A GUIDE TO

STUDENT SUPPORT

Margaret McIntosh Financial Aid Officer

Support available depends on -

• Whether studying in Scotland or not

• The course of study

• Family income

SCOTTISH STUDENTS

STUDYING IN SCOTLAND

WHAT SUPPORT

IS AVAILABLE

Tuition Fees

Student Loans

Young Students’ Bursary

Travel Expenses

Disabled Student Allowance (DSA)

Previous study/repeat year

Additional support

TUITION FEES

- Fees are due for all students.

- SAAS will normally pay fees for all Scottish students studying in Scotland.

- Tuition fee support.

- The student is responsible for organising the payment of fees.

- If students don’t apply to SAAS by the deadline date they will be personally liable for the full fee.

- Apply on-line from early April onwards with either a conditional or unconditional offer.

- The offer does not have to be the students first choice of course or University/College.

- Students MUST apply each academic year.

- Students are responsible for advising SAAS of any changes e.g. course, University, address, etc. If they don’t, they may end up liable for the payment of their fees.

STUDENT LOANS• Application made through SAAS.

• Can apply when applying for payment of tuition fees.

• Loan paid in monthly instalments directly into the students bank account.

• First payment, payable on the first day of the course, will be a double payment.

• Future payments will be made on the 7th of each month.

• If a students application to SAAS has been processed and the student enrols in advance of the course start date, they can expect the 1st payment to be in their bank account on the first day of their course. Otherwise it will be in their account 3/4 working days after they enrol.

• Student should inform SAAS and SLC if they withdraw from or decide not to commence their course.

LOAN RATES

MAXIMUM MINIMUM(depending on

(regardless parental income) of

income)

LIVING AWAY FROM HOME £4,510 £890

LIVING AT HOME £3,570 £590

• Loan rates are reviewed annually.

• Loan is lower in the final year as the loan does not cover the summer vacation in that year.

Monthly loan payments example

Student living at home receiving the full student loan of £3,570

RGU term dates - 23 September 2008 – 15 May 2009

Payment days = 8 (7 October 2008 – 7 May 2009 inc) + 2 (double payment on first day of course)

10

Instalment = Loan entitlement / number of monthly payment days + 2 £3,570 / 8 + 2 = 10

= £357 per month

Payment plan - 23 September - double payment of £714 (2 x £357)7 October - single payment of £3577 November - single payment of £3577 December - single payment of £357up to and including 7th May

TOP-UP LOANS

• Students can make one “top-up” loan application per academic session if they did not take out the full entitlement initially.

• Application is made directly to the Student Loans Company.

LOAN REPAYMENT

• Repayment will begin the April after completion or student otherwise leaves course.

• When income is £15,000 or more.

• The amount to be repaid will be 9% of annual income over £15,000.

• Repayment will be made through the Inland Revenue.

LOAN REPAYMENT EXAMPLES

ANNUAL MONTHLY INCOME REPAYMENT

Up to £15,000 NIL

£17,000 £15

£20,000 £37 £25,000 £75

YOUNG STUDENTS’ BURSARY

- This is a non-repayable grant for young Scottish students studying full-time in Scotland and whose family are on low income.

- It is paid instead of part of the student loan, so reduces the amount of loan. Students do not however have to take out a Student Loan.

- Maximum bursary is £2,575 per year for students with family income of £18,820 or less.

- An additional loan of up to £590 may be available if the family income is £17,835 or less.

- Students with family income of over £33,330 per year will not be eligible this bursary.

- Paid in monthly instalments directly into the students bank account.

- Application made through SAAS and can be done at the same time as applying for the payment of tuition fees.

LOAN/BURSARY RATES(first year student living away from home)

FAMILY PARENTAL ADDITIONALINCOME BURSARY LOAN CONTRIBUTION LOAN TOTAL

£17,000 £2,575 £1,935 - £590 £5,100£20,000 £2,366 £2,144 - £212 £4,722£26,000 £1,301 £2,904 £ 305 - £4,510£32,000 £ 236 £3,302 £ 972 - £4,510£38,000 - £2,872 £1,638 - £4,510£50,000 - £1,525 £2,985 - £4,510

Loan rates are reviewed annually.

