Funding Tool
Our Funding Tool can help you find out whether your course fees will be covered and what financial support you may be entitled to apply for.
The information provided in the answers below is a summary only, and more specific rules regarding fees, status, and financial support apply. Please note that the Funding Tool is designed to serve as a guide only and is not binding on the College or funding bodies, such as SAAS, which will make their own independent assessments in accordance with relevant law and policy guidance.
For European students who wish to study an HNC or HND at College, this is the last year to be eligible for funding for a four-year degree. For more information, visit the SAAS website.
Residency
To qualify as a 'home' student, you must generally:
- Be a British Citizen or have 'settled' status in the UK. A student can also have 'settled' status in the UK if they have permanent residence or indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK or a right of abode in the UK. Indefinite leave means that an individual has no restrictions on the period that they are allowed to remain in the UK (ie individual has no expiry date/time restriction on a UK visa/Biometric Residence Permit) and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK on the 1 August or 1 January closest to the beginning of the first term of your course and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK for the three years before starting your course, and the main purpose of that period of residence must not have been to receive full-time education.
Even where you do not meet the three conditions above, you may still qualify for 'home' student fees status and some elements of financial support, depending on your nationality or UK immigration permission/residence history or course. Some of the main exceptions. Please note that there are also requirements which apply to each of the individual categories.
- Individuals granted Refugee Status (or a family member of a refugee)
- Individuals granted Humanitarian Protection (or the family member of a person granted Humanitarian Protection)
- Individuals refused Refugee Status following an asylum application but granted Leave to Remain (e.g Discretionary Leave)
- Children of Swiss nationals or Turkish workers
- EEA national (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) Workers or Swiss Migrant Workers and your family members
- Certain Family members of EU nationals and UK citizens who have exercised a right of residence in an EU country
- Asylum Seekers and certain family members of asylum seekers (full-time ESOL courses/part-time Further Education courses)
- Certain individuals who have been lawfully resident in the UK for a significant part of their lives
What do I have to pay?
Eligible Scottish home students studying full-time in Scotland are not required to pay course fees. Please note that eligibility for course fees is considered automatically at enrolment, and no application for course fees is required.
Can I get financial help with living costs?
*If you have had formal experience of the care system at any point (for example you have been in care with a local council, have been cared for under a kinship or supervision order, or have been in foster care) then you may be eligible for the Care Experienced bursary of £225 per week.
How do I apply?
Please note that you must also be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the first day of the first academic year of the course to be eligible for financial help.
If you are 17 or under on the first day of your course, an Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available based on your household income.
If you are 18 years old on the first day of your course, a College Bursary is available based on your household income.
Children and young people aged 5-21 years old are entitled to apply for a National Entitlement Card, giving them free travel on commercial bus services throughout Scotland. You can find out more information about the scheme on the Transport Scotland website, and you can apply for your card either directly through your Local Council or online at getyournec.scot
All Students aged 22 and over, and students who cannot access commercial bus services, will be assessed for assistance with travel expenses (you must live outside a 2-mile radius of the college campus to receive these).
All students will be assessed for essential course materials. Students under the age of 18 can receive this assistance without means-testing parental income.
The information below shows the weekly amounts that you may be eligible to receive but the amount is directly related to household income and could be less or even zero.
| Age Type | Household income is less than | Living with parents | Living away from home | Supporting yourself |
| 16 - 17 EMA | £24,421 (or £26,884 if there is another child in your household) | £30 | £49.91 | £30/£125.55 |
| 18 - 24 Bursary | £24,275 (parentally supported) or£20,643 (self- supporting) | £99.35 | £125.55 | £125.55 |
| 25+ Bursary | £20,643 | Does not apply | Does not apply | £125.55 |
| *Care Experienced | £225 | £225 | £225 |
You will be sent a link to the funding application system when you have accepted your Course offer. If you accepted your offer before the funding application system has opened for the session, you will be sent the link in the week after the funding applications open.
You only need to fill out one form and we will sort out which type of funding you are eligible for, including travel expenses and course materials (if applicable) based on your age and personal circumstances. We'll also help you with your online form, by e-mail, virtual drop-in or telephone, or you can drop into one of the College Campuses.
You only need to fill out one form and we will sort out which type of funding you are eligible for, including travel expenses and course materials (if applicable) based on your age and personal circumstances. We'll also help you with your online form, by e-mail, virtual drop-in or telephone, or you can drop into one of the College Campuses.
What other help can I get?
Parents and Carers – can get help with the cost of childcare from the College. This support is based on your income with priority given to lone parents and those on a low income. For more information visit our Childcare Funding information.
Student Discretionary Fund – A cash limited fund is available for students who experience financial difficulty while at college. Discretionary Fund application forms will be available from Student Services from the beginning of your course.
Housing Benefit - some students may be eligible to receive housing benefit while studying depending on your circumstances. Please contact your local council for further information.
