Student Awards in Scotland 2005

Student Awards in Scotland 2005 - 06

STUDENT AWARDS IN SCOTLAND 2005-06

Statistics on Student Awards In Scotland 2005-06 are being released today on the Scottish Executive website. These figures provide information on support provided by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland ( SAAS) to higher education students at Scotland's higher education institutions and elsewhere covering the period 2000-01 to 2005-06. These figures supersede those published by the Executive in December 2005.

The main findings are:-

The level of support administered by SAAS increased by 1.7 per cent in the latest year to £424 million.
In 2005-06 awards increased by 24.6 per cent, fee payments increased by 2.4 per cent and the value of loan authorisations decreased by 8 per cent.
In 2005-06, 74 per cent of students who received SAAS support were studying for a first degree. This is consistent with previous years.
In each year within the period 2000-01 to 2005-06 at least 94 per cent of the students receiving SAAS support were Scots domiciled.
The number of EU students receiving support from SAAS has increased by 64% to 6,385 over the period from 2000-01 to 2005-06.
In 2005-06 award payments totalled £100 million, an increase of 24.6 per cent on the 2004-05 figure. This increase is mainly as a result of a change to the Young Students Bursary income thresholds, meaning that far more students were eligible for the full YSB amount.
Within these award payments, the value of awards specifically targeted to young students, students with dependents and students with disabilities has increased by over 269 per cent between 2000-01 and 2005-06 to £79 million.

List of Tables and Charts

NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS

1. The information presented in this News Release is provided by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland ( SAAS), and analysed by the Scottish Executive.

2. SAAS administers the student support arrangements for Scottish domiciled higher education students studying throughout the UK and EU students studying in Scotland.

3. Most full-time first degree courses and equivalent level qualifications are covered by SAAS student support, as well as the postgraduate teaching qualifications and some sub-degree courses. Certain other postgraduate qualifications are also covered. Nursing and Midwifery bursary students are supported by SAAS but are not covered in this publication.

4. Since 2000-01, support for new entrants has consisted of up to 3 elements: tuition fees paid by SAAS on behalf of all eligible students (direct to the institution of study); living cost support through a loan extended by the Student Loans Company; and targeted allowances to certain groups of students (e.g. young students, students with disabilities, students with dependents).

5. Over the period covered in this publication several changes to the student support package available through SAAS occurred. The main changes are outlined below.

Grants & Awards

Standard Maintenance Allowance only applies to students who entered the system before 1998-99. In 2001-02 new grants targeted towards young students and students with dependants were introduced.

The Dependants Grant for children and the School Meals Grant were abolished in 2004-05, following the introduction of the new tax credits system.

The Young Students Bursary ( YSB) income thresholds were changed in 2005-06, meaning that more students were eligible for the full amount of YSB. The maximum amount of YSB available to students was also increased in 2005-06.

Fee Payments

Income assessed tuition fee payments were introduced in 1998-99 and were abolished in 2000-01. This explains the lower level of fee payments at that time.

Loan Assessments

Prior to 1999-00 students applied for a loan through their institution and not SAAS. From 1999-00 onwards new entrants have applied to SAAS for a loan. SAAS calculates a student's loan entitlement and the Student Loans Company ( SLC) extends the loan. The data on loans included in this

publication relate to the level of loans assessed by SAAS. This might not match the final loan that a student draws from SLC due to a number of factors such as non-completion of course.

In order to compare the numbers being assessed by SAAS and the final uptake figures of loan from the Student Loans Company ( SLC), figures from the SLC are being included in this publication this year for the first time.

Details on loans issued under previous arrangements in the period before 1999-00 are not included in this publication (including mortgage-style repayment loans).

6. The level of income assessed support payable to students is dependent on the unearned income of the student as well as his/her parents' (or spouse's) residual income. The residual income of the parent(s) or spouse is calculated as the total income from all sources (including earned income from employment, income from property / pensions / benefits, interest from savings, etc.) less allowable deductions (such as superannuation contributions, retirement annuity premiums, life assurance premiums (up to 2001-02), interest paid on loans (up to 2001-02), allowances for dependants, etc.). The residual income is then used as the basis for income assessment for awards, fee payments and loans as appropriate.

7. The following classification has been used in this publication to define the level of study of students receiving support. This classification is consistent with other Scottish Executive National Statistics publications on higher education.

Postgraduate: Students attending courses where a first degree qualification is an entry requirement. This includes students doing research or on a course leading to a higher degree, postgraduate diploma or equivalent.
First Degree: Students on courses leading to a first degree or equivalent.
Sub-Degree: Students on courses classified as higher education but not classified as postgraduate or first degree, such as HNCs and HNDs.

A small number of the qualification types supported by SAAS do not obviously fall into postgraduate/first degree/other undergraduate levels. For the purposes of this publication these have been coded at first degree level. Although certain students are classed as undertaking postgraduate levels of study, they are funded through the undergraduate support stream. These mainly include PGCE students.

8. This is a National Statistics publication. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.

9. This news release, together with associated tables listed above, is published on the Scottish Executive website at the following address:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Lifelong-learning/Publications

10. Tables showing the figures contained in the publication back to 1997-98 will also be available on the Scottish Executive website at the following address:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Lifelong-learning/datasets

11. Further information on all aspects of student support provided by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland, including types of support and eligibility, can be found on their website at the following address:
https://www.saas.gov.uk/

For further information ( non-media), enquiries and comments on this news release, please contact:

Andrew Murray

Scottish Executive
Enterprise Transport & Lifelong Learning Department
Analytical Services
3 ^rd Floor, Meridian Court
5 Cadogan Street
Glasgow
G2 6AT

Tel. (0141) 242 0271
Fax. (0141) 242 5455
E-mailfhestatistics@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

For media enquiries please contact:

Stuart Lewis

Scottish Executive
Press Office
Tel. (0141) 244 2682

Page updated: Monday, December 11, 2006

Scottish Government