Financial support for all students 

The Scottish Government and the University offer a fund that supports students experiencing financial difficulty. This means-tested fund is focused on supporting living costs when students face unexpected circumstances. It can not help with tuition fees or costs which could have been reasonably foreseen.

The Financial support fund has opened again for 2024-25. Applications will be assessed and the outcomes confirmed shortly after we have all required evidence. If you are at risk of homelessness please contact studentfundingteam@ed.ac.uk or visit EUSA in the first instance.

Kind Regards

Student Funding Team

 

About this fund

This fund combines the previously named Discretionary fund for UK students and financial support for international students.  

Where the need is verified the fund can award up to £2,000 each academic year. Initially, awards will be made for only semester 1 needs and this may be re-evaluated for semester 2.

This page contains the key information to support the application process. Incorrect or missing information, including bank statements,  will delay your application. 

 

 

Who is the fund for? 

This fund helps students who are experiencing severe financial difficulty. It is open to all fully matriculated students. 

  • Full-time and part-time students 
  • UK and international students  
  • Undergraduates and postgraduates 

Students in receipt of SAAS or SLC funding must have applied for their full income-assessed student loan, taking the maximum available.

Who isn’t eligible for this fund? 

  • Students who are registered for exams-only  
  • Students who have not taken the maximum support available from their funding body, We may be able to award a smaller amount. 

 

What can I get help with? 

You may be eligible for support if you struggle to manage your basic living costs.  

What costs could be supported? 

  • unexpected or emergency cost
  • shortfalls in standard living costs 
  • commuting costs to access study if you do not have the means to pay for this
  • minimum payments to debts that threaten your home or access to essential services whilst you seek professional support 
  • Postgraduate Research Students who have been impacted by Council Tax changes

What doesn’t qualify for support? 

  • tuition fees 
  • non-essential debts  
  • anticipated costs

 

Speak to someone 

Before applying for support, discuss your situation with the Welfare Advisors at the Students’ Association’s Advice Place.  They can advise you on your application and help you access additional support. 

The Advice Place 

 

Documents required 

  • A copy of an up to date budget (examples can be found below)
  • Any documentation that supports the information you provide in your personal statement. 
  • 8 weeks of statements from all the bank accounts you hold up to the application date, including digital savings accounts, ISAs, cryptocurrency, digital assets, social media wallets, overseas accounts and shared accounts.  This includes WeChat, Alipay and Webo. Please note we must receive statements for EVERY bank account you hold even if there are no available funds in the account.
  • 8 weeks of statements from all the bank accounts your spouse or a partner you live with holds, up to the application date. 
    • If applicants are holding money for friends or family - this will be treated as your own available funds
  • Evidence of any income your receive, pay-slips, funding, or student loan award letters. 
  • Evidence of any debt you have, credit card statements or default letters. 
  • A copy of your lease if you rent. 
  • Proof of your mortgage or rent costs. 
  • Evidence of childcare costs you pay. 

Screenshots will not be accepted. Please supply full digital statements or documents, preferably PDFs. Scans of paper documents are also acceptable.

Bank statements should be dated within a week of your application and show the:

  • account holder name 
  • account number 
  • transaction details 
  • current balance. 

Information we will ask you for 

  • your fee status 
  • your family situation, partner, dependents and children 
  • your residency situation 
  • a personal statement explaining why you need financial support 
  • sources of funding you receive 
  • your living situation 
  • your financial situation and any debts you might have 
  • your UK bank account details 
  • how many installments you would like to be paid in to help budget 

Applying 

The application form sits within EdHelp. You will need your University login to access the form.

Click here to apply for Financial support

Please find example budget templates below which can be used to support your application if you do not already have your own.

 

Next steps 

When you submit your application, we will email you a call number. Quote this number when you contact us. 

Getting a decision 

We can receive up to 1,000 applications per year. We do our best to assess applications as quickly as possible. We start assessing your application once all your documentation has been received. Collect all the required documents before starting your application for a faster decision.  

You will receive an email about our decision.

Your first payment will be transferred to your nominated UK bank account within 10 days, provided your bank details have been added. 

 

How is my application assessed?  

With limited funds, we must assess which students most need our help.  

Priority groups 

Priority will be given to students who are: 

  • students at risk of homelessness 
  • lone parents 
  • care leavers/care experienced 
  • students estranged from their parents or guardians. 

Please make it clear in your application if any of the above apply to you.

We evaluate how much money you have in income and savings and how much you spend on essential and non-essential expenses. We do this by assessing your household income, savings and spending using the documents you provide. If you have a shortfall and cannot pay for essential costs, you may qualify for an award. 

 

Circumstances that may affect your application

Awards will be reduced or refused in the following circumstances: 

  • Student loans – You have not applied for your full income-based student loan (if you are eligible). 
  • Savings - You have sufficient money available to you in savings to cover essential costs. 
  • Non-essential overspending - We identify other ways to reduce non-essential expenses such as gambling, takeaways, alcohol, eating out, clothing or recreation/entertainment to a sustainable level. 

 

Disputes, appeals and fraudulent applications

We hope that your application process goes as smoothly as possible. If you have any issues with our decisions, we have a dispute and appeals procedure that you can follow. If we discover that your application or any documents you provide us are fraudulent, we will investigate.

Disputes, appeals and fraudulent applications

 

Resources

 

Frequently asked questions

 

Contact

Scholarships and Financial Support Team

Contact details

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