Access Edinburgh Scholarship (for students commencing from Sept 2020)

Any student in receipt of UK funding body support from a lower income household, which includes those who have been in care, or is estranged from their family, will receive an Access Edinburgh scholarship.  

To determine your eligibility, you will need to provide  

• Your full funding body information about household income and any other relevant circumstances, such as if you are care-experienced, a care leaver or estranged student.
• You are also required to be in receipt of and have taken out the full maintenance loan.
• You must remain in receipt of full funding body support.

In addition 

• Please ensure that you are means tested (please see definitions table).
• Please ensure that you ask your funding body to share your information with the University.
• Please ensure this is your first-degree program of studies. 

All students should use the below table as a guide, but please remember, you need to have your evidence verified, which includes evidencing your household income, being means tested and ensuring your local funding body has shared your information with us. 

This scholarship is guaranteed for every year of your prescribed degree program, regardless of any changes in your verified household financial circumstances. It is also worth noting that should your financial circumstances change, you may become entitled to a higher scholarship amount.

To be eligible for the Access Edinburgh Scholarship, you must meet the following criteria: 

1. You must be fully matriculated, on a full-time, on-campus undergraduate program of study at the University of Edinburgh, commencing from September 2020 onwards.
2. You must be a UK resident and receive funding from one of the following student finance bodies:
   1. Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS)
   2. Student Finance England
   3. Student Finance Wales
   4. Student Finance Northern Ireland
   5. You have also taken out the full maintenance loan (see FAQ)
   6. You must remain in receipt of full funding body support.
3. If you are domiciled in Scotland, you must be in receipt of either a:
   1. Young Students' Bursary (YSB)
   2. Independent Students' Bursary (ISB)
   3. Care Experienced Student Bursary (CESB) from SAAS.
   4. Estranged Student Bursary (ESB)
   5. You have also taken out the full maintenance loan (see FAQ)
   6. You must remain in receipt of full funding body support.

The Access Edinburgh Scholarship does not cover the following undergraduate programmes as they may be covered by other financial support sources:

1. Nursing (BN)
2. Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)
3. LLB (Graduate Entry)
4. Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (4 year degree)

The following conditions for the Access Edinburgh Scholarship also apply: 

1. Students studying a second first degree are not eligible for this scholarship.
2. The scholarship cannot be paid to students who are on interruptions of study or studying part-time (You must be studying a minimum of 80 credits per year). (Please check here)
3. Where a student needs to repeat a year of study, a single year of support will be given.
4. Overseas students are not eligible for this scholarship.
5. You have not taken out your full maintenance loan or cancelled your funding body support.
6. EU students, who commenced study from 2020/21, are required to have UK funding body support and settled status to be eligible for this scholarship.   

To be eligible for the Access Edinburgh Scholarship, you must apply for a full maintenance loan from your funding body and confirm your consent to share your data with the University.  The University of Edinburgh will then automatically assess your eligibility; there is no separate application process. 

I am a SAAS funded student – how can I ensure the University receives my information? 

• The University will begin to assess your household income information from August each year
• We check data received from SAAS, you must ensure that you have ticked the box to consent to share your household income information with the University when making your application to SAAS in order for us to receive the correct data and process an award
• If eligible for this scholarship, notification of your award will be sent to your University email address
• You must action the request in your award letter to provide your bank details securely as early as possible - if we do not have your bank details, there will be delays in receiving your award 

I am funded by Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, or Student Finance Northern Ireland – how can I ensure the University receives my information? 

• The University will begin to assess your household income information from August each year
• If eligible, notification of your Award will be sent to you directly via the Student Loans Company to your Student Finance portal within the 'Correspondence' tab
• You must action the request to provide your bank details as early as possible via the Student Loans Company Portal as your payment will be made directly through them.

As a continuing student, and to remain eligible for the Access Edinburgh Scholarship, you must apply every year for a full maintenance loan from your funding body and confirm your consent to share your data with the University.  The University of Edinburgh will then automatically assess your eligibility; there is no separate application process. 

I am a SAAS Funded Student – how can I ensure the University receives my information? 

• The University will begin to assess your household income information from August each year
• We check data received from SAAS, you must ensure that you have ticked the box to consent to share your household income information with the University when making your application to SAAS in order for us to receive the correct data and process an award
• If eligible for this scholarship, notification of your award will be sent to your University email address
• You must action the request in your award letter to provide your bank details securely as early as possible - if we do not have your bank details, there will be delays in receiving your award 

I am funded by Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, or Student Finance Northern Ireland – how can I ensure the University receives my information? 