Council Tax Exemption – Full-time students can claim exemption from council tax. You are not automatically exempt from Council Tax when you become a full-time student. Please refer to your local authority website for instructions to claim this exemption.
Residency
To qualify as a ‘home’ student, you must generally:
- Be a British Citizen or have ‘settled’ status in the UK. A student can also have ‘settled’ status in the UK if you have permanent residence or indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK or a right of abode in the UK. Indefinite leave means that an individual has no restrictions on the period that they are allowed to remain in the UK (ie individual has no expiry date/time restriction on a UK visa/Biometric Residence Permit) and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK on the 1 August or 1 January closest to the beginning of the first term of your course and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK for the three years prior to starting your course and the main purpose of that period of residence must not have been to receive full-time education.
Even where you do not meet the three conditions above, you may still qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and some elements of financial support depending on your nationality or UK immigration permission/residence history or course. We set out below some of the main exceptions. Please note that there are also requirements which apply to each of the individual categories.
- Individuals granted Refugee Status (or the family member of a refugee)
- Individuals granted Humanitarian Protection (or the family member of a person granted Humanitarian Protection)
- Individuals refused Refugee Status following an asylum application but granted Leave to Remain (e.g Discretionary Leave)
- Children of Swiss nationals or Turkish workers
- EEA national (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) Workers or Swiss Migrant Workers and your family members
- Certain Family members of EU nationals and UK citizens who have exercised a right of residence in an EU country
- Asylum Seekers and certain family members of asylum seekers (full-time and part-time ESOL courses/part-time Further Education courses)
- Certain individuals who have been lawfully resident in the UK for a significant part of their lives
What do I have to Pay?
Fees are payable in advance unless you have applied for and have been granted funding by another source or have applied and been awarded part-time fee waiver.
The College may offer a Fee Waiver if you receive certain benefits or are on a low income.
You may also be eligible to receive assistance from ILA 200 however please note that ILA is getting a refresh over summer 2017. During this time the existing scheme will be closed to new applications for a few months. The revised scheme will come into effect in October 2017 and will be called an Individual Training Account (ITA). If you are eligible then you will still be entitled to funding of up to £200 per year towards a course.
The differences are that you will only be able to do one course in any learner year and that courses will be geared towards helping you with getting a job or progressing in your career. Some key dates if you want to open an account or renew an expired account:
- 29 April 2017: Last day to request a renewal form through the SDS helpline on 0800 917 8000
- 30 April 2017: Last day to request an application form on My World of Work
- Mid May 2017: Application and renewal forms need to be returned by mid-May so that they can be processed by 31 May
- 31 May 2017: Last day that an account will be opened or renewed
- If you want to book a course under the existing ILA scheme:
- 30 June 2017: Last day bookings can be made under the existing ILA scheme. Bookings can only be made for courses with start date no later than 30 September 2017
Please visit My World of Work for further information
Can I get financial help with living costs?
Please note that you must also be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the first day of the first academic year of the course to be eligible for financial help.
The Government has made changes to the EMA program from January 2016 an EMA is now available to students studying on some part-time courses, such as National 5s and Highers. If you are on a eligible course and are 19 years old or under on the first day of your course old an Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available based on your household income. The EMA is a weekly amount of £30.
If you would like to check whether your course is eligible for part-time EMA, please contact Student Services.
| Age Type | Household income is less than | Living with your parents | Living away from home | Supporting yourself |
| 16 - 19 EMA | £24,421 (or £26,884 if there is another child in your household) | £30 | £30 | £30 |
How do I apply?
You will be sent a link to the funding application system when you have accepted your course offer. If you accepted your offer before the funding application system has opened for the session, you will be sent the link in the week after the funding applications open.
What other help can I get?
Parents and Carers – can get help with the cost of childcare from the College. This support is based on your income with priority given to lone parents and those on a low income. For more information visit our Childcare Funding information.
Student Discretionary Fund – A cash limited fund is available for students who experience financial difficulty while at college. Discretionary Fund application forms will be available from Student Services from the beginning of your course.
Residency
To qualify as a ‘home’ student, you must generally:
- Be a British Citizen or have ‘settled’ status in the UK. A student can also have ‘settled’ status in the UK if you have permanent residence or indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK or a right of abode in the UK. Indefinite leave means that an individual has no restrictions on the period that they are allowed to remain in the UK (ie individual has no expiry date/time restriction on a UK visa/Biometric Residence Permit) and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK on the 1 August or 1 January closest to the beginning of the first term of your course and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK for the three years prior to starting your course and the main purpose of that period of residence must not have been to receive a full-time education.
Even where you do not meet the three conditions above, you may still qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and some elements of financial support depending on your nationality or UK immigration permission/residence history or course. We set out below some of the main exceptions. Please note that there are also requirements which apply to each of the individual categories.
