How to apply

How you apply is different depending on where you normally live.

If you don't normally live in Scotland, the application process is different if you're a new or continuing student from England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

New students

If you normally live in Scotland and meet a set of conditions, known as residency criteria, you may get help with finance. This could include:

tuition fees
student loans
bursaries, grants and allowances

The residency criteria you need to meet depends on your nationality. The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) has information on:

residency criteria for UK nationals
residency criteria for EU, Irish, EEA, Swiss, Gibraltar, and Turkish nationals
residency criteria for non-EEA nationals

If you're a part-time student you can apply to SAAS for a Part-time Fee Grant. This is to help you with your tuition fees.

To apply for student funding, you need to:

1. Work out what you can apply for

Look at all the options to find the funding that's right for you. Find out more information about what financial support you can get at university.

You can make an application for tuition fees and then contact SAAS later for a student loan to help with living costs.

2. Register online

When you have done this you'll receive 2 emails confirming your password, username and security questions.

Keep these emails safe so you can use your online account for checking the progress of your funding applications.

You can reset your user name and password if you need to.

3. Get ready

When you apply you'll need to have your:

email address
SAAS reference number if you've applied before
National Insurance Number - you can find this on your National Insurance Card, benefit letter, payslip or P60
bank details
course name and the university name
documents for any additional financial support you've applied for, for example documents proving you're a single parent

You can find your SAAS reference number by signing into your SAAS account or by checking any email you've received from SAAS.

You may also need documents showing your 'household income'. Find out more about household income and what documents you might need to show for it..

4. Sign in and apply

Take care to fill out your application correctly as mistakes could delay your application.

You can use the SAAS document upload service to send scanned copies of your documents. You'll need to login to your SAAS account to do this.

Warning

Don't send original paper copies – SAAS will destroy the documents.

If you can't apply online

You can get a loan application form on the SAAS website if you can't apply online.

Once you have filled it in, send it to:

Student Awards Agency Scotland
Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh
EH11 3UT

Continuing students

You're a 'continuing student' if you've had student funding from SAAS before.

Look at all the options to make sure you apply for the right funding if your circumstances have changed since last year.