Studying In Scotland

powpow

Hi,

I already have an Ordinary Degree from an Irish IT. I've been accepted for advanced entry into a Higher Degree course in a Scottish Uni.

Does anyone know if I will be eligible to have my fees paid?

Does anyone else have any experiences studying in scotland?

Thanks!

scotty_irish

pretty sure you won't have to pay fees, only the english have to pay fees in scotland. as for a place to study, scotland rules! have studied in both edinburgh and currently glasgow and both cities are great.

Albain

I studied in Scotland. If it's an undergrad degree SAAS will pay your fees for 4 years. Best going on the SAAS website... they should be able to let you know what you're eligible for.

Lockstep

It used to be the case that as long as you hadn't a Scottish degree already, SAAS would pay your tuition fees. Dunno if this is still the case though.

powpow

Yeah i've been in contact with them and i'm entitled to a single year of tuition fees. Should the hons. degree exceed that it would need to be self funded.

How do you find the cost of living?
One of the offers i'm considering is in Aberdeen and the rent seems very expensive (>£110 p/w)

Albain

It's not cheap to be honest. Aberdeen accommodation is regularly oversubscribed, hence why it's so pricey. In recent years students have been known to defer because they can't find somewhere to live! You can shop around for something cheaper, but sometimes it's worth the hassle to go all inclusive.... which I'm guessing the £110 per week is. If not, then you're being taken for a run! Where are you looking to stay? I've worked in a lot of property in Aberdeen and lived there for a while.

After the rent and bills, day to day is cheaper than home I find. Glasgow will give you the cheapest accommodation, and if you're willing to go a bit away from the university then Edinburgh and Aberdeen can be alright. It's just a decision between pricier and closer... or cheaper and further away. That said in Aberdeen the buses are pretty unreliable, so I would probably pay for the convenience of being close to town/uni... especially trying to get home after a night out!

GaylaBells02

theres no need to pay for fees

powpow

I better get a move on finding a place then!

In Aberdeen i'm looking for anything except student accommodation. Ideally something along the Great Northern Rd. area but I would appreciate any suggestions!

I've been looking on Gumtree and Rightmove, I'm flexible with price as long as I know I'm getting a fair deal. Bearing in mind walking to uni in the Aberdeen weather and my limited drunken walking distance, I'll be looking for something fairly central!


This is the first time I'll be renting outside student accommodation so I appreciate the advice thanks!

Albain

Have you definitely ruled out Student accomm? I stayed in some in Aberdeen that was really nice and more like flats through a student accomm company. Don't know if they're still up to the same standard... but it was a bargain at the time.

You should find something cheap on Great Northern Road.. be careful around Woodside and Sandilands though because it can be pretty rough. If you're going to Aberdeen Uni I'd try and get somewhere near Sunnybank Road - it's usually fairly reasonable around there. Depends which department you're with and if you'd rather be closer to uni or the pubs!

powpow

Yeah I might actually look into that then. The only problem I have with student accommodation is that the noise levels could be a bit of a nightmare at times!

The reason i'm looking at the Great Northern Rd. is because I should have a Job lined up in the area and its right between work and uni. Although its a little far from the city center it would be very convenient.

I'll be moving over in September so do you think I should be going over to look at a few places in the next few weeks? Or is it a little early?


Thanks again for the advice!

Albain

I wouldn't say it's too early for some types of accommodation, traditionally the student accommodation places sell out by April so that gives you an idea of what it's like. It's probably best to beat the rush that happens in August as well.

I stayed with Ardmuir, and it wasn't noisy at all... dont know if I was lucky! They're a bit slow on getting maintenance sorted and their staff aren't great but their prices and flats are pretty good. They're more like a load of flats than seperate student blocks.

If you're def keen on Great N Road, Gumtree is a good bet or Student Pad or Accommodation for Students. Just watch out for the scams, don't pay anything by Western Union! I found accommodation through a sign on campus before so that's also a good plan.

spinandscribble

powpow wrote: »

Yeah i've been in contact with them and i'm entitled to a single year of tuition fees. Should the hons. degree exceed that it would need to be self funded.

