Talk:Student Awards Agency for Scotland

The figures in this article are a little out of date and need updating.

This article reads like it came from the SAAS website. It is very pro-SAAS in its stance. It makes no mention of the various controversies that have surrounded this funding body (A bit unfair, it is Parliment that sets policy, SAAS only carries it out). For example, the controversy surrounding the "Graduate Endowment". It has been called by some a Graduation Tax. This is denied by the Scottish Executive. But when a government demands payment in exchange for the services they have (or claimed to have) rendered, then that is a tax. To avoid paying it all one needs to do is fail (yes, because you have recieved no benefit from going to university). Therefore it is a tax on graduation QED I have corrosponded with the SAAS on this matter extensively and, after backing them into a corner, I got them to admit that the term "Graduate Endowment" was rather misleading. An endowment is after all, usually something one receives (not necessarily, it is also something one pays into, which is what one does with the GE). My opinion, and this isn't wiki-worthy, is that the Graduate Endowment is in fact a Graduation Tax, and the government deliberately splits hairs to try and conceal this because it would be an unpopular policy (no, it was made clear when it was being initially discussed. There was a consultation document sent out, and it was widley discussed in the media). It is yet another case of the government abusing the "Rich Student Myth" (On average graduates do earn more than non-graduates, but not all do). I have been a student for 5 years and I live in poverty! It is like calling Gay Marriage a Civil Partnership. They just change the name to ensure a policy that would otherwise meet resistance can slide through. 134.36.58.55 10:30, 12 July 2006 (UTC)

''The Graduate Endowment is not tax. It is used to allow the continued funding of Higher Education, