Applying for next year's student loan in Scotland

maggiesoop

Hi all

My son and I are looking at the SAAS application form (we realise can't send it in for a while yet) but in the bit where it asks about his income, there's not a breakdown of financial income (like in the parent's bit) it just says "income"

He's been earning some money this year working a few nights in a hotel plus he will have some interest from savings. Does he just lump it altogether and put it in that box or does he have to say the amount and where each bit of income comes from?

Thanks.

alyth

I'm a mature student and my income comes from a variety of sources - inheritance, savings, employment. From memory, and I'm going into my final year I just put all my income in together. I've never had a problem, saying that I am the only person I have ever known never to have had a problem with SAAS!

phona

I'd like to say I've never had a problem with SAAS either - shall we form a club?

To answer the original question, just put all the income in the box. SAAS splits students' earnings into earned (ie jobs) and unearned (benefits and savings interest). Earned income does not affect your son's entitlement and it's unlikely he earns enough interest for that to matter either. This is probably why they don't ask for as much detail as for the parental income part.
If SAAS want more information, they'll ask for it. Make sure he keeps payslips etc in case they are needed as evidence.

Source: http://www.saas.gov.uk/student_support/contrib_three.htm

maggiesoop

Thanks to both for replies.

Can I also ask another question.... in the section that I, as the parent, need to fill in, it doesn't ask how much I may have in savings only how much interest I may have received. This is puzzling me?

I thought any benefits you get from the Government (Family Tax etc etc) was "means tested " and if you have savings of over a certain amount then you didn't get it?

phona

It asks only about the interest you receive because SAAS are assessing your income, not your assets. They are asking about your income to determine how much you can afford to contribute to his education. Your savings are not considered since we (as students) are not automatically entitled to our parents' life savings! Surely you would consider it unfair if you were penalised for saving for his time at university?
Don't think of the student loan as a benefit. It is a repayable loan at a low interest rate.

Finally, all you can do is fill in the form to completion. Use the online form and it won't let you submit it incomplete. Don't get worried about anything they're not asking!