I assume you rang some council in ireland?? yes they'll fund the extra year to bring it to a hons.

BUT


the SAAS, if you apply to them, will fund your WHOLE degree. I know that because i have a hons. BA degree in ireland and right now i'm doing another degree over here. Its not a trick, its not a scam. The rule stands the saas will fund any eu student for a degree in scotland if they move here.

powpow

Thanks for the info spinandscribble.

Who should I contact in Ireland?

As far as I was aware this was a matter between me and the SAAS, whom I contacted directly. Their support told me that I was only entitled to a single year, although I can't seem to find any justification for that in writing.

I finished the application to the SAAS so I suppose I should wait for their official response before I take things any further.


Just as a matter of interest, you finished an hons degree in Ireland and you were entitled to do another undergrad for free in Scotland??

spinandscribble

powpow wrote: »

Thanks for the info spinandscribble.

I could be wrong on the extra funding, that might just be for a the grant but i dunno since you did a ordinary degree, do you mean a level 7 or you didn't get a 2.2 in your degree? It doesn't matter anyway, right now its the SAAS you need.

As far as I was aware this was a matter between me and the SAAS, whom I contacted directly. Their support told me that I was only entitled to a single year, although I can't seem to find any justification for that in writing.

I finished the application to the SAAS so I suppose I should wait for their official response before I take things any further.


Just as a matter of interest, you finished an hons degree in Ireland and you were entitled to do another undergrad for free in Scotland??

I'm not sure who or why you'd contact someone in ireland if you can get it for free with the saas.

yes, its a matter for saas. When i applied i didn't ring and ask, i just read the rules online and realised i'd get it free (I also was informed of it on the open day at my new college/told by my careers dept in my fetac centre but i didn't believe it until i read it online). i applied online and did not tell a lie. I was funded this year and I assume that'll carry on.

I've a 2.1 honours degree from NUIG and i am entitled to the undergrad I am now studying in edinburgh.

its just the simple fact is as a EU student you are entailed to 1 funded scottish degree if you go to college in scotland. it says nowhere, "oh but not if you already have a degree".

powpow

It's possible things have changed since you applied spinandscribble,

SAAS support wrote:

Thank you for your e-mail.

Regardless of whether you have gained less than 180 ECTS credits, if you have qualified with a degree we will only be able to offer you support for the honours (4th) year of your course. If your institution are insisting that you complete 2 years we cannot fund you for the first of these. However, if you have gained more than 180 credits, we would not be able to consider you for support in either year.

We cannot keep track of how many credits are awarded for each course, at each institution, in each member state of the EU. It is therefore up to you to show the number of ECTS credits you have gained and you should ask your institution in Ireland for confirmation of this.


Regards,

Even though I've gained exactly 180 ECTS credits, I'm hoping their support are just incompetent!

I've made my application so I'll just wait for their official response.

spinandscribble

Must be a new rule because I did declare I had a BA last year when I applied. Hopefully it won't change this year, if I'm already in the system. i did think it was a weird loop hole tbh.

edit:

found this on the saas website

European Union - previous funding
From session 2011-2012, SAAS will include any government support from an EU member state when assessing new applications for tuition fee funding.

This means that new students who have successfully completed a degree with government support from any EU member state will not be eligible to apply to SAAS for tuition fee support for any subsequent course at a similar or lower level.

For those students who started their course before session 2011-2012, we will not take any support they receive from an EU member state (other than the UK) into account. This will remain the case for the duration of their continuous programme of study.

This change relates to the main student support programme and does not impact on nursing students.

Richard

scotty_irish wrote: »

pretty sure you won't have to pay fees, only the english have to pay fees in scotland.

The Northern Irish and Welsh have to as well.

Richard

spinandscribble wrote: »

Must be a new rule because I did declare I had a BA last year when I applied. Hopefully it won't change this year, if I'm already in the system. i did think it was a weird loop hole tbh.

I think it was dictated to by EU rules, but I know the Scottish govt was looking for a way out of it.