SNP rules out extra cash for Scots Students
15 December, 2009
INCREASING financial support for thousands of Scottish students has been ruled out by the government in a move slammed as "dangerously shortsighted".Mike Russell, the new Education Secretary, has confirmed that state-backed loans to students will remain at a level amounting to hundreds of pounds less than those available to their counterparts south of the Border.
Tens of thousands of students will be affected by the decision, with student leaders claiming that dropout rates, which are already high, will increase as a result of hardship during the recession.
The maximum means-tested loan support for students classed as being dependent on their families in Scotland is £5,852 per year, dropping to £5,067 for those from wealthier backgrounds. However, in England, students whose families are on a similar level of income can borrow a maximum £6,403. This means that, in comparison, Scottish students could be out of pocket by up to £1,336.
Read the full artilce in the Scotland on Sunday