- Individuals granted Refugee Status (or the family member of a refugee)
- Individuals granted Humanitarian Protection (or the family member of a person granted Humanitarian Protection)
- Individuals refused Refugee Status following an asylum application but granted Leave to Remain (e.g Discretionary Leave)
- Children of Swiss nationals or Turkish workers
- EEA national (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) Workers or Swiss Migrant Workers and your family members
- Certain Family members of EU nationals and UK citizens who have exercised a right of residence in an EU country
- Asylum Seekers and certain family members of asylum seekers (part-time advanced courses)
- Certain individuals, who have been lawfully resident in the UK for a significant part of their lives
What do I have to pay?
Eligible Scottish home students studying full-time in Scotland are not required to pay course fees and will need to apply to SAAS to have their fees paid on their behalf.
Can I get Financial Help?
For full details on the assistance available and to make an application, please visit the SAAS website. If you require any assistance to make an application or would like to discuss options please contact Student Services for assistance.
How do I apply?
Even if you don't want a loan you must apply for your fees. Apply for this support directly to the Student Awards Agency Scotland.
What other help can I get?
Parents and Carers – can get help with the cost of childcare from the College. This support is based on your income with priority given to lone parents and those on a low income. For more information download our Childcare Funding information.
Student Discretionary Fund – A cash limited fund is available for students who experience financial difficulty while at college. Discretionary Fund application forms will be available from Student Services from the beginning of your course. Please note that you must have claimed your full entitlement from SAAS before an application can be made to this fund.
Housing Benefit - some students may be eligible to receive housing benefit while studying depending on your circumstances. Please contact your local council for further information.
Council Tax Exemption – Full-time students can claim exemption from council tax. You are not automatically exempt from Council Tax when you become a full-time student. Please refer to your local authority website for instructions to claim this exemption.
Residency
To qualify as a ‘home’ student, you must generally:
- Be a British Citizen or have ‘settled’ status in the UK. A student can also have ‘settled’ status in the UK if you have permanent residence or indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK or a right of abode in the UK. Indefinite leave means that an individual has no restrictions on the period that they are allowed to remain in the UK (ie individual has no expiry date/time restriction on a UK visa/Biometric Residence Permit) and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK on the 1 August or 1 January closest to the beginning of the first term of your course and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK for the three years prior to starting your course and the main purpose of that period of residence must not have been to receive a full-time education.
Even where you do not meet the three conditions above, you may still qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and some elements of financial support depending on your nationality or UK immigration permission/residence history or course. We set out below some of the main exceptions. Please note that there are also requirements which apply to each of the individual categories.
- Individuals granted Refugee Status (or the family member of a refugee)
- Individuals granted Humanitarian Protection (or the family member of a person granted Humanitarian Protection)
- Individuals refused Refugee Status following an asylum application but granted Leave to Remain (e.g Discretionary Leave)
- Children of Swiss nationals or Turkish workers
- EEA national (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) Workers or Swiss Migrant Workers and your family members
- Certain Family members of EU nationals and UK citizens who have exercised a right of residence in an EU country
- Asylum Seekers and certain family members of asylum seekers (part-time advanced courses)
- Certain individuals, who have been lawfully resident in the UK for a significant part of their lives
What do I have to pay?
Most students studying part-time and on distance learning courses will have to pay course tuition fees. You may be eligible to receive a part-time fee grant from SAAS. For further information regarding this please visit the SAAS website.
View the course tuition fees
If you are not eligible for help with fees, the College will arrange an instalment plan so that you can pay off your fees in manageable amounts throughout the term.
Can I get financial help?
No assistance towards living costs or childcare funding is available for student’s studying on higher level part-time courses.
What other help can I get?
Student Discretionary Fund – A cash limited fund is available for students who experience financial difficulty while at college. Discretionary Fund application forms will be available from Student Services from the beginning of your course. Please note that you must have claimed your full entitlement from SAAS before an application can be made to this fund.
Residency
To qualify as a ‘home’ student, you must generally:
- Be a British Citizen or have ‘settled’ status in the UK. A student can also have ‘settled’ status in the UK if you have permanent residence or indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK or a right of abode in the UK. Indefinite leave means that an individual has no restrictions on the period that they are allowed to remain in the UK (ie individual has no expiry date/time restriction on a UK visa/Biometric Residence Permit) and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK on the 1 August or 1 January closest to the beginning of the first term of your course and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK for the three years prior to starting your course and the main purpose of that period of residence must not have been to receive a full-time education.
Even where you do not meet the three conditions above, you may still qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and some elements of financial support depending on your nationality or UK immigration permission/residence history or course. We set out below some of the main exceptions. Please note that there are also requirements which apply to each of the individual categories.
