Know your rights

Graduate Endowment repayment - an update!

On 9th June the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop, announced that Ministers would not be requesting repayment of any deferred graduate endowment fee until the students concerned complete their studies. Regulations have also been laid in the Scottish Parliament enabling students to pay their deferred graduate endowment fees through the student loans system.

This announcement follows a letter from SAAS in March demanding immediate payment from 2,457 students who had completed a first course of undergraduate study but who were continuing in higher education and who chose to defer payment of the Graduate Endowment until after they graduated. NUS Scotland has received significant numbers of enquires from postgraduate students concerned and confused about the repayment.

Should this legislation pass through parliament as expected by 30th June, those students continuing in higher education who have not yet paid the Graduate Endowment will be able to defer payment. All those who have taken out a student loan to pay the fee will be able to choose to defer payment by winding down their existing loan and taking a new one out to pay the remainder of the Graduate Endowment after they graduate. We understand the Government is considering options for those students who paid the Graduate Endowment in cash after receiving the demand for payment.

NUS Scotland will continue to monitor the progress of this legislation over the next month and will work with the Scottish Parliament and Government to protect the rights of students to study free from debt and hardship.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about these changes, please contact NUS Scotland.

NUS Scotland's Wee Red Book of Student Money

NUS Scotland's Wee Red Book of Student Essentials

NUS Scotland's Wee Red Book of Student Wellbeing

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