Student finance and childcare

Student Finance

Deciding whether or not study will be financially viable is often one of the biggest decisions prospective students need to make.

The financial support available with be dependant on whether you are a young student(generally under the age of 25), a mature student, or a student on an Allied Health Professions or nursing course regardless of age.

Remember, however, that support is based on individual circumstances and will also vary depending on what type of degree course you plan to study, whether you have received financial support for previous HNC/D or degree level study, and whether you wish to study full-time or part-time

The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) is responsible for giving full-time Scottish students and prospective students advice and information about their entitlement to financial support and also for processing and assessing their claims.

The University has a Student Finance Adviser who is happy to provide advice and guidance to students both prior to application and post entry.

Students who find themselves in financial difficulty can apply for help through the Discretionary Fund administered by QMU. Eligibility criteria include having exhausted all other available sources of income, financial hardship and unexpected exceptional circumstances.

Priority is given to students with disabilities, lone parents, mature students and families on low income. Further details are available from Student Services.

Childcare

Student parents with children not yet in school and those requiring childcare at the start or end of the school day may need to spend some time investigating childcare options. This is most likely to be the case for those who have not been using any childcare prior to commencing their study at QMU or those who now need a different type of childcare provision.

The University itself does not have a nursery so you will need to consider whether to use a nursery in the local area of whether you would prefer a nursery (or any other childcare option) in your home area.

Scottish Childcare is an organisation which provides: Free, impartial information on childcare and preschool education services throughout Scotland. You can find out about Childcare availability in your area including nurseries, childminders, playgroups and out of school care

Through the Scottish Childcare website you can access your local Childcare Information Services (ChIS) to find detailed information on childcare providers in your local area (wherever that may be in Scotland).

QMU has a green travel policy in place and those wishing to bring a car on campus must purchase a parking permit. Permits for parking at the university are restricted to those with the greatest need. The transportation of young children and infants to school or childcare is included as one of the criteria for assessing need, as is proximity to suitable public transport options or responsibility for a dependant adult. New students starting study in 2010 will have the option of applying for single semester permits, to allow greater flexibility and smaller financial outlay. Additionally there are day pass permits for occasional parking requirements. For more information please contact parking@qmu.ac.uk.

>back