As you start your journey at University, you may have left your parental home and started to manage your own finances for the first time. Or you may have returned to University after many years of employment. Regardless of your circumstances, finding your way in the world of student funding is not always easy. You will find some useful information below.
Students wishing to discuss their options for funding can book an appointment with ENSA Advice.
More Information on student finance, including funding, budgeting and saving tips” is available from Student Information Scotland.
Student Funding
The amount of funding you are eligible to support your studies with will depend on your residency status.
Home (Scottish) students are awarded funding through Students Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).
If you are full-time undergraduate student, your fees will be covered by SAAS, although you are still required to apply for it. You may also receive a maintenance loan, bursary or other allowances depending on your personal circumstances.
If you are a postgraduate student, you will be eligible for tuition fees and maintenance loans.
Part-time students are still eligible to some funding but may have to work alongside their studies to support themselves financially.
Full details of support available are available from SAAS website.
Rest of the UK students receive funding support from their respective Student Funding Company:
International Students
There is no public fund available to international students as it is expected they will have the required funding to pay for their tuition fees and maintenance cost.
However, Edinburgh Napier University offers hardship funding to its students who are the most in need.
Nursing and Midwifery Students
Nursing and Midwifery students are eligible to receive a non-mean tested bursary, tuition fees payment, Clinical Placement Expenses reimbursement and various allowances.
All funding is subject to residency and previous study criteria.
Further information is available from SAAS.
Discretionary and hardship funding
All home and RUK students are eligible to discretionary funding to help them through difficult times. Further information on the funds and application is available on My Napier.
International students can apply to the International and EU Crisis Fund or the Coronavirus Hardship Fund. Eligibility criteria applies and students can find more information here.
Scolarship and bursaries
Edinburgh Napier University offers various scholarships and bursaries to its students to help them cover living cost, childcare costs, tuition fees or specific projects.
Students can check their eligibility to funding going to Find a Fund
Tuition fees
Students liable to pay for their fees must ensure that they meet each payment deadline. Non-payment of fees may lead to penalties imposed including withdrawal from the programme.
If you are facing difficulties paying for your fees, inform the fees department as soon as possible.
Benefits
As a general rule, full-time students are not entitled to benefits unless they meet specific criteria such as being a lone parent, having a disability/long term illness or in receipt of Disability Support Allowance. Part-time students are eligible to benefits as the rest of the population.
If you would like to discuss whether you are entitled to benefits, book an appointment with ENSA Advice.
Budgeting
Most students will have limited resources during their time at University. You may find it useful to plan your spending and make sure you can pay for your food, rent, bills and other essentials
Budgeting tools are easily accessible from the internet either from website or apps. The following tools are free:
If you want to have a chat about budgeting, book an appointment with ENSA Advice.
More info on Budgeting and Money Management
Debt
If you find yourself in debt, don’t wait to talk to someone about it. Companies would rather have a regular smaller payment than no payment at all and be forced to take legal action against you. It is much easier to get a reasonable and manageable agreement with your creditors at an early stage, rather than when they are threatening court action.
You can contact Citizens Advice Bureau, Step Change or National Debt.