Student Finance and Wellbeing Study (SFWS) Scotland 2023-2024: main report

3. Total student income

3.1. Introduction

This section examines students' incomes for the 2023 to 2024 academic year, looking separately at FE students, HN/undergraduates (full-time and part-time), postgraduates and students from under-represented groups.

The income for students who shared joint financial responsibility with a partner has been adjusted (where that income was judged to be joint rather than individual) following the procedure used in previous Student Income and Expenditure surveys conducted in England and Wales from 2021 to 2022 and prior to this.

Median average amounts for total income are presented in this chapter excluding Tuition Fee Loans. Tuition Fee Loans are available to students to pay their tuition fee costs, but this is money the student does not have direct access to (if they take out the loan) as it is paid directly to their college or university.

Chapters 5 and 6 present the composition of student total income, again excluding Tuition Fee Loans. Chapter 5 examines education-related income and Chapter 6 examines income from paid work, family and friends, social security benefits and from other sources.

3.2 Key findings

The median total income from all sources for the 2023 to 2024 academic year was:

• £8,775 for FE students
• £14,160 for HN/undergraduate students (£13,210 for full-time students, and £17,260 for part-time students)
• £24,038 for postgraduate students, and
• £14,758 for students from under-represented groups

The median total income increased by age:

• For FE students, it was £13,345 for those aged 25 and over compared with £9,849 among those aged 20 to 24 and £4,050 among those aged 16 to 19.
• For HN/undergraduate students aged 25 and over, the median total income was £16,760, compared with £14,640 among those aged 20 to 24 and £10,400 among those aged 16 to 19.
• For postgraduates the median total income for those aged 25 and over was £24,820 compared with £22,240 among those aged 20 to 24.
• For students from under-represented groups the median total income for those aged 25 and over was £17,200 compared with £14,975 among those aged 20 to 24 and £8,018 among those aged 16 to 19.

The median total income was higher for students living independently (renting or with a mortgage) compared with those who lived with parents:

• For FE students the median total income for those who lived independently (renting or with a mortgage) was £13,220 compared with £4,290 for those living with their parents.
• For HN/undergraduate students the median total income for those who lived independently (renting or with a mortgage) was £15,974 compared with £10,680 for those living with their parents.
• For students from under-represented groups the median total income for those who lived independently (renting or with a mortgage) was £16,636 compared with £8,775 for those living with their parents.

3.3. FE students

The median amount of total income for all FE students who received any income was £8,775 for the 2023 to 2024 academic year.

The median total income was:

• £9,970 for female students compared with £4,875 for male students
• £13,345 for those aged 25 and over compared with £9,849 for those aged 20 to 24 and £4,050 for those aged 16 to 19
• £8,865 for those from the 20% most deprived areas, with a similar figure of £8,018 for those from the 80% least deprived areas
• £13,220 for those who lived independently (renting or with a mortgage) compared with £4,290 for those living with their parents.

3.4. HN/undergraduate students

3.4.1. All HN/undergraduates

The median amount of total income for all HN/undergraduates who received any income was £14,160 for the 2023 to 2024 academic year.

The median total income was:

• Similar for female and male students (£14,339 and £13,650 respectively).
• £16,760 for those aged 25 and over compared with £14,640 for those aged 20 to 24 and £10,400 for those aged 16 to 19.
• Similar for those from the 20% most deprived areas compared with those from the 80% least deprived areas (£15,250 and £14,100, respectively).
• £15,974 for those who lived independently (renting or with a mortgage) compared with £10,680 for those living with their parents.

3.4.2. Full-time and Part-time HN/undergraduates

The median total income for full-time HN/undergraduates was £13,210 compared with £17,260 for part-time HN/undergraduates.

Among full-time HN/undergraduates the median total income was similar among female and male students (£13,610 and £12,740). Among part-time HN/undergraduates the median total income for female students was £16,870 compared with £18,950 for male students.

As shown in Figure 3.1 the median total income among full-time HN/undergraduates was £15,285 for those aged 25 and over, £14,120 for those aged 20 to 24 and £10,450 for those aged 16 to 19. A similar pattern was evident among part-time HN/undergraduates.

Among full-time HN/undergraduates the median total income for those from the 20% most deprived areas was £15,160 compared with £13,013 from the 80% least deprived areas. Whereas among part-time HN/undergraduates the median total income for those from the 20% most deprived areas was £15,800 compared with £17,740 from the 80% least deprived areas.

Among full-time HN/undergraduates the median total income for those who lived independently (renting or with a mortgage) was £14,975 compared with £10,470 for those living with their parents. A similar pattern was seen among part-time HN/undergraduates for whom the median total income for those who lived independently (renting or with a mortgage) was £18,300 compared with £11,973 for those living with their parents.

3.5. Postgraduate students

The median amount of total income for all postgraduate students who received any income was £24,038 in academic year 2023 to 2024.

The median total income was:

• £23,650 for female postgraduates and £25,587 for male postgraduates.
• £24,820 for those aged 25 and over compared with £22,240 for those aged 20 to 24.
• £20,550 for those from the 20% most deprived areas compared with £24,906 for those from the 80% least deprived areas.

3.6. Students from under-represented groups

The median amount of total income for students from under-represented groups, who received any income, was £14,758 for the 2023 to 2024 academic year. The median total income for the different sub groups was:

• £15,250 for female students compared with £12,688 for male students
• £17,200 for those aged 25 and over compared with £14,975 for those aged 20 to 24 and £8,018 for those aged 16 to 19
• £13,875 for those from the 20% most deprived areas compared with £14,845 for those from the 80% least deprived areas
• £16,636 for those who lived independently (renting or with a mortgage) compared with £8,775 for those living with their parents.