Question reference: S6W-17092
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 25 April 2023
-
Current status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 9 May 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average real terms spending, based on current prices, was for a Scotland-domiciled student attending a Scottish university and in receipt of a (a) bursary and (b) grant, in each year since 2007.
Answer
The following table reflects the various bursaries and grants that existed since 2007. The types of bursaries and grants that were available each year varied and some replaced others. The bursaries and grants available to students depended on their circumstances as well as the type of course they were studying.
Table 1: Average Bursary and Grant spend in cash and real terms (2021-22 prices), 2007-08 to 2021-22 | ||||
Year | Average Bursary | Average Grant | ||
Cash terms | Real terms (2021-22 prices) | Cash terms | Real terms (2021-22 prices) | |
2007-08 | £3,255 | £4,279 | £2,295 | £3,018 |
2008-09 | £3,041 | £3,859 | £2,180 | £2,766 |
2009-10 | £2,028 | £2,539 | £2,157 | £2,701 |
2010-11 | £2,867 | £3,531 | £1,799 | £2,216 |
2011-12 | £2,713 | £3,283 | £2,395 | £2,898 |
2012-13 | £2,476 | £2,945 | £1,927 | £2,292 |
2013-14 | £2,084 | £2,429 | £2,027 | £2,362 |
2014-15 | £2,150 | £2,478 | £1,994 | £2,298 |
2015-16 | £2,239 | £2,560 | £2,048 | £2,342 |
2016-17 | £2,327 | £2,607 | £2,049 | £2,295 |
2017-18 | £2,369 | £2,611 | £2,361 | £2,602 |
2018-19 | £2,424 | £2,624 | £2,444 | £2,646 |
2019-20 | £2,903 | £3,064 | £2,553 | £2,695 |
2020-21 | £3,468 | £3,444 | £2,653 | £2,635 |
2021-22 | £3,657 | £3,657 | £2,609 | £2,609 |
Source: SG analysis of SAAS and HM Treasury data;
Notes:
1. Bursary includes: Young Student Bursary, Independent Student Bursary, Young Student Outside of Scotland Bursary, Student Outside of Scotland Bursary, Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary (NMSB), and Scottish Government Health Department Bursary.
2. Grant includes: Dependents Grant, Lone Parent Grant, Lone Parent Childcare Grant, Disabled Students Allowance, and Undergraduate and Postgraduate Standard Maintenance Allowance.
Bursaries such as NMSB were only available to a specific cohort of students.
3. SAAS have advised that there are data record issues in years up to and including 2012-13, therefore average bursary and grant values from 2007-08 to 2012-13 arelikely to be less accurate than more recent years.
4. Real terms figures are presented in 2021-22prices, based on HM Treasury's GDP deflators at market prices, and money GDP March 2023 (Quarterly National Accounts) series, published 3 April 2023.
Table 1: Average Bursary and Grant spend in cash and real terms (2021-22 prices), 2007-08 to 2021-22 | ||||
Year | Average Bursary | Average Grant | ||
Cash terms | Real terms (2021-22 prices) | Cash terms | Real terms (2021-22 prices) | |
2007-08 | £3,255 | £4,279 | £2,295 | £3,018 |
2008-09 | £3,041 | £3,859 | £2,180 | £2,766 |
2009-10 | £2,028 | £2,539 | £2,157 | £2,701 |
2010-11 | £2,867 | £3,531 | £1,799 | £2,216 |
2011-12 | £2,713 | £3,283 | £2,395 | £2,898 |
2012-13 | £2,476 | £2,945 | £1,927 | £2,292 |
2013-14 | £2,084 | £2,429 | £2,027 | £2,362 |
2014-15 | £2,150 | £2,478 | £1,994 | £2,298 |
2015-16 | £2,239 | £2,560 | £2,048 | £2,342 |
2016-17 | £2,327 | £2,607 | £2,049 | £2,295 |
2017-18 | £2,369 | £2,611 | £2,361 | £2,602 |
2018-19 | £2,424 | £2,624 | £2,444 | £2,646 |
2019-20 | £2,903 | £3,064 | £2,553 | £2,695 |
2020-21 | £3,468 | £3,444 | £2,653 | £2,635 |
2021-22 | £3,657 | £3,657 | £2,609 | £2,609 |