Financing Your Studies

Before starting your College course, you are strongly advised to ensure that you have suitable funding support in place to finance your studies.

Further Education Bursary - for those aged 18 and over

Students attending a full-time course, which leads to qualification up to but not including Higher National Certificate, may be eligible for a bursary.
Bursaries have two main elements: a maintenance allowance, which may include contributions towards necessary books and equipment, and a travel ticket, if appropriate. The maintenance allowance and travel element of the bursary are means-tested and take account of parental, spouse and/or student income.
Bursary application forms are automatically issued to all students who are offered a place on a qualifying course. A guide providing further information is also available on our website.

Education Maintenance Allowance - for those aged 16 and 17

Education Maintenance Allowances provide financial support for students from low-income families who undertake a full time, further education course at college.
If you are under the age of 18 at the start date of your course, and your household income is less than £22,403 you may qualify for an Education Maintenance Allowance.
Please note that, in addition to the above, students who are normally resident in Scotland at the start of their course may receive a study expense allowance and transport from the Bursary Fund.
Bursary/EMA application forms are automatically issued to all students who are offered a place on a qualifying course. A guide providing further information is also available on our website.
However, the Scottish Government has asked us to communicate the following statement to all EMA recipients: Scottish Ministers reserve the right to review the EMA programme at any time.

Part-time Courses

Students attending a part-time further education course may be eligible for a bursary consisting of the payment of course costs and a travel ticket. Further details will be provided with the application form, which should be requested from the Student Advice Centre.

Childcare and Additional Financial Support

Some financial help may be available to assist students who incur childcare costs while attending College. Eligible Lone Parent students are entitled to a payment of a Lone Parent Childcare Grant of up to a maximum of £1,215* per year. Additional help for costs over and above this amount may be claimed from the College Childcare funds. Assistance is also available towards accommodation costs and general living expenses. Funds, however, are limited and students should, in the first instance, contact the Student Advice Centre to arrange an appointment to discuss their situation.

Full-time Higher Education Level Courses - HNC/HND/BBP

The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) provides funding through loans and limited bursaries to students on full-time Higher Education courses (HNC/HND/Borders Business Programme).
SAAS also covers your course fee therefore it is essential that all HNC/D students apply for funding – online - before the start of their course at www.saas.gov.uk.

Further Help and Guidance

The Scottish Government along with learndirect Scotland have published a number of useful booklets on the various sources of funding available to learners.
Helping you meet the costs of learning and training 2012/2013
Helping you meet the costs of learning and training 2012/2013 – Disabled Students
Helping you meet the costs of learning: Asylum Seekers, Refugees, Migrant Workers and EU Nationals
All booklets provide an overview of the funding available for learners or people who are thinking about learning and can be viewed or downloaded at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/UniversitiesColleges/16640/learnerfunding/highereducation

Student Funding Additional Notes

The following documents can be downloaded by clicking on the links below. All require Adobe Reader.

For Further Information

For further information please contact the Student Funding Department: telephone 01896 662505 / 662504 email studentfunding@borderscollege.ac.uk or Student Welfare Advisor: telephone 01896 662516. email studentwelfare@borderscollege.ac.uk

* This amount may change.