Loan is lower in the final year as the loan does not cover the summerholiday in that year.

ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSION COURSES

Special arrangements are in place for Allied Health Profession (AHP) courses.

At RGU, the following courses come under this category -

– BSc Hons in Diagnostic Radiography

– BSc Hons in Occupational Therapy

– BSc Hons in Physiotherapy

– BSc Hons in Nutrition & Dietetics with Professional Registration in Dietetics.

Support available for AHP courses

• Payment of tuition fees.

• Income-assessed bursary.

• Non income-assessed student loan - at a lower rate.

• Practical placement expenses – if a student has to move away from University in order to undertake a placement, they may be eligible for reimbursement of accommodation and travel expenses.

• Application is made through SAAS.

Allied Health Profession Courses

MAXIMUMBURSARY LOAN TOTAL

LIVING AT HOME £1,820 £1,695 £3,515

LIVING AWAY FROM HOME £2,395 £2,210 £4,605

DIPLOMA OF HE IN NURSING & DEGREE COURSES IN NURSING

• Apply to SAAS for payment of tuition fees and a non income-assessed bursary.

• Bursary for current students is £6,255 and is paid monthly.

• Students will NOT be eligible for a student loan, Young Student Bursary nor for Hardship Funds.

CHANGE OF COURSE

DURING OR AT THE END OF 1ST YEAR

• false start

• full support for the duration of the new course

• this is only available once

AFTER YEAR 1

- no tuition fees nor any bursary for the amount of years undertaken on the first course.

- student loan available.

Example - if a student did 2 years of a course then changed

- student liable for the payment of tuition fees for the first 2 years of the new course.

- no bursary or additional loan they may previously have been eligible for.

- eligible for a student loan.

REPEAT YEAR

• SAAS will only consider paying the tuition fee for a repeat year if the reason for repeating is for medical or strong compassionate reasons.

• student liable for the payment of tuition fees for the repeat year.

• eligible for a student loan.

• NOT be eligible for any bursary or additional loan.

STUDENTS WITH AN HND GAINING ENTRY TO A DEGREE COURSE

• direct entry into year 2 or 3 of a degree course

– eligible for full support for the duration of the course.

• entry into year 1 of a degree course

– student liable for the payment of tuition fees for the first year.

– no bursary and additional loan.

– can apply student loan.

STUDYING AT UK INSTITUTIONS

OUTWITH SCOTLAND

• Fees – SAAS will NOT pay fees.

• Fee loans are available for all or part of fees – application is made to SAAS.

• Student Loans available.

• Students’ Outside Scotland Bursary (SOSB) available for students from low income families.

• Additional loan available for students who receive SOSB.

Maximum support entitlement

Fee Loan £3,145

Bursary £2,095

Student Loan £4,510 for students not receiving bursary

£2,415 for students in receiving bursary

Additional Loan £590 for students receiving bursary

SUPPORT AVAILABLE FOR

SCOTTISH STUDENTS

STUDYING IN THE UK

TRAVEL EXPENSES

• Students may claim from SAAS for daily travel expenses to and from University.

• Students living away from home can also apply for 3 return journeys home per session.

• SAAS will disregard the first £155 (£80 for AHP courses) of any claim and will allow only the most economical fares available.

• Application for reclaiming these expenses is made in December of each year and can

- be done on-line- a form can be downloaded from the SAAS website

- a form can be obtained from the University.

STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY

• A Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) may be available for students with disabilities who require additional support such as note taking, require specific equipment or incur additional travel costs.

• Application is made to SAAS.

• Information regarding DSA and support for students with disabilities is available from our Disability & Dyslexia Service.

HOW & WHEN TO APPLY FOR SUPPORT

• Apply to SAAS

- on-line- download form from SAAS website- obtain form from RGU or SAAS

• Apply from early April onwards with either a conditional or unconditional offer from any university or college i.e. does not have to be students first choice course or university/college.

• Students MUST apply each academic year.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• RGU website - www.rgu.ac.uk

• Student Finance

- tel. 01224 262127 - email – studentfinance@rgu.ac.uk

• Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)

- tel. 0845 111 1711 - www.saas.gov.uk