Scottish Government - Childcare Fund

Childcare Fund at the University of Edinburgh

During your term, you will receive a grant that aims to cover your registered childcare costs in full. There is no fixed amount. The University will cover the actual costs of childcare during your on-campus study period, subject to the availability of Scottish Government funding. Allocations vary from year to year and are awarded on a ‘first come, first served’ basis until funds are exhausted. This is a grant, not a loan, so you will never have to repay it, unless it was applied for fraudulently. It is administered by the University’s Scholarships and Student Finance Team and funded by the Scottish Government.

Who can apply

• Your degree: You are a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate student at the University of Edinburgh. Part-time students and PhD students are not eligible to apply.
• Your loan: You are already receiving an income-based maintenance loan from your funding agency, such as SAAS, SFE or SFNI, and have received your first payment. You must have claimed your full entitlement.
• Your enrolment: You are fully enrolled for the current academic year. Enrolment solely for the purpose of sitting examinations, repeat years and approved study breaks do not count towards this.
• Your childcare: You are using a formal, registered childcare service, such as a childminder, a nursery, an after-school care centre, a babysitting service or a pre-school. Care provided by friends or family members does not count as such.
• Free places first: You are already making use of all the free childcare hours to which you are entitled under the Scottish programme for 3- and 4-year-olds.
• Other benefits: You have first applied for all the state benefits to which you are entitled, such as child benefit, tax credits and housing benefit.
• Not eligible: International students, recipients of NHS scholarships, students on courses in paramedicine, nursing and midwifery, and students from England, Wales or Northern Ireland who are already receiving a childcare allowance.

How to apply

You can apply online at any time via the university’s student finance portal. There is no fixed application deadline. Priority is given to single parents, students who have been brought up in care, and students who have no contact with their parents. During busy periods, it may take three to five weeks for your application to be processed.

How realistic are your chances?

This fund has limited resources, so the number of eligible applicants is small. You must be studying in Edinburgh, be a full-time student from the United Kingdom who is receiving an income-contingent student loan, and be using a registered childcare provider. If you clearly meet these criteria, you should apply as early as possible, as funds are allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis until they are exhausted. Single parents and students who have lived in care are given priority.