• The University will begin to assess your household income information from August each year
• If eligible, notification of your Award will be sent to you directly via the Student Loans Company to your Student Finance portal within the 'Correspondence' tab
• You must action the request to provide your bank details as early as possible via the Student Loans Company Portal as your payment will be made directly through them

My household income has increased, will my award go down? 

You are entitled to the same level of award if your household income increases as we match funding to previous years.

My bank details have changed, how do I update my details 

SAAS funded - If you have not already done so, amend your bank details here. 

SLC funded -  Please update your details in your portal Student finance login - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

During an academic year, your University status may change and this may have an impact on this Scholarship.  To see a definition of the statuses please use this link

All matriculated students who have their attendance confirmed will be paid in two installments each year: 

• Once in semester 1 by the end of October.
• Once in semester 2 by the end of January.  

What if I miss the October and January payments? 

Do not worry, we are making payments on a regular basis.  You will receive your award once you become eligible and have completed all the matriculation steps. (Steps to Matriculation) All payments for the 2025/26 academic year must be made prior to the 31st March 2026 deadline. 

• SAAS Funded -   The University will make payment directly to the bank details you have provided us.  If you have not already done so you can add/update your bank details here.
• Student Loans Company - Student Finance England/Wales and Northern Ireland, the payment will be paid directly into the bank account they hold on file for you.   

Why has my payment been delayed? 

There are a number of reasons you may not have received your payment:

• You have not received an award letter from the Scholarship Team or Student Finance England/Wales and Northern Ireland, saying you are eligible for this scholarship.
• Not matriculated – please complete the matriculation process.   (Steps to Matriculation)
• No attendance confirmation – please contact your school to have your attendance confirmed.
• You have a status which indicates to us you are not at the University, check what your status means  – if your status is incorrect, please contact your Student Adviser.
• No bank details – please check that you have added your bank details correctly.
• It can take up to 10 working days for payment to be made once we release your payment. 

The deadline for receiving financial information from your funding body is March 31st 2026 for the 2025/26 academic year. This means that if you want to be considered for an award for the 2025-2026 academic session, your financial information must be received by March 31st, 2026. It is important to note that if we do not receive your financial information by the deadline, you will not be considered for the scholarship that year. 

We are unable to backdate any missed payments for previous academic years.  All payments are made for the current academic year and must be claimed by the deadline of 31st March. 

The Access Edinburgh Scholarship is assessed on an annual basis, and any changes in household income will be taken into account during the December review. This means that the scholarship amount may be adjusted for the second-semester payment.  Your payment can only go up and will not be reduced. 

It is important to note that the scholarship team will notify you of any changes to your eligibility and the scholarship amount. 

If you are funded by Student Funding England/Wales or Northern Ireland, then confirmation of this award will come directly from them. Please ensure that you have bank details on file with them as your payment will be made direct into that bank account you hold on file with them.

If you are a SAAS funded student then you will receive an email directly from us with details on how to submit your bank details. Please ensure that you submit bank details in time to ensure that there are no delays to your payment.

The Edinburgh Cares team as part of the Widening participation team at the University of Edinburgh works with applicants, offer holders and on programme students who are care-experienced or estranged from their families or are carers. There are ways you can identify yourself to the University: by the tick boxes on the UCAS application process, during the registration process at the start of each University year, or by getting in touch with Edinburgh Cares directly edinburghcares@ed.ac.uk.

Care-experienced and estranged applicants, offer holders and students

If you think that you qualify as being estranged from your family or have care-experience please get in touch edinburghcares@ed.ac.uk

More information on definitions and support for care-experienced applicants, offer holders and on programme students here: edin.ac/care-experienced

More information on definitions and support for estranged from family applicants, offer holders, and on programme students here:  edin.ac/estranged

SAAS now offer a 12 monthly payment option to all eligible students receiving higher education Care Experienced Student Bursary (CESB). This means you can choose whether to receive your bursary payments over the current term time of nine months, or to spread these payments over the full year.  The total bursary of £9000 will remain the same.  

More information here: saas-care-experienced-quick-guide.pdf

Student Finance England (SFE), Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI) and Student Finance Wales (SFW)

These student funding bodies have different processes for funding care-experienced students . They use the term ‘term care leaver’. A care leaver is usually defined as a young person who is starting University and coming directly from the care of their Local Authority.

