Financial Support for Learners - HE Student Support

High Level Summary of Statistics Trend Last update: Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Higher Education Student Support

The Student Awards Agency for Scotland ( SAAS) supports Scottish-domiciled higher education students studying at institutions in Scotland and elsewhere and EU-domiciled students studying in Scotland. Key findings from the most recent statistics on academic session 2010-11 are summarised in the bullet points below, and in Figure 1.

  • The amount of money paid out in tuition fees or awards, or authorised in loans by SAAS totalled £ 571.9 million in financial support, which is 9.5 per cent higher than in 2009-10 (£522.4 million).
  • 133,175 students were supported which is 1.9 per cent more than in 2009-10 (130,680).
  • £220.8 million was paid out in tuition fees and fee loans, to 126,630 students. This is a 3.3 per cent increase on 2009-10 (£213.7 million).
  • £127.7 million was paid out in non-repayable awards, which is 14.5 per cent higher than in 2009-10 (£111.5 million). 68,960 students received award payments which is 13.3 per cent higher than in 2009-10 (60,870). This increase was mostly caused by the introduction of the Independent Students' Bursary in 2010-11.
  • SAAS authorised a total of £223.3 million in maintenance loans, 13.3 per cent higher than in 2009-10 (£197.2 million). There were 79,395 loan authorisations in 2010-11.

Figure 1: Amounts paid out or authorised in loans by SAAS, 2001-02 to 2010-11Amounts paid by SAAS, 2010-11

Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)

Further Information

Page updated: Tuesday, October 25, 2011