How much does SWAP cost?

What funding can I get? 

Most students are entitled to have the tuition fees for their SWAP programme paid for. In this sense, the SWAP programme is free for the vast majority of our students.  

In addition to tuition fee funding, many of our students are also entitled to receive a small college bursary to help with living costs while studying. The funding you are entitled to will depend on your personal circumstances.  

Decisions on funding eligibility are taken at college level, so it is a good idea to speak to the relevant college student funding team for advice. You don’t need to wait until you apply, or you have a place on a programme - in fact, it’s better to contact them before you apply to check that you’ll be able to manage financially. 

College Funding Document (external link)

Can I keep my job? 

SWAP programmes are full-time, meaning about 18 hours of contact time (e.g. lessons) per week timetabled over about 3-4 days, and self-study on top of that. We don’t recommend you work full-time alongside your study, but many of our students are able to balance a part-time job – often evening or weekend hours – with their study commitments.  

Your chosen college should be able to provide you with an example timetable to give you an idea of how this workload will be spread across your week. The finalised timetable, however, may not be available until shortly before the start date of your SWAP programme. 

Will my benefits be affected? 

Full-time study can impact your entitlement to benefits.  If you are in receipt of benefits, you should speak to your benefits advisor to find out whether they would be affected.   

What other financial support is available? 

College student support teams are an important source of help on funding questions. Most colleges offer some form of additional support for students with childcare commitments, and they may also offer some limited help with travel costs.  

Colleges usually set a small amount of hardship funding aside to help students in urgent financial difficulties. If you do end up in a tight spot, ask for help.

What support is available when I go on to HNC/D or University? 

Decisions on eligibility for funding at university or higher education programmes at college are taken by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).  

Most SWAP students will be entitled to have their university tuition fees funded, but again this will depend on your personal circumstances. The best thing to do is to contact SAAS for advice.  You don’t need to wait until you are applying to university – it’s always best to check out the situation in advance. 

Go to the SAAS website

Universities offer a range of student scholarships and bursaries. These vary between universities and subjects, and some will have very specific eligibility criteria. Details of these can be found on university websites and are worth checking out later, once you have applied to university. 

If you are care experienced, you'll have access to a Care Experienced Students Bursary.

University Funding Document (external link)