Funding Tips!
Funding is a very important part of the adventure into full-time further and higher education for many students.
Whether you’ve just left school and applying for funding, or are a parent worrying about childcare costs, it can be very confusing knowing what to apply for and the anxiety that comes with waiting for it to be approved.
We at the Students’ Association are always happy to help and can guide you to the right information. Here are our five top tips for funding…
1. Apply for funding as soon as you can. For Further Education students, this will be as soon as you have been offered a place on your course; for Higher Education students applying to SAAS, you can apply for funding as soon as you have applied to your course.
2. Check what evidence you have been asked for and upload it as soon as you have it. Issues with evidence are the biggest cause of delays in processing funding applications. Check your application account for more details on what to provide.
3. Be patient. It can be really tempting to send repeated emails when you’ve not had a response straight away and you’re anxious about your funding. Repeated emails can lead to further delays and confusion. For college funding; the team will respond to emails and evidence submissions within two weeks of submission. If it’s any longer than that, pop into either a physical or Teams guidance drop-in to find out why there is delay. For SAAS queries, Check out the SAAS website for more info on when they will get to your query or application
4. Keep an eye on your application account. Both the college and SAAS will log any updates or further information requests to your application account and when the time comes you will be able to find your award here too.
5. Use the right comms. The Student Services drop-ins on Teams are the easiest and quickest way to get advice or info about funding. Student Services can help with Further Education, Childcare and Discretionary funding enquiries. If you are a Higher Education student, you should contact SAAS direct through your online account. Be sure to check their website for processing and closure days. If you’re unsure who you should speak to, get in contact with us here ecsa.scot/contact
Unsure what level your course is?
| SCQF Level | Qualification | Funding Awarded | |
| Higher Education | 10 | BA(hons) | Course paid for by the Student |
9 | BA | ||
8 | HND, HE Diploma | ||
7 | HNC | ||
| Further Education | 6 | NQ | Supported by the college |
5 | NC, NQ, NPA | ||
4 | NC, NPA | ||
3 | Access |
Finally, make sure you are up to date on teh correct informtaiton relevant to you, but checking the Scottish Government's Student Information Scotland website