is means-tested.
Childcare funding is paid direct to your childcare provider on receipt of completed childcare timesheets. Childcare timesheets will be sent out to your childcare provider if a childcare award is made to you. Please note that you are responsible
for paying your childcare costs until the childcare award has been made to you.
Travel assistance
If you are under 22 years old, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you are expected to use your Young Scot Card for free travel. A college bus pass will not be issued to you. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college, alternative travel arrangements will be made for you.
If you are 22 years old or over, live more than 2 miles from your college campus and a public bus service is available to you to travel to college you will be issued with a college bus pass. If there is no public bus service for you to travel to college alternative travel arrangements will be made for you. Please note we are unable to provide any assistance with travel until you submit your online funding application.
Please note that if you are issued with a college bus pass, using college transport, or are paid a travel allowance you must provide supporting documents within the first six weeks of your course. Failure to do this will result in the cancellation of your travel arrangements and you will be invoiced for any travel costs incurred from the start of your course.
If you have any questions regarding travel, please contact us as soon as possible.
Travel assistance
Travel assistance
If you live two miles or more from your college campus you may be eligible for assistance with travel to college and/or placement.
If you are under 18 years of age on the day the course starts assistance with travel is not means-tested.
If you are 18 years of age or over on the day the course starts assistance with travel costs is means-tested.
Please note we are unable to provide any assistance with travel until you submit your online funding application.
Bus passes are issued to students living in Caithness who are attending our Thurso Campus or our Rural Skills Centre. Provided you have submitted your funding application, you should be issued with a college bus pass in the first week you attend your course. However, please note that you should have enough funds available to you to travel to college until you receive your pass.
If you live in Caithness or North Sutherland but are not near a bus route please contact us to discuss your travel requirements.
If you are attending our Dornoch Campus or Alness Campus please contact us to discuss your travel requirements.
Please note that if you are issued with a college bus pass, using college transport, or are paid a travel allowance you must provide supporting documents within the first six weeks of your course. Failure to do this will result in the cancellation of your travel arrangements and you will be invoiced for any travel costs incurred from the start of your course.
Higher education funding (SCQF 7 and above)
Higher education funding (SCQF 7 and above)
Funding for your full-time Higher Education course is available online through SAAS. They use one form to assess your entitlement to:
- Course fees
- Student loans for living costs
- Young person bursary
- Independent student’s bursary
- Care experienced student’s bursary
- Care experienced accommodation grant
- Other supplementary grants for dependants, lone parents and vacation grant for care leaver
Discretionary Funding
For full time students, the Discretionary Hardship Fund is primarily aimed to help you with the cost of rent/mortgage where you or you and your spouse/partner are not entitled to the Housing element of Universal Credit/Housing Benefit and you do not have adequate funds. Priority is given to single and mature students.
Awards are calculated in a similar way to local authority Housing Benefit and have a maximum amount payable of £4,000 per year. The funds are paid two weeks in arrears. Please check your award letter and statement (available on the Student Hub) for details of dates and amounts.
To be considered for accommodation assistance you will need to have a tenancy in your name and be registered at that address for council tax purposes. Students qualify for Council Tax Exemption but still need to be registered at the property.
Assistance for other forms of hardship will be considered upon application.
Emergency Hardship Funds
Applications for emergency assistance from the Discretionary Hardship Fund can be made through your Student Hub and should include the following information before the application is considered.
Your application should include:
- a full description of the financial difficulties you face and why you cannot meet these costs from your own funds
- two recent and consecutive months bank statements for you and partner (if partnered)
- an Income and Expenditure declaration (UHIFEC4 form available on the Student Hub)
- three months recent and consecutive pay slips for student and partner (if partnered)
- documentation showing you have applied for and been refused other appropriate funding, such as your local authority’s Welfare Fund or Key Fund
Depending on the circumstances, you may be asked for more information.
Residency
Residency
If you have not lived in the UK for at least 3 years and/or you are not ordinarily resident in Scotland before the course start date, please contact us to discuss residency criteria before completing your funding application form.
Funding advice if you have studied before
Funding advice if you have studied before
If you have received student funding in the past you may still be eligible for further funding but please contact us for more information regarding this before completing your funding application form.
Young Scot national entitlement card
Young Scot national entitlement card
The National Entitlement Card is FREE for all young people aged 11 to 26.
This means cheaper transport for young people on buses, trains and ferries across Scotland.
The card will let you access all of the services you get from your Young Scot card. These include:
- discounts and rewards across Scotland - on shopping, eating out, going to the cinema and just having fun - visit the Young Scot Website for full details
- discounts and rewards in 42 European countries - check out www.euro26.org for details.
Young Scot
Rosebery House
9 Haymarket Terrace
Edinburgh
EH12 5EZ
- 0808 801 0338 (Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm)
- infoline@youngscot.org
- www.youngscot.org and www.youngscot.net
Track your application
Track your application
Once you have completed your online funding application you will be able to track it’s progress through your online Student Hub Account.
Your Student Hub account will be your central point for your college life, offering you many services and tools including funding. Please remember to check your Student Hub account regularly as this is where you will see any messages regarding additional information or documentation we require to complete your funding award. When an award has been made, your award letter will be added to your Student Hub Account. This letter will tell you how much you have been awarded and when the payments will be made. You will have a separate letter for each fund.