- Individuals granted Refugee Status (or the family member of a refugee)
- Individuals granted Humanitarian Protection (or the family member of a person granted Humanitarian Protection)
- Individuals refused Refugee Status following an asylum application but granted Leave to Remain (e.g Discretionary Leave)
- Children of Swiss nationals or Turkish workers
- EEA national (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) Workers or Swiss Migrant Workers and your family members
- Certain Family members of EU nationals and UK citizens who have exercised a right of residence in an EU country
- Asylum Seekers and certain family members of asylum seekers (full-time ESOL courses/part-time Further Education courses)
- Certain individuals who have been lawfully resident in the UK for a significant part of their lives
What do I have to pay?
Where students from the Rest of the UK are not eligible to have their course fees covered due to residency criteria and have to pay their course fees, please note that Edinburgh College does not charge a ‘Rest of UK’ fee – there is no difference in Home Fees between students from Scotland and the EU to those students from the rest of the UK.
Please note that eligibility for course fees is considered automatically at enrolment and no application for course fees is required.
The college may also offer a Fee Waiver if you are in receipt of certain benefits or on a low income. For further information regarding course fees and fee waiver options please check out our Course Fees page.
Can I get financial help?
Student’s coming to Scotland from the rest of the UK for the purposes of study are unfortunately not eligible to receive any assistance from bursary, education maintenance allowance, childcare funding or discretionary funding.
Residency
To qualify as a ‘home’ student, you must generally:
- Be a British Citizen or have ‘settled’ status in the UK. A student can also have ‘settled’ status in the UK if you have permanent residence or indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK or a right of abode in the UK. Indefinite leave means that an individual has no restrictions on the period that they are allowed to remain in the UK (ie individual has no expiry date/time restriction on a UK visa/Biometric Residence Permit) and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK on the 1 August or 1 January closest to the beginning of the first term of your course and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK for the three years prior to starting your course and the main purpose of that period of residence must not have been to receive a full-time education.
Even where you do not meet the three conditions above, you may still qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and some elements of financial support depending on your nationality or UK immigration permission/residence history or course. We set out below some of the main exceptions. Please note that there are also requirements which apply to each of the individual categories.
- Individuals granted Refugee Status (or the family member of a refugee)
- Individuals granted Humanitarian Protection (or the family member of a person granted Humanitarian Protection)
- Individuals refused Refugee Status following an asylum application but granted Leave to Remain (e.g Discretionary Leave)
- Children of Swiss nationals or Turkish workers
- EEA national (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) Workers or Swiss Migrant Workers and your family members
- Certain Family members of EU nationals and UK citizens who have exercised a right of residence in an EU country
- Asylum Seekers and certain family members of asylum seekers (full-time/part-time ESOL courses/part-time Further Education courses)
- Certain individuals, who have been lawfully resident in the UK for a significant part of their lives
What do I have to pay?
Where students from the Rest of the UK are not eligible to have their course fees covered due to residency criteria, please note that Edinburgh College does not charge a ‘Rest of UK’ fee – there is no difference in treatment of students from Scotland and the EU to those students from the rest of the UK.
Please see Course Fees page for information regarding fees charged.
Can I get financial help?
Student’s coming to Scotland from the rest of the UK for the purposes of study are unfortunately not eligible to receive any assistance from bursary, education maintenance allowance, childcare funding or discretionary funding.
Residency
To qualify as a ‘home’ student, you must generally:
- Be a British Citizen or have ‘settled’ status in the UK. A student can also have ‘settled’ status in the UK if you have permanent residence or indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK or a right of abode in the UK. Indefinite leave means that an individual has no restrictions on the period that they are allowed to remain in the UK (ie individual has no expiry date/time restriction on a UK visa/Biometric Residence Permit) and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK on the 1 August or 1 January closest to the beginning of the first term of your course and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK for the three years prior to starting your course and the main purpose of that period of residence must not have been to receive a full-time education.
Even where you do not meet the three conditions above, you may still qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and some elements of financial support depending on your nationality or UK immigration permission/residence history or course. We set out below some of the main exceptions. Please note that there are also requirements which apply to each of the individual categories.
- Individuals granted Refugee Status (or the family member of a refugee)
- Individuals granted Humanitarian Protection (or the family member of a person granted Humanitarian Protection)
- Individuals refused Refugee Status following an asylum application but granted Leave to Remain (e.g Discretionary Leave)
- Children of Swiss nationals or Turkish workers
- EEA national (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) Workers or Swiss Migrant Workers and your family members
- Certain Family members of EU nationals and UK citizens who have exercised a right of residence in an EU country
- Asylum Seekers and certain family members of asylum seekers (part-time advanced courses)
- Certain individuals, who have been lawfully resident in the UK for a significant part of their lives
What do I have to pay?
You may be eligible for assistance towards course fees through funding from SAAS. Please visit the SAAS website for further information.
Please also see the following links for information regarding funding you may be eligible to receive.
Where students from the Rest of the UK are not eligible to have their course fees covered due to residency criteria, please note that Edinburgh College does not charge a ‘Rest of UK’ fee – there is no difference in treatment of students from Scotland and the EU to those students from the rest of the UK.
