From this academic year all eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students will receive a grant of £750 to support them while on each assessed placement.
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) will pay the grant directly to eligible students. The grant is to support with costs incurred while undertaking the practice learning placements that are a mandatory component of qualifying courses.
Use of grant
Students can use the grant flexibly, however it is intended for expenses incurred, such as:
- travel to and from their placement location
- personal subsistence of the student eg work clothing/meals etc
- other practical or wellbeing requirements which enable practice learning participation.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the grant, students must:
- be a home student, resident according to SAAS residency criteria
- be on a social work qualifying programme approved by the SSSC
- be studying full time
- be undertaking a period of assessed practice learning (year one or two postgraduate; year three or four undergraduate) from August this year with verification of their attendance on placement provided to the SSSC by the university and/or placement provider (payment will be made within 15 working days of receipt of verification)
- not be sponsored by an employer for their studies (ie must not already be in receipt payment towards programme fees, or payment in lieu of studies).
Eligible students will no longer claim travel directly through universities as this grant is intended to be used to cover the costs. Only students who are ineligible for the PLSG should apply for support from their university. Exceptional travel costs may be supported by university discretionary funds.
Implementation
All eligible students starting an assessed practice placement from August this year will receive the grant. We will contact students directly with guidance on how to claim the grant in September. Students will receive payments from October 2024.