Funding Information: Discretionary Funds

Discretionary funds:

Discretionary funds are held by each college or university to enable them to assist eligible learners who are suffering financial hardship.

How do Discretionary funds work?

Publicly-funded Scottish colleges and universities receive funding to help provide support for students who, for whatever reasons, have financial difficulties or who would not be able to enter, or remain in, Higher or Further Education for financial reasons.

Full-time, part-time and sandwich-course students in Further or Higher Education at a publicly-funded institutions are eligible to apply for a payment from these funds. The student must meet the residence conditions for a student loan. There is no age limit for students to receive payments from these funds.

The college or university is responsible for deciding which students should receive payments and how much each payment should be, although there is an upper limit on how much can paid to each student. They are also responsible for all other matters relating to these funds, including handling appeals.

If you want more details about these funds contact the college or university you are studying at or have applied to study at. Generally, if you are in Higher Education, you will have to apply for your full student loan entitlement before they can consider you for help.