Please see Course Fees page for information regarding fees charged.
Can I get financial help?
For further information regarding available funding for studying on a Higher level course, please visit the SAAS website.
What other help can I get?
Student Discretionary Fund – A cash limited fund is available for students who experience financial difficulty while at college. Discretionary Fund application forms will be available from Student Services from the beginning of your course. Please note that you must have claimed your full entitlement from SAAS before an application can be made to this fund.
Residency
To qualify as a ‘home’ student, you must generally:
- Be a British Citizen or have ‘settled’ status in the UK. A student can also have ‘settled’ status in the UK if you have permanent residence or indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK or a right of abode in the UK. Indefinite leave means that an individual has no restrictions on the period that they are allowed to remain in the UK (ie individual has no expiry date/time restriction on a UK visa/Biometric Residence Permit) and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK on the 1 August or 1 January closest to the beginning of the first term of your course and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK for the three years prior to starting your course and the main purpose of that period of residence must not have been to receive a full-time education.
Even where you do not meet the three conditions above, you may still qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and some elements of financial support depending on your nationality or UK immigration permission/residence history or course. We set out below some of the main exceptions. Please note that there are also requirements which apply to each of the individual categories.
- Individuals granted Refugee Status (or the family member of a refugee)
- Individuals granted Humanitarian Protection (or the family member of a person granted Humanitarian Protection)
- Individuals refused Refugee Status following an asylum application but granted Leave to Remain (e.g Discretionary Leave)
- Children of Swiss nationals or Turkish workers
- EEA national (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) Workers or Swiss Migrant Workers and your family members
- Certain Family members of EU nationals and UK citizens who have exercised a right of residence in an EU country
- Asylum Seekers and certain family members of asylum seekers (part-time advanced courses)
- Certain individuals who have been lawfully resident in the UK for a significant part of their lives
What do I have to pay?
Where students from the Rest of the UK are not eligible to have their course fees covered due to residency criteria, please note that Edinburgh College does not charge a ‘Rest of UK’ fee – there is no difference in Home Fees between students from Scotland and the EU to those students from the rest of the UK.
Please see our Course Fees page for information regarding fees charged.
Can I get financial help?
Bursary, education maintenance allowance or childcare funding is not available for student’s studying on higher level part-time courses.
What other help can I get?
Student Discretionary Fund – A cash limited fund is available for students who experience financial difficulty while at college. Discretionary Fund application forms will be available from Student Services from the beginning of your course. Please note that you must have claimed your full entitlement from SAAS before an application can be made to this fund.
Residency
To qualify as a ‘home’ student, you must generally:
- Hold a Passport or National ID Card from a European Union Country (not including the UK) and,
- Have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
- Have been living in the UK before the end of 2020
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK, and have been ordinarily resident in the UK, European Economic Area and/or Switzerland and/or EU Overseas Territories for the three years before the start of the academic session and the main purpose of that period of residence must not have been to receive a full-time education
Even where you do not meet the conditions above, you may still qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and some elements of financial support, depending on your nationality or UK immigration permission/residence history or course.
We have set out below some of the main exceptions relating to EEA/Swiss and Turkish nationals. Please note that there are also requirements which apply to each of the individual categories.
- Children of Swiss nationals (who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement Scheme)
- Children of Turkish workers where students and parents were both Ordinarily Resident in Scotland before the end of 2020
- Certain UK nationals and their family members who have exercised a right of residence in an EU country
- Irish Nationals who are Ordinarily Resident in Scotland, and who have been resident in the UK, EEA or Switzerland for three years before the start of the academic session
What do I have to pay?
Please note that eligibility for course fees is considered automatically at enrolment, and no application for course fees is required.
Can I get financial help with living costs?
In addition to the above residency criteria, you must also be living in Scotland on the first day of the first academic year of your course (normally 13 August) to be eligible for financial help.
However, as residency requirements are complex and individual to each student, please contact Student Services to discuss eligibility for the following types of funding.
If you are 17 years old or under on the first day of your course, an Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available based on your household income.
If you are 18 years old on the first day of your course a College Bursary is available based on your household income.
Children and young people aged 5-21 years old are entitled to apply for a National Entitlement Card giving them free travel on commercial bus services throughout Scotland. You can find out more information about the scheme on the Transport Scotland website, and you can apply for your card either directly through your Local Council, or online at getyournec.scot
Students aged 22 and over, and students who cannot access commercial bus services, will be assessed for assistance with travel expenses (you must live out-with a 2-mile radius of the college campus to receive these).
All students will be assessed for and essential course materials. Students under the age of 18 can receive this assistance without means-testing parental income.
