Cost of living crisis but financial reasons should never be a barrier to learning – Fife College can help

However, starting a new course can be daunting for those about to take the next step in their education journey.

Those concerns are only heightened due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, leading some to question whether now is the right time to choose study over work.

However, money worries shouldn’t hold anyone back from thinking about studying.

Fife College is committed to ensuring that any prospective and current students who need assistance receive the support that they require, as soon as they decide to study with them.

That support includes a dedicated Student Funding Team, who are always on hand to help with the all of your questions around applying for funding, ensuring everything is in place before you start your course.

The Student Funding Team can also advise on a whole range of additional types of funding that may be available during your studies, such as payment of your tuition fees, bursaries and grants.

The Fife College Guidance Team are also here to help. They can advise on other money issues, providing you with information about eligibility for hardship funds, access to food shop vouchers, and general help with budgeting.

Life-changing Scholarships on Offer

There is also the College’s fantastic scholarship programme, which has given away over £1 million in scholarships to Fife College students.

Adam Smith Scholarships, which is part of Fife College, offer over 30 scholarships every year that are funded by a range of companies and organisations, from Shell UK and Diageo, to Ian Rankin and the Russell Trust. Many students have found receiving a scholarship to be life-changing, enabling them to remain at college, purchase the resources they need to continue with their studies, and achieve their dreams.

Free Breakfast and Lunch for Everyone

Other student support initiatives that can help keep the costs down for Fife College students, include the popular Breakfast Club. All students can enjoy a free breakfast every day, with over 5000 free breakfasts being served since the start of the 2022/23 academic year. There is also a free lunch service for students, offering soup and rolls every lunchtime at al campus refectories.

With free bus travel to all college campuses for those under 22, free gym sessions at the College’s Kirkcaldy campus, and access to free haircuts, free sanitary products, laptops and other devices, there are several ways studying at Fife College could be more affordable than many might think.

Health and Wellbeing Support

It isn’t just help with keeping costs down either - several other support teams are also available to make the college experience the best it can be for all Fife College students.

Vicki Anton, Head of Student Experience at Fife College, says: “Making those first steps into further education, or returning to education after a few years, can be a big change. Here at the College though, the mental health and wellbeing of our students is a top priority for us, from the moment they make that decision to continue or step back into education.

“With Health and Wellbeing Advisors available at every campus, high-quality support for students to safeguard their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing is always nearby.

“Our Employability Team are also here to help students as soon as they enrol. Available at all campuses too, they have a great track record in graduate employability and can offer relevant, practical career advice and help with your CV, meaning students are in the best place possible to go after the best job for them.”

Visit the Fife College website for more information about the wide range of student support on offer.