Question reference: S5W-29866
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
- Date lodged: 11 June 2020
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Current status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 June 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many students in each higher education institution have received payments from the Higher Education Discretionary Fund since 23 March 2020.
Answer
The Discretionary Funds are allocated out to individual colleges and universities to administer. Students apply direct to their institution for this funding, except in the case of private providers where students apply direct to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). Institutions are required to provide SAAS with audited verification of appropriate funds issued and the number of students receiving assistance at set times during the year. This information is not normally expected to be next received by SAAS until October.
However, due to the current exceptional circumstances, SAAS have committed to monitoring spend on the Discretionary Funds over the coming months and will ask institutions for an update at the end of July.