Scholarships, Bursaries, Awards and Discretionary Funds
Scholarships, Bursaries, Awards and Discretionary Funds
During your studies with us there may be scholarships, bursaries, awards and discretionary funds available to you to during the academic year. Click here to view all of our current funding using the A-Z of funding or use the filter to see which ones may be relevant to you.
FAQs
FAQs
I attended the college the previous year do I still need to provide all documentation for my Funding application?
Yes. Each year we need to know what your current circumstances as these may have changed since you last studied. Also, the funding rules are reviewed each year and different documentation may be required, therefore, all supporting evidence must be provided each year.
How will I know if my family income is too high?
There is no fixed maximum income a household can have before a student will not get any funding because there are some adjustments for dependent children and other students in the home. Also, where you live determines how much you get for travel and what you get for study costs depends on which course you do. However, if you are aged 18 to 24 and live with parents/are parentally supported and your family income is over £35,000 you can expect a significant reduction to the maximum award. If your family income is above £45,000 you may not receive anything. If you live with a spouse/partner and your family income is over £45,000 you can expect a significant reduction to the maximum award. If your family income is above £55,000 you may not receive anything. We would always encourage you to apply so that you know for sure what you could get.
Why do I need to give you my parents’ income when I don’t live with them?
In Scotland, you are not automatically classed as independent of your parents for education purposes until you are 25 years of age. So, if you start a course while you are 24, unless you meet the exceptions below, we will need to assess your entitlement on your parents’ household income.
Students under 25 who are classed as independent:
- Married students (but not if separated/divorced) (Evidence required – Marriage/Civil Partnership Certificate)
- Students with a dependent child(ren) – (Evidence required – Child(ren) birth certificates)
- Students who are estranged and receiving Income Support/Universal Credit on hardship grounds (Evidence required -Benefits letters or Social Work Letters)
- Students who can provide evidence of financial independence (income above the rate of income support) for any three full tax years (Evidence required - Benefits Letters, P60’s, SA302’s HMRC Letters)
- Students who can provide evidence of living independently for any three full tax years (Evidence required - Tenancy Agreement in your name covering a three-year period)
- Students with no living parents (Evidence required – death certificate)
I want to move out of my parents’ home. What will I be entitled to?
We assess student eligibility for funding based on their circumstances at the start of the course, so there may not be any change in your funding award. If you are under 21 at the start of the course, you may be eligible for Housing Benefit whether you have had a choice to leave the family home or not. If there has been a breakdown in your family circumstances, you may qualify for assistance from Income Support/Universal Credit as a young adult in Hardship. You should make an application for these benefits as soon as possible.
Can I get help with my Council Tax if I am a full-time student?
Very few full-time students are liable to pay Council Tax. This is because normally, either the house is exempt because only full-time students live there or any non-students who live in the house are the liable people for council tax. If you live with only one other person, it may be that you can claim a reduction. Please check with your local Council Tax Department about your circumstances.
I want to apply for childcare, but I don’t know what my timetable will be to tell my childminder, what do I do?
Please contact Student Support by emailing nhcstudentsupport@uhi.ac.uk. We will try to get your timetable information to allow you to book your childcare.
Common causes of delays in paying your EMA, Bursary, Childcare and Hardship Fund:
EMA Learning Agreement not returned
We cannot pay you the EMA award if you have not completed and returned the Learning Agreement. The Learning Agreement is sent to your Student Hub at the same time as your EMA award letter.
Student circumstances not entered correctly
Our application form is designed to try and collect personal information for students with a variety of personal circumstances. If you do not think that you have managed to show what your circumstances are, please use the “Additional Information” section to explain anything you want us to know.
The Documents you are asked for when you complete the application is based on what you told us on the application. We do not look at your application until you have given us all these documents. If you have missed something out of your funding application that we think you should have included, we will not process your application until you have provided the additional documents we have requested.
Documentation not supplied or not all pages of documents provided
We cannot award or pay you any funds until you have provided us with the documents we requested. We only consider your application complete when you have provided us with all the documents we have requested.
Student and family income not fully disclosed
We deal with hundreds of funding applications each year and have a clear understanding of benefits eligibility and allowances. If you miss out income which we think you, or your parents/partner should be receiving we may add a request for additional documents. You need to keep checking your Student Hub to see if this applies to you.
Student doesn't check their Student Hub
We do not send you correspondence about your funding other than the first e-mail telling you that your Student Hub account has been activated. All communication is through your Student Hub with occasional emails to your college email. Students only realise that we are asking for additional information when they regularly check their Student Hub.
Student doesn't enter bank details correctly
We make payment to the bank account details you provide on your funding application. We assume that you have filled this in correctly. If you have made a mistake, the payment will either go to another person or will be returned by the bank. This will result in a delay of funding being available to you. The worst situation is that the funds do not get repaid by the account holder of the account you told us to pay. Either way, you will not get the money unless it is returned to us, and it may take some time to sort out. Therefore, please ensure you enter your bank details correctly.