Summer support for students: review

Ministerial Foreword

As the Minister with responsibility for Higher and Further Education, I am pleased to introduce the findings and recommendations of this review.

In May 2021, we committed to begin a review of the future of student summer support. As a first step, we provided an additional £20 million to support students over summer 2021 and established a Student Support Stakeholder Engagement Group in August 2021 to inform the Review of Summer Support for Students.

As a government, we recognise the need to deliver a long-term sustainable solution for supporting students over the summer months. This report details interim recommendations, progress to date and the next steps to achieving our long term goal of tackling inequality. I am pleased to confirm that the majority of the recommendations have been implemented, including; the creation of a dedicated page on the Student Information Scotland website providing guidance and links to helpful resources to support students over the summer; and the launch of a 12 monthly payment option for Higher Education students in receipt of the Care Experienced Bursary.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Student Support Stakeholder Engagement Group and other stakeholders who contributed to this important piece of work. Your collaboration and feedback has helped steer this review and ensure that its findings and recommendations represent the needs of students studying across higher and further education in Scotland.

I would especially like to thank the students who gave up their time to share their experiences as part of the student engagement workshops. Your insights were invaluable in helping to shape the final recommendations on how the support available to students over the summer can be improved in the short, medium and long-term.

Graeme Dey, MSP

Minister for Higher Education, Further Education & Veterans