Summer support for students: review

Introduction

The First Steps 2021 document committed to commence a review of the future of student summer support. This commitment followed the recommendation from the 2018 independent review of student support to allow flexibility for students around when they would receive financial support.

Currently, student support payments are paid during term time and do not extend into the summer months. To introduce this form of financial support to students over the summer would require for these payments to be provided over a 12 month period. These payments would also need to be set at a higher rate if students are to see an increase in their monthly income.

It is imperative that we implement a long-term sustainable solution to support students over the summer period with due consideration to the current cost of living crisis and in the context of developing policy for reform across the post school education, research and skills ecosystem.

As part of the 2020/21 Programme for Government, the Scottish Government committed to introduce a range of substantial reforms to student support, including:

• a commitment that the total student support package reaches the equivalent of the Living Wage over the next three years;
• undertaking a 2 year programme to give students in receipt of the Care Experienced Bursary the option to receive their current funding in 12 monthly payments. We will use the findings of this to determine whether it should be extended to the undergraduate package from 2024/2025.

The introduction of a 12 monthly payment option combined with a package of support equivalent to the living wage would provide students with an improved financial support package for the duration of their studies, including over the summer. However, further consideration is also needed on how the current student support system operates to ensure that it is supportive and equitable in delivering for the people of Scotland.

Whilst this is the long-term goal, the Scottish Government recognised the need to review the support available to students over the summer more generally. This review sets out the steps taken to build an evidence base on the needs of students over summer, the mechanisms currently in place, and interim solutions for implementation whilst working towards the longer-term goal.