Fees & funding for students from Scotland

A Scottish student is generally someone who has been ordinarily resident in the UK for the three years immediately before their course. They'll also be resident in Scotland on the first day of the first academic year of the course (the relevant date). For the majority of students who start their course in the autumn term, the relevant date is 1 August.

If you have any doubt about your residency eligibility please contact Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) or speak to one of our Financial Support Advisers.

Further information about these conditions, and exceptions that apply, is available in the SAAS guide to the residence conditions

Tuition fees

The tuition fees for your course depends on the course you’re on, your level of study and where you permanently live. To find out the fees for each course please go to the appropriate course page or view our undergraduate fees for this year.

Undergraduate students who live in Scotland will usually have their tuition fees paid by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). If you have previously attended university or college or are not sure about your eligibility, you should contact SAAS to check your eligibility to have your fees paid. SAAS will pay your tuition fees directly to Strathclyde.

Student loan & bursary

The student loan and bursary are the main source of financial support for students living costs. The amount of loan and bursary you receive is dependent on your circumstances and the household income in your permanent home. Find out more about household income on the SAAS website.

The package of support from SAAS depends if you’re regarded as a “Young Student” or an “Independent Student".

Young student

You are a young student if:

  • you are under 25 before the start of the academic year you are being assessed for
  • you do not have a child of any age dependent on you at the start of the academic year SAAS are assessing you for
  • you have not supported yourself from earnings or benefits outside full-time education for any three years before the first day of the first academic year of your course.
  • you are not married, in a civil partnership or living with a partner before the first day of the first academic year of your course. SAAS will review this if your circumstances change during your course.

Young students can receive a loan of up to £5,750 and a bursary of up to £2,000. Get more information about funding for young students on the SAAS website.

Care experienced student

New and continuing care experienced Undergraduate students may be eligible to apply to SAAS for a non-repayable Care Experienced Students Bursary of £8,100 towards living costs.

The Care Experienced Students Bursary is available to eligible full-time students undertaking an undergraduate course. You may be eligible to claim the Care Experienced Student Bursary if:

  • You have ever been looked after by a Local Authority in the UK; and
  • You are under 26 on the first day of the first academic year of your course (the relevant date). For most students, who start in the autumn term, the relevant date is 1 August.

Please Note, if you have already done a course of higher education, this may affect the funding SAAS can give you.

A full list of the types of care experience is available here.

You should select the Care Experienced Student Bursary box on the on-line application if you meet the eligibility criteria above.

Please see below for other living costs grants you may be eligible for.

Independent student

If any of the above statements do not apply to you, you'll be classed as an independent student. Independent students can receive a loan of up to £6,750 and a bursary of up to £1,000.

Bursaries and tuition fees are not paid back but your student loan is repaid from your salary when you start working and earn over a certain amount.

Find out more about repayments.

Living costs grants

There are living costs grants available to certain categories of students such as care leaver, lone parents and those with dependants. Dependants can include other adults that students act as carers for.

How to apply

If you're coming as a new student, you don't have to wait until you have an offer from us to apply to SAAS for your funding. Get ahead of the crowd and complete your online funding application when SAAS opens in mid-April. 

All applications are for one academic year only, so make sure you apply every year. You must register at Strathclyde and collect your student card before your student loan and bursary will be paid. 

Other allowances

There are additional means-tested allowances you may be able to apply for eg Lone Parents' Grant, Adult Dependants' Grant. There is also the Disabled Student's Allowance, which is not means-tested.