Publication July 2025

Bursaries, scholarship programmes and the benefits system

This report, produced by Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, explores how scholarship and bursary offers interact with Universal Credit and other key benefits for students. It focuses primarily on mature full-time university students, particularly lone parents, new parents, care-experienced students, and carers. The report also considers these groups in higher education at college, with reference to Carer Support Payment where relevant. A secondary focus is on prospective students earlier in the learner journey, such as school pupils and adult returners. Part-time students, college FE students, and apprentices are covered briefly.