Guidance for students from Scotland
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-12)

SLC issues guidance for students from Scotland and answers common questions.

Who is SLC and who is SAAS?

Student Loans Company (SLC) pays loans to students from across the UK and collects their loan repayments.

Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) assesses student finance applications and pays bursaries for students from Scotland. They do not pay student loans.

Keep up to date with SAAS by following them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/saasfb), Twitter (https://twitter.com/saastweet), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/studentawardsagencyscotland/), YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/fundingawareness) and TikTok. (https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMd2eXF4D/)

When will I get my first payment?

We can’t pay your loan until your course has started and you’ve registered with your university or college. If you’re not sure when your course starts, you should check with your university or college.

You can check the payment status of your loan by looking at your loan payment letter.

What happens if my course start date has changed?

Your loan payment date will change too. This is because we can’t pay your loan until your course has started and you’ve registered with your university or college.

If you’re eligible for a bursary, SAAS can still pay that on your original course start date. This means it’s likely you’ll get paid your bursary and your loan on different days.

Why does my loan payment letter say ‘awaiting NI’?

This means we’re waiting for your National Insurance (NI) number to be checked with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This can take a few weeks from when SAAS send us your loan entitlement. We can’t pay your loan until we’ve checked and confirmed your NI number with the DWP.

If you haven’t given us an NI number yet or you need to change the one you have given us, call us on xx-xxxx-xxxx.

How do I change my bank details?

You’ll need to call us on xx-xxxx-xxxx. You’ll need to do this even if you’ve already changed your bank details with SAAS because they only pay your bursary.

If you’re expected a payment from us, we require 4 working days’ notice to change the bank details, so the payment is made to the new bank account.

How do I check the progress of my SAAS application?

SAAS do not pay student loans. SAAS assesses loan applications and pays bursaries for students from Scotland.

You should sign in to your SAAS account (https://myportal.saas.gov.uk/saas/login) to check if your application has been assessed.

Who to contact?

Question about your student loan payments?

You should contact SLC if your student loan has been processed by SAAS and you have a question about:
- when you’ll receive your payments
- updating your details
- missing payments
Read the SAAS payment guide (https://www.saas.gov.uk/need-to-know/payments/your-payments) before you contact us.

Telephone: 0300 100 0609Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm

Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

Question about your SAAS application, bursary or grant payments?

You should contact SAAS if:
- you haven’t applied for a student loan yet
- you have applied for a student loan, but your application hasn’t been processed yet
- you have a question about your award notice
Read the SAAS payment guide (https://www.saas.gov.uk/need-to-know/payments/your-payments) before you contact SAAS.

For any other questions, you should contact SAAS (https://www.saas.gov.uk/contact-us).

Question about repaying your loan?

You’ll have to start repaying your loan (https://www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan/when-you-start-and-finish-repaying) when your income is over a certain amount (the ‘threshold’ amount).

You’ll be charged interest from the day you get your first payment.

Read the repaying your student loan guide (https://www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan) before you contact us.

Contact SLC Repayments (https://www.gov.uk/contact-student-loans-company)