High Level Summary of Statistics Trend Last update: Monday, November 24, 2008
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.
Over the period 1997-98 to 2007-08, the total number of HE students supported by SAAS has increased by 8.4% to 122,505.
The number of students receiving tuition fee support remained fairly constant from 1997-98 (although numbers were lower in 1998-00 due to the abolition of tuition fee support in these years) up to 2005-06. In 2006-07 the number of students receiving tuition fee support increased mainly due to both the introduction of tuition fee loans for new entrants studying elsewhere in the UK and to increasing EU student numbers. EU students only receive tuition fees. Recipients of fee support increased again in 2007-08 mainly due to increasing EU student numbers but also as fee loans were then available for both new entrants and those in their second year. 114,100 students received fee support in 2007-08, an increase of 2.8% since 1997-98.
SAAS has calculated student loan entitlement since 1999-00 (prior to this students applied directly to their institution). Initially the number of students assessed for loans increased in each academic year. However numbers have been decreasing since their peak in 2002-03 and in 2007-08 78,175 students were assessed for loans: 14.8% fewer than in 2002-03.
The number of students receiving non-repayable financial awards has fallen by 28.3% between 1997-98 and 2007-08 to 58,230. The largest decrease occurred between 1998-99 and 1999-00 when the standard maintenance grant was abolished for all new entrants. The number of students receiving awards specifically targeted at young students, students with dependents and students with disabilities has increased to 42,825, more than three times the 1997-98 level. This is, however, 2.0% lower than in 2006-07.
Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)
Further Information