Scottish Government

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Higher Education Student Support in Scotland 2008-09

18/11/2009

Scotland's Chief Statistician today published statistics on Higher Education Student Support in Scotland in 2008-09. These figures provide information on support provided or assessed by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to higher education students in Scotland and elsewhere in academic years 2003-04 to 2008-09. The statistics in this release supersede those published by Scotland's Chief Statistician on November 25, 2008.

Main Findings include:

• Between the academic years 2007-08 and 2008-09 the total level of support administered by SAAS increased by 5.2 per cent, or £24 million, from £458.6 million to £482.6 million. This was mainly due to increases in fee support. The number of students supported increased by 1.9 per cent or 2,335 from 122,505 in 2007-08 to 124,845 in 2008-09.
• The number of students receiving non-repayable award payments has fallen in each year since 2005-06. It fell by 1.1 per cent or 640 from 58,230 in 2007-08 to 57,590 in 2008-09. Despite this, the amount paid out increased by 0.2 per cent or £0.2 million to £105.0 million.
• Fee payments, including fee loans, increased by 12.5 per cent or £21.1 million from £169.5 million in 2007-08 to £190.6 million in 2008-09. This is due to the increased fee rates (and fee loans) introduced for new entrants in 2006-07 working their way through the system and an increase in the number of students having their tuition fees paid for them. The overall number of students receiving fee support, including fee loans, has increased by 3.5 per cent or 3,955 from 114,100 in 2007-08 to 118,055 in 2008-09. This includes a 2.7 per cent rise in those having their tuition fees paid.
• The value of loan authorisations increased by 1.4 per cent or £2.6 million from £184.3 million in 2007-08 to £187.0 million in 2008-09. This was despite a fall of 1.3 per cent or 1,005 in the number of students receiving loan authorisations. The increase in amounts authorised is the first since 2002-03 and is mainly due to increases in income assessed loan authorisations. The fall in student numbers follows the trend seen since 2003-04.
• The number of EU students receiving support from SAAS has increased by 9.9 per cent, or 865, since academic year 2007-08. This is an increase of 91.9 per cent, or 4,570, from 4,975 EU students in 2003-04 to 9.545 in 2008-09. EU students receive fee support only. In the academic year 2008-09, 92.4 per cent of those supported by SAAS were Scottish domiciles.
• Fee loan payments for students from Scotland studying elsewhere in the UK have more than trebled to £8.6 million since their introduction for new entrants in 2006-07. This increase was due to this support being available to first, second and third year students in 2008-09 compared to only those in their first year in 2006-07 and those in their first and second year in 2007-08.
• Award payments - non-repayable support - to young students, students with dependents and students with a disability have increased by 16.8 per cent (or £11.3 million) from £67.2 million in 2003-04 to £78.5 million in 2008-09. This is despite a fall of 2.7 per cent or £2.2 million between the two latest years. Numbers of award recipients in this group have fallen since 2005-06, mainly due to decreases in the number of students receiving the income-assessed Young Students' Bursary.
• In 2008-09, 4,065 students were in receipt of Disabled Students' Allowance payments totalling £8.8 million. This is an increase of 12.2 per cent in terms of students and 9.4 per cent in terms of amounts paid out since 2007-08. The number of recipients and amounts paid out have increased in each year since 2003-04.