How we pay your support
For the majority of students, we will pay any support due on a monthly basis. This applies to all students studying an HNC, HND, Degree, PGDE or PGDipCE at a Scottish college or university. For students studying at a UK institution outside Scotland, we will pay any support due at the start of each term or semester.
How we pay your support is not optional.
When we process your application for support, we will send you an award notice which will show the monthly break down of any Bursary and grants you are entitled to, plus the full loan you are entitled to. If you have applied for the loan, you will receive a Loan Payment Schedule from the Student Loan Company which will show the monthly break down of any loan you are entitled to.
How we work out the amount of each instalment
We will pay your first instalment on the first day of your course and the 7th of each month thereafter. We will divide your support by the number of payment dates between the start of your course and the end of your course. Your first instalment will be a double payment. The reason for this is to help you with initial set up costs, for example, books and a deposit for accommodation. We will keep on making payments until the last 7th of the month before your course ends. If the 7th is not a working day, for example Saturday, Sunday or a bank holiday, we will pay you on the previous working day.
If your course begins on the 7th of the month, you will get a double instalment plus one instalment on that date. This will be a total of 3 instalments on the first day of your course. Your next payment will be on the 7th of the following month.
If your course ends on the 7th of the month, your last payment will be on that date.
If your course ends before the 7th of the month, your last payment will be on the 7th of the previous month.
If you apply after your course starts, or your application is processed after your course starts, we will pay the instalments you are due up to the next 7th of the month and the following instalment will be on the 7th of the month.
Change in bank details
If you need to change your bank account details, you should tell us immediately. Please do this through your personalised online services. If you want to phone us or email us with your new bank details, for security reasons, you must be able to provide us with the following:
- Your Student Reference Number (an eight digit number that can be found on all correspondence from SAAS).
- Your National Insurance Number; and
- Your Date of Birth
However, you should be aware that if you do not make this change at least 3 weeks before the next payment is due, we may not be able to change your details in time for your next payment.
If you have applied to us for a student loan you must also tell the Student Loan Company about this on 0845 026 2019.