The information below shows the weekly amounts that you may be eligible to receive but, the amount is directly related to household income and could be less or even zero.
| Age Type | Household income is less than | Living with your parents | Living away from home | Support yourself |
| 16 - 17 EMA | £24,421 (or £26,884 if there is another child in your household) | £30 | £49.91 | *£30/£125.55 |
| 20 - 24 Bursary | £24,275 (parentally supported) or£20,643 (self- supporting) | £99.35 | £125.55 | £125.55 |
| 25+ Bursary | £20,643 | Does not apply | Does not apply | £125.55 |
| *Care Experienced | £225 | £250 | £225 |
How do I apply?
You will be sent a link to the funding application system when you have accepted your Course offer. If you accepted your offer before the funding application system opened for the session, you will be sent the link in the week after the funding applications open.
You only need to fill out one form, and we will sort out which type of funding you are eligible for, including travel expenses and course materials, based on your age and personal circumstances. We'll also help you with your online form, by e-mail, virtual drop-in, or telephone, or you can drop into one of the College Campuses.
What other help can I get?
Parents and Carers can get help with the cost of childcare from the College. This support is based on your income, with priority given to lone parents and those on a low income. For more information, visit our childcare page.
Student Discretionary Fund – A cash-limited fund is available for students who experience financial difficulty while at college. Discretionary Fund application forms will be available from Student Services from the beginning of your course.
EU Students and the EU Referendum
Further to the UK’s decision to leave the EU and the triggering of Article 50, the Scottish Government confirmed in March 2017 that "EU nationals choosing to study in Scotland and enrolling in 2018-19 have been guaranteed free tuition for the duration of their entire course".
For students starting a course in 2017/2018, SAAS in Scotland has confirmed that eligible EU students will continue to have course fee support. It is not currently known what the impact of the decision to leave the EU will have on UK law and policy on Further and Higher Education Fees after 2018/2019.
Residency
To qualify as a ‘home’ student, you must generally:
- Hold a Passport or National ID Card from a European Union Country (not including the UK) and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the European Economic Area and/or Switzerland and/or EU Overseas Territories for the three years before starting your course, and the purpose of that period of residence must not have been to receive a full-time education
Even where you do not meet the conditions above, you may still qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and some elements of financial support, depending on your nationality or UK immigration permission/residence history or course.
We set out below some of the main exceptions relating to EEA/Swiss and Turkish nationals. Please note that there are also requirements which apply to each of the individual categories.
- Children of Swiss nationals or Turkish workers
- EEA nationals (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) Workers or Swiss Migrant Workers and your family members
- Certain Family members of EU nationals and UK citizens who have exercised a right of residence in an EU country
What do I have to pay?
Please note that eligibility for course fees is considered automatically at enrolment, and no application for course fees is required.
Can I get financial help?
In addition to the above residency criteria, you must also be living in Scotland on the first day of the first academic year of your course (13 August) and generally have lived in the UK for at least 3 years before your course start date.
However, as residency requirements are complex and individual to each student, please contact Student Services to discuss eligibility for the following types of funding.
If you are 19 years old or under on the first day of your course, and are studying National 5s, Highers, or a similar part-time non-advanced qualification, you may be eligible for Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA). This is based on your household income.
How do I apply?
Applications are made via the online application system.
An application is available once you have accepted an offer of a place on a course. You only need to fill out one form, and we will sort out which type of funding you are eligible for, including travel expenses and course materials, based on your age and personal circumstances. We'll also help you with your online form, by telephone, or you can drop into one of the College Campuses.
What other help can I get?
Parents and Carers can get help with the cost of childcare from the College. This support is based on your income, with priority given to lone parents and those on a low income. For more information, visit our Childcare Funding information page
Student Discretionary Fund – A cash-limited fund is available for students who experience financial difficulty while at college. Discretionary Fund application forms will be available from Student Services from the beginning of your course.
EU Students and the EU Referendum
Further to the UK’s decision to leave the EU and the triggering of Article 50, the Scottish Government confirmed in March 2017 that "EU nationals choosing to study in Scotland and enrolling in 2018-19 have been guaranteed free tuition for the duration of their entire course".
For students starting a course in 2017/2018, SAAS in Scotland has confirmed that eligible EU students will continue to have course fee support. It is not currently known what the impact of the decision to leave the EU will have to UK law and policy on Further and Higher Education Fees after 2018/2019.
Residency
To qualify as a ‘home’ student, you must generally:
- Hold a Passport or National ID Card from a European Union Country (not including the UK) and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the European Economic Area and/or Switzerland and/or EU Overseas Territories for the three years prior to starting your course and the main purpose of that period of residence must not have been to receive a full-time education
Even where you do not meet the conditions above, you may still qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and some elements of financial support depending on your nationality or UK immigration permission/residence history or course.
We set out below some of the main exceptions relating to EEA/Swiss and Turkish nationals. Please note that there are also requirements which apply to each of the individual categories.
- Children of Swiss nationals or Turkish workers
- EEA national (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) Workers or Swiss Migrant Workers and your family members
- Certain Family members of EU nationals and UK citizens who have exercised a right of residence in an EU country
What do I have to pay?
