Sufficient maintenance funding is vital to support students through
university – yet support payments in Scotland are lower than England,
and drop-out rates correspondingly higher. Too many students have to
work excessive hours to afford to stay at university, with negative
consequences for their education.
Government finances are limited, but
we can do better – compell parents to provide the parental
contributions they are assessed for; extend means testing to provide
more funding for those who most need it and ensure that students are
informed of all scholarship and bursary opportunities.