Student Finance England: Help support students who've been in care (slc.co.uk)

Student Finance Northern Ireland: Pathways to Further and Higher Education for Looked After and Care Experienced Young People (ulster.ac.uk)

Student Finance Wales: Applying for full-time undergraduate finance as an independent or estranged student | Student Finance Wales

You can apply to be assessed as an estranged (independent) student to your student awarding body if you are under the age of 25 at the start of your programme of study and are living without family support (emotional and financial). Please email edinburghcares@ed.ac.uk if you are unsure about your situation and would like to talk through the options open to you.

SAAS have produced a booklet with more information available from the SAAS website

There are many tools which can help you with your financial situation.  We have identified a number which are noted below.  We strongly encourage you to start with a budget planner:

• Money Helper is a Government web page which if there to guide you through the maze of your financial responsibility.  Please take time to create and maintain your budget plan
• Bill prioritiser: get help with your bills
• Overdrafts explained
• How much rent can you afford?
• Student and Graduate Money
• Living on a squeezed income
• How to save
• Dealing with debt
• Scams
• Saving money for Christmas

Laptops

The University also offers a laptop loan service; further information is available from here.

Additional Information

You may also wish to review our Budget Support page and Money Management Platform - Blackbullion

Do I need to apply every year to my funding body?

Yes, please ensure you apply in time.  You must do this for every year you are studying.

I am no longer in receipt of full funding body support/maintenance loan, am I eligible?

You are no longer eligible.  You must remain in receipt of full funding body support.

I am a student who does not take out a maintenance loan because of my religious beliefs. Am I eligible for Access Edinburgh? Full-time students must take out a living cost loan or bursary (full maintenance loan), if they are eligible for one, in order to be considered for support from Access Edinburgh. Interest rates attached to student loans merely repays the loan in real terms and is tied to the rate of inflation. It is not an interest rate in the commercial sense of the word, and no profit is made from the interest paid by borrowers.

I am no longer in receipt of full funding body support/maintenance loan, am I eligible?

You are no longer eligible.  You must remain in receipt of full funding body support.

What happens if I change programme, withdraw from or interrupt my studies?

Your entitlement for the award may change, please check here.  You should also ensure you contact your funding body and check with them if there are any implications.

I receive my maintenance loan from SAAS but I do not have a SAAS Bursary, am I eligible?

No, you must be in receipt of a SAAS Bursary to receive the award

Do I need to give consent to share my information with the University?

Yes, we can only assess you for a bursary if you have given consent to share this information for us. Please contact your Student Finance

I do not know if I have given consent to share my information with the University, what should I do?

Get in touch with your government funding body to make sure this consent has been given. 

I am studying for a second degree, am I eligible?

No, the Access Edinburgh Scholarship is available for first degree only. 

My household income has changed, what happens?

Your funding body shares household income, which we use to access your award in July/August and December each year. Your award can only increase and would remain in place so long as you remain fully matriculated on your eligible degree programme. 

My mode of study is part-time, am I eligible for this award?

No, only students who are full-time and in receipt of funding from SAAS or Student Finance England, Wales or Northern Ireland can receive this award.

My programme includes a year abroad. Am I eligible for the scholarship during this year?

Yes, if you are spending a year abroad as part of your studies, you will be eligible for a scholarship providing that you meet all the other eligibility criteria.

If I have to repeat a year of study, will I be eligible to receive the scholarship?

Eligible students are entitled to one additional year of scholarship support during their programme of study, known as a +1 year. Any further additional repeat years would not be covered. 

I was on interruption of studies last year, am I still eligible

Yes as long as you are progressing and you follow the matriculation and registration process.

I received this award last year, do I need to reapply?

No, you do not need to reapply, but you must ensure you have confirmed with your funding body that you agree to share your household income (are means tested) and are in receipt of the maximum maintenance loan available to you. 

I have not received my payment for the previous academic session, how can I now receive this award?

Within our section 'Deadline', we confirm that the deadline for obtaining the award is the 31st March of that academic year.  After this date we are unable to award you the scholarship and we are unable to backdate any payments for any academic year.  If you require Financial Support we do have other funds available

I am an EU student, am I eligible to receive this award?

For EU students who commenced study from 20/21 and have met the requirements to receive tuition fee and living cost support by a UK funding body, you will now be required to have settled status. Students with pre settled status are not eligible.

If you require further guidance, please submit an inquiry via the link below. During peak periods (August-October) please allow 3-5 working days for a response, and avoid sending multiple queries.

Access Edinburgh Scholarship - Self-Service Portal

Contact us through an online sign language interpreter

British Sign Language (BSL) users can contact the University of Edinburgh via Contact Scotland BSL, the online British Sign Language video relay interpreting service.

Find out more on the Contact Scotland BSL website