Full-time funding for advanced level courses
For full-time advanced level courses (a HNC or HND) apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for funding and any financial assistance.
What you can apply for
Tuition Fees
During your studies, you will need to pay for the cost of tuition which most students will receive help towards.
If you are an applicant for a full-time advanced level course it’s important that you have funding in place to cover your course tuition fees.
Tuition fees:
- Are based on your residency status.
- Are based on whether you have done a course of higher education before.
- Will be charged to you if you don’t apply to Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).
- Are paid only if you attend the course past the cut-off date of 1st December.
Cost of living and travel
You may be eligible for funding to help towards the cost of living while you study, such as:
- Student Loan
- Bursary
- Independent Student Bursary
- Young Student Bursary
- Care Experienced Bursary
- Supplementary Grants
- Childcare
The type of course you study, as well as your personal circumstances, decide where you can get help and how much that might be.
You can apply for a bursary and student loan to help with living costs. How much you get depends on your household income and if you’re a young or independent student. You can choose how much loan you want to take (up to £5,100 per year) regardless of your household income.
You can apply for a bursary and student loan to help with living costs.
The College has funds available to help full-time students with childcare costs and can help with assistance towards the cost of living through these funds.
The College has funds that you may be able to access to help towards your registered childcare costs whilst studying at NESCol.
Funding applications
How to apply
If you have applied for a place on an advanced level course (HNC or HND) you must apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for tuition fees and cost of living funds.
You don’t need to wait until you have been offered a place on a HNC or HND course to apply to SAAS.
We have produced a funding application guide to help you through the process.
When to apply
You don’t need to wait until you have been offered a place on a HNC or HND course to apply to SAAS. You can apply now at www.saas.gov.uk.
Apply as early as possible to make sure your funding is in place for the start of your course.
If your application was unsuccessful or you decide to change course, you need to let SAAS know to ensure your funding is released.
Information required on your application
Depending on what you’re applying for, you may need to provide certain information to SAAS during the application process.
SAAS may need:
- Your National Insurance number.
- Your district of birth (this can be found on your birth certificate).
- The account number and sort code of your bank (SAAS need this to make payments to you).
- The name, address and telephone number of two contacts if you’re applying for a student loan or fee loan. Contacts should live at two separate addresses.
If you’re applying for income-assessed funding, SAAS will need some details from your parents or guardians; or from your husband, wife, partner or civil partner (whichever applies):
- Income details.
- National Insurance numbers.
Documents to support your funding application
Make sure any documents you send to SAAS are clear. If SAAS ask you to resend documents this will delay your application.
Check that you are submitting the correct documents which show name, address and are for the correct tax year. If you are asked for the correct evidence, this will hold up your application.
You do not need to provide SAAS with your award letter.
Eligibility
If you have undertaken any full-time college or university courses in the past, then this may affect your eligibility for funding. However, the rules vary and you may be eligible if you received funding when you were under 18 or received course fees only awards.
If you are in any doubt, please contact the team at studentfunding@nescol.ac.uk or SAAS.
If you have pre-settled or settled status, then it is unlikely you will need to pay course tuition fees. However if you were not living in Scotland before 31 December 2020 but have since applied, it would depend on the reason and outcome of your application. This is quite complex and you should contact studentadvice@nescol.ac.uk for advice relevant to your circumstances.
Deadline for applications
It is important that you complete your SAAS application as soon as possible to make sure your funding is in place for the start of your course.
Missed the deadline?
If your funding isn’t in place for the start of your course, you can contact Student Advice Centre and ask about an emergency payment to help while your funding application is being assessed. You would need to pay the emergency payment back once your SAAS/Student Loans Company (SLC) is in place.
When funds will be paid
Application processing times vary but your award letter and updates will be sent to your SAAS Account. If your application has been processed and you’ve been awarded funding, your award letter will be available here for you to view and download.
If your application was unsuccessful or you decide to change course, you need to let SAAS know to ensure your funding is released.
SAAS will only release funding once you are enrolled on the course you applied for.
Help with funding
Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)
SAAS can help with any aspect of your SAAS application. If you are a British Sign Language (BSL) user, SAAS have created a series of videos explaining student funding.
Student Advice Centre
At NESCol we appreciate that every student’s circumstances are different. We offer impartial and confidential information and advice on a range of funding related topics from applications to eligibility queries.
Contact the Student Advice Centre at studentfunding@nescol.ac.uk and the team will be in touch.
Funding Calculator
The Scottish Government have created a new website Student Information Scotland. Here you will find useful further and higher education funding information. It also features a Funding Calculator which allows you to work out what funding you may be eligible to receive. There is a also a Budget Calculator which provides a breakdown of how much you’ll roughly need to live while at College.