You may be eligible for assistance with course fees. Any assistance you are eligible to receive is provided by SAAS. Please visit the SAAS website for further information including making an application.
Can I get financial help?
You may be able to receive assistance from SAAS with living expenses. Please visit the SAAS website for further information.
What other help can I get?
Parents and Carers – can get help with the cost of childcare from the College. This support is based on your income with priority given to lone parents and those on a low income. For more information visit our Childcare Funding information page.
Student Discretionary Fund – A cash limited fund is available for students who experience financial difficulty while at college. Discretionary Fund application forms will be available from Student Services from the beginning of your course. Please note that you must have claimed your full entitlement from SAAS before an application can be made to this fund.
Please note that in addition to the above residency criteria, you must also be living in Scotland on the first day of the first academic year of your course (1st August) and generally have lived in the UK for at least 3 years prior to your course start date to be eligible to receive assistance from the above funds.
However as residency requirements are complex and individual to each student, please contact Student Services to discuss eligibility for the following types of funding.
EU Students and the EU Referendum
Further to the UK’s decision to leave the EU and the triggering of Article 50, the Scottish Government confirmed in March 2017 that "EU nationals choosing to study in Scotland and enrolling in 2018-19 have been guaranteed free tuition for the duration of their entire course".
For students starting a course in 2017/2018, SAAS in Scotland has confirmed that eligible EU students will continue to have course fee support. It is not currently known what the impact of the decision to leave the EU will have to UK law and policy on Further and Higher Education Fees after 2018/2019.
Residency
To qualify as a ‘home’ student, you must generally:
- Hold a Passport or National ID Card from a European Union Country (not including the UK) and,
- Be ordinarily resident in the European Economic Area and/or Switzerland and/or EU Overseas Territories for the three years prior to starting your course and the main purpose of that period of residence must not have been to receive a full-time education
Even where you do not meet the conditions above, you may still qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and some elements of financial support depending on your nationality or UK immigration permission/residence history or course.
We set out below some of the main exceptions relating to EEA/Swiss and Turkish nationals. Please note that there are also requirements which apply to each of the individual categories.
- Children of Swiss nationals or Turkish workers
- EEA national (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) Workers or Swiss Migrant Workers and your family members
- Certain Family members of EU nationals and UK citizens who have exercised a right of residence in an EU country
What do I have to pay?
Most students studying part-time and on distance learning courses will have to pay course tuition fees. You may be eligible to receive a part-time fee grant from SAAS. For further information regarding this please visit the SAAS website.
If you are not eligible for help with fees, the College will arrange an instalment plan so that you can pay off your fees in manageable amounts throughout the term.
Can I get financial help?
No assistance towards living costs or childcare funding is available for student’s studying on higher level part-time courses.
Residency
For students holding a passport or national ID card from a country outside the UK or the European Union, such students are normally required to pay International Fees.
If you are currently living in the UK and hold a UK visa or Biometric Residence Permit with a time restriction/visa expiry date (including Tier 1,2,4 or 5 Points Based visas or family dependent visas), this means that you have Limited Leave to Remain in the UK and are therefore not normally eligible for Home Student Fees status.
What do I have to pay?
International students are normally required to pay international fees.
Please note that there are certain limited categories of students from outside the EU who may qualify for ‘home’ student fees status depending on their nationality and/or UK immigration permission – these categories are listed under ‘I am from Scotland’ answers.
In particular, the following categories of students qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and may be eligible for a Fee Waiver for certain College courses where:
- You are a person, or the spouse or child of a person, who is an asylum seeker living in Scotland on either a full-time English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course or a part time non-advanced or advanced course
- You are a child of an asylum seeker or a young asylum seeker person on a full-time non-advanced course (excludes ESOL) and meets specific residency requirements
- You are a non-asylum seeker living in Scotland on a part-time ESOL course and your main purpose for being in the European Union is not to receive an education.
Can I get financial help?
International Students are generally not able to apply for financial support to help you with the cost of studying.
Please contact the International Team at Edinburgh College for further advice and support about the separate course application process for international students, international course fees for part-time and full-time courses and confirmation of your home or international student fees status.
From within the UK: 0131 535 4738
From outside the UK: +44 131 535 4738
Download the International Application Form
Information on International/Home fees status is available on the UK Council for International Student Affairs website or from the UKCISA International Education Students’ Advice Line:
Tel (from within the UK): 020 7788 9214
Tel (from outside the UK): +44 20 7788 9214.
Residency
For students holding a passport or national ID card from a country outside the UK or the European Union, such students are normally required to pay International Fees.
If you are currently living in the UK and hold a UK visa or Biometric Residence Permit with a time restriction/visa expiry date (including Tier 1,2,4 or 5 Points Based visas or family dependent visas), this means that you have Limited Leave to Remain in the UK and are therefore not normally eligible for Home Student Fees status.
What do I have to pay?
International students are normally required to pay international fees.
Please note that there are certain limited categories of students from outside the EU who may qualify for ‘home’ student fees status depending on their nationality and/or UK immigration permission – these categories are listed under ‘I am from Scotland’ answers.
In particular, the following categories of students qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and may be eligible for a Fee Waiver for certain College courses where:
- You are a person, or the spouse or child of a person, who is an asylum seeker living in Scotland on either a full-time English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course or a part time non-advanced or advanced course
- You are a child of an asylum seeker or a young asylum seeker person on a full-time non-advanced course (excludes ESOL) and meets specific residency requirements
- You are a non-asylum seeker living in Scotland on a part-time ESOL course and your main purpose for being in the European Union is not to receive an education.
Can I get financial help?
International Students are generally not able to apply for financial support to help you with the cost of studying.
Please contact the International Team at Edinburgh College for further advice and support about the separate course application process for international students, international course fees for part-time and full-time courses and confirmation of your home or international student fees status.
From within the UK: 0131 535 4738
From outside the UK: +44 131 535 4738
Download the International Application Form
Information on International/Home fees status is available on the UK Council for International Student Affairs website or from the UKCISA International Education Students’ Advice Line:
Tel (from within the UK): 020 7788 9214
Tel (from outside the UK): +44 20 7788 9214.
Residency
For students holding a passport or national ID card from a country outside the UK or the European Union, such students are normally required to pay International Fees.
If you are currently living in the UK and hold a UK visa or Biometric Residence Permit with a time restriction/visa expiry date (including Tier 1,2,4 or 5 Points Based visas or family dependent visas), this means that you have Limited Leave to Remain in the UK and are therefore not normally eligible for Home Student Fees status.
What do I have to pay?
International students are normally required to pay international fees.
Please note that there are certain limited categories of students from outside the EU who may qualify for ‘home’ student fees status depending on their nationality and/or UK immigration permission – these categories are listed under ‘I am from Scotland’ answers.
In particular, the following categories of students qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and may be eligible for a Fee Waiver for certain College courses where:
- You are a person, or the spouse or child of a person, who is an asylum seeker living in Scotland on either a full-time English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course or a part time non-advanced or advanced course
- You are a child of an asylum seeker or a young asylum seeker person on a full-time non-advanced course (excludes ESOL) and meets specific residency requirements
- You are a non-asylum seeker living in Scotland on a part-time ESOL course and your main purpose for being in the European Union is not to receive an education.
Can I get financial help?
International Students are generally not able to apply for financial support to help you with the cost of studying.
Please contact the International Team at Edinburgh College for further advice and support about the separate course application process for international students, international course fees for part-time and full-time courses and confirmation of your home or international student fees status.
From within the UK: 0131 535 4738
From outside the UK: +44 131 535 4738
Download the International Application Form
Information on International/Home fees status is available on the UK Council for International Student Affairs website or from the UKCISA International Education Students’ Advice Line:
Tel (from within the UK): 020 7788 9214
Tel (from outside the UK): +44 20 7788 9214.
Residency
For students holding a passport or national ID card from a country outside the UK or the European Union, such students are normally required to pay International Fees.
If you are currently living in the UK and hold a UK visa or Biometric Residence Permit with a time restriction/visa expiry date (including Tier 1,2,4 or 5 Points Based visas or family dependent visas), this means that you have Limited Leave to Remain in the UK and are therefore not normally eligible for Home Student Fees status.
What do I have to pay?
International students are normally required to pay international fees.
Please note that there are certain limited categories of students from outside the EU who may qualify for ‘home’ student fees status depending on their nationality and/or UK immigration permission – these categories are listed under ‘I am from Scotland’ answers.
In particular, the following categories of students qualify for ‘home’ student fees status and may be eligible for a Fee Waiver for certain College courses where:
- You are a person, or the spouse or child of a person, who is an asylum seeker living in Scotland on either a full-time English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course or a part time non-advanced or advanced course
- You are a child of an asylum seeker or a young asylum seeker person on a full-time non-advanced course (excludes ESOL) and meets specific residency requirements
- You are a non-asylum seeker living in Scotland on a part-time ESOL course and your main purpose for being in the European Union is not to receive an education.
Can I get financial help?
International Students are generally not able to apply for financial support to help you with the cost of studying.
Please contact the International Team at Edinburgh College for further advice and support about the separate course application process for international students, international course fees for part-time and full-time courses and confirmation of your home or international student fees status.
From within the UK: 0131 535 4738
From outside the UK: +44 131 535 4738
Download the International Application Form
Information on International/Home fees status is available on the UK Council for International Student Affairs website or from the UKCISA International Education Students’ Advice Line:
Tel (from within the UK): 020 7788 9214
Tel (from outside the UK): +44 20 7788 9214.
