Postgraduate social work student bursaries in Scotland will increase by almost 50% on average in the 2025-26 academic year.
Students commencing courses in the academic year beginning August 2025 will be able to apply for £11,000 to support them through each year of their studies – this is split between £6,000 towards living costs and £5,000 for course fees (which are typically at least £7,000 annually). The average bursary previously available to postgraduate social work students was valued at £7,415.
The scheme, funded by the Scottish Government and administered by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), will provide support to postgraduate students with a household income of less than £34,000 in the coming academic year. However, the Scottish Government has reduced the number of bursaries available from 300 per year down to 250 per year.
Additional allowances for students who are carers or who have disabilities will continue to be available for those eligible.
Students can apply for the support from 1st June 2025 through the SSSC website.
Minister for The Promise Natalie Don-Innes said:
“Social workers play a vital role in supporting people and their families within their communities. We are determined to support more people to acquire the skills and knowledge to enter social work, and these increased bursaries will help to remove financial barriers for many postgraduate students amidst the wider cost of living crisis.
“This increased bursary is in addition to wider support, including grants to support social work students undertaking mandatory assessed practice learning placements and loans for tuition and cost-of-living support for those not eligible for the SSSC bursary.”
John McGowan, SWU General Secretary, stated:
“This decision from the Scottish Government represents a step towards ensuring that PG students who wish to become social workers are financially supported further to do so. We have been proud to support this campaign so far and will continue to do so until we see meaningful reform of all social work bursaries in Scotland.”
Alison Bavidge, National Director of the Scottish Association for Social Work, said:
“This is excellent news for postgraduate social work students. It is a significant piece of the jigsaw Scotland needs to put in place to deliver the social workers of the future. It should help to make social work a more attractive career and enable a wider range of applicants. Recognition should go to Lucy Challoner and David Grimm, ex-students from Glasgow Caledonian University, who have campaigned for increased bursaries over recent years.
While this improvement to the postgraduate bursary is very welcome, we hope the Scottish Government will build on this progress and further enhance support to ensure social work is an accessible profession.”
Previous SWU Campaign Fund successes and ongoing campaigns
Prior to this bursary rise, and in response to this joint SWU and SASW campaign, the Scottish Government extended student loan access to postgraduate social work students who were ineligible for a bursary and increased practice learning support from £350 to £750 per placement.
SWU worked successfully alongside BASW Cymru in 2022 to back a student-led campaign that secured an increase of over 50% for both undergraduate and postgraduate social work student bursaries in Wales. SWU is currently campaigning with BASW Northern Ireland to bring substantial and meaningful change to the Social Work Student Incentive Scheme.
These student bursary campaigns – and many more including anti-poverty campaigning, flexible working in Scottish social work, and UK media portrayal of social workers – have been supported by the SWU Campaign Fund. Any SWU member who would like to run their own campaign is encouraged to submit their idea for funding. We are proud to be able to support our members to set priorities and engage in impactful activism in this innovative way.