High Level Summary of Statistics Trend Last update: Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Higher Education Student Support
The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) support Scottish-domiciled higher education students studying at institutions in Scotland and elsewhere and EU-domiciled students studying in Scotland.
Over the period 1997-98 to 2006-07, the total number of HE students supported by SAAS has increased by 7.8% to 121,990.
Over the same time period the number of students receiving tuition fee support has remained fairly constant (although there was a dip in 1999-00 due to the abolition of tuition fee support in that year). In 2006-07 there were 112,610 students receiving tuition fee support, which is the highest number throughout the time series.
SAAS have calculated student loan entitlement since 1999-00 (prior to this students applied directly to their institution) and since this time there has been a marked rise in the number of students receiving loan support. However this number has began to drop in more recent years. 80,450 students received loan support in 2006-07, a decrease of 4% since the previous year.
The number of students receiving non-repayable financial awards since 1997-98 has fallen by 28% to 58,565. However, the number of people receiving awards specifically targeted at young students, students with dependents and students with disabilities has increased to 43,695 students.
Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)
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