Funding for Nursing Students

In general, to be eligible to apply for full support from Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS), an applicant must meet the following conditions:

• Be ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for the three years immediately before the first day of the first academic year of the course.
• If the applicant is not a UK or other EU national, they must also have settled status’ in the UK (as set out in the Immigration Act 1971).
• They must also be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date and an applicant will not normally be treated as being ordinarily resident in Scotland if their main purpose in being here has been to receive full-time education and that they would have otherwise been living elsewhere.

Students from the rest of the UK and beyond who do not meet the residency requirements will have to apply to their own funding body or local authority.

• have a partner who has low income
• are registered as a carer for an adult dependant (spouse, partner or any other adult)
• have a child who is dependent on you

if the person you care for has an income of over ?1,160 during your academic year, that amount will be deducted

• a copy of your tax credit award,
• have at least one dependent child
• are lone parents

Students who are in receipt of a bursary from SAAS, will be entitled to excess travelling expenses for placements and accommodation costs on an away placement.

The bursary includes ?5 for travel for each day of the course so students will only be reimbursed for excess travelling expenses. It should be by the cheapest method so it will normally be the cost of public transport even if they opt to use their own transport.

Claims for accommodation costs must be reasonable – normally up to around ?35 per night although exceptions may be made with prior agreement from SAAS e.g. in a tourist area in the summer where costs will be higher.

If you are in receipt of a bursary from SAAS you are not able to apply for a Student Loan.

Students from elsewhere in the UK who have been given an income assessed bursary may be eligible to apply for a Student Loan.

University of the Highlands and Islands

This fund is the main source of extra funding for nursing students. It looks at all household income and expenditure and if there is a significant deficit you may be awarded a grant.

The standard maximum award is ?500 with discretion for the Student Support Officer to add on up to ?400 depending on circumstances.

The standard maximum award is ?500 with discretion for the Student Support Officer to add on up to ?500 depending on circumstances.

Completed application forms, along with copies of all the relevant information as indicated on the form, should be returned to:

During academic years affected by the COVID pandemic, the college may receive additional funds to support students with specific circumstances. Where your application demonstrates these criteria, an award may be made for financial assistance from either or both the Nursing and Midwifery Discretionary Fund or the COVID Support fund. Please ensure you make reference to such circumstances in the Personal Circumstances Section at of the application

Any students who are care experienced will be considered a priority and will be entitled to an additional award from the discretionary funds.

No, there is no specific fund for this although all childcare costs will be taken into account when awarding any discretionary funding.

It is a small fund with a limited amount of money. Students in difficult circumstances may be awarded a few hundred pounds.

There is also a small Emergency Fund on each fast auto and payday loans campus which offers you the chance of borrowing up to ?50 in cash with an agreed repayment date of up to 2 weeks.

Single nursing and midwifery students would be unlikely to be able to meet the requirements for Working Tax Credits – working 16 hours paid work each week – without it impacting on their studies.

Nursing students are also eligible for the RUK Bursary if normally domiciled in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland and with a term-time address in Scotland. Find out more here.