Registry

Fee Waiver Scheme For Part-Time Students

The Government has established an ongoing fee-waiver scheme for part-time students. The purpose of the scheme is to assist part-time students studying towards a first degree who are from low income backgrounds or unemployed to participate in higher education through the provision of a tuition fee waiver. Briefly, the criteria for eligibility are as follows:

1. Eligible Courses

- the student must study part-time
- the student must be following a programme of study that is credit-bearing at higher education level.

Non credit-bearing courses and postgraduate courses do not qualify for the scheme. Students who already have a first degree may be eligible for a fee waiver to study for another first degree, provided they satisfy other aspects of the criteria.

2. Eligible students

- the student must be Scottish domiciled or from the European Union
- the student must meet at least one of the following conditions:
- the student's family is in receipt of Income Support, or Working Tax Credit, or Housing Benefit;
- the student is a registered job seeker and has been so for a continuous period of no less than 6 weeks prior to the date of application;
- the sole income of the student's family is DWP benefits;
- the net income of the student's family is lower than the threshold for receiving income support, or
- the student is in receipt of Severe Disablement Allowance, Disability Allowance, Carers Allowance or Incapacity Benefit.

This is intended only as a brief overview of the scheme. If you think that you may be eligible for a tuition fee waiver you would be welcome to discuss your case with June Wilson, Assistant Registrar, on 0131-317-3218