Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government continues to encourage further and higher education institutions to offer flexible provision which responds to the needs of the learner while continuing to offer a high quality and relevant learning experience.

Institutions have a statutory duty under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended in 2005) to publish their Disability Equality Schemes. Within many of these published schemes institutions have stated that they are aiming to provide inclusive learning environments and accessible curriculum for disabled students.

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council, in partnership with colleges and universities, are also undertaking two pilot schemes, one for students undertaking further education and one for students in higher education. The aims of these pilots are to improve the assessment processes involved in identifying a student’s additional support needs for their particular course.

Colleges and universities in Scotland are continuing to become more inclusive for all students. They undertake or arrange for an access centre to undertake a needs assessment in order to identify any specific support arrangements that are required for disabled students. These arrangements are made on an individual basis for the student and are based on their needs for undertaking a particular course.

An individual can apply to any college or university in Scotland to undertake a course at further or higher education level as long as they meet the course entry requirements. Entry requirements vary depending on the nature and level of the course, however, they are normally based on the qualifications and experiences of the individual. The location of an institution is just one of the many considerations individuals take into account when choosing where to study.

Attendance fees to undertake a further or higher education course at a college or university within Scotland are dependent upon the residency of the individual. An individual who is studying full time, who is ordinarily resident in Scotland and meets the residency criteria will have their fees paid for by either the Student Awards Agency for Scotland if they are undertaking a higher education course or by the Scottish Funding Council if they are undertaking a further education course.

For a student studying part time or on a distance learning course at a Scottish college or university the student’s fees can be waived if they are on a low income or receiving certain benefits, for example Disability Living Allowance, and the course they are studying qualifies for fee waiver from the Scottish Funding Council.

Further education colleges in Scotland provide a broad range of courses including specialist courses for people with additional support needs as well as providing additional support for students on mainstream courses. Disabled students undertaking a further education course who have extra costs arising from their disability whilst at college in Scotland can apply for an Additional Support Needs for Learning Allowance. This allowance is not income assessed and following an assessment of needs the college decides the amount of allowance a student will receive.

Local authorities have the discretionary power to pay bursaries to students studying further education outwith Scotland. Students studying non advanced courses at college in England may also be eligible for an Educational Maintenance Allowance or and Adult Learning Grant.

The Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) is an non-income assessed allowance intended to cover the extra costs or expenses a student may have while undertaking a higher education course which arises because of their disability. Students can apply for this allowance if they are studying within Scotland or within the rest of the UK.

Colleges and universities in the UK also have a responsibility under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (and as amended in 2005) to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled students are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non disabled students. This can include providing, within reason, equipment, services, appropriate access to buildings and that adjustments are made to teaching practices and assessments. This is an anticipatory duty which means that institutions need to consider adjustments for all types of disabilities.

Institutions are expected to meet their statutory duties from the core funding which is allocated to them by the Scottish Funding Council. Institutions are also allocated additional funding through the Disabled Students Premium and Extended Learning Support to support all disabled students.

Additional support provided to students to attend college or university is based on the individual needs of the student and their needs for undertaking a particular course.

Institutions are expected to provide and develop inclusive provision and to meet their statutory duties, for example under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended in 2005), from the core funds which are allocated to them by the Scottish Funding Council. Institutions are also allocated additional funding through the Disabled Students Premium and Extended Learning Support to support disabled students.

Disabled students can also apply for non income assessed individual allowances which are intended to cover any extra costs or expenses they may have while undertaking a course at college or university which arise as a result of their disability.

It is not possible to provide income thresholds for future years until we know what the RPIX rate is.

Thresholds for academic year 2008-09 were announced on 17 January 2008 in S3W-8542. At this time information on income thresholds was placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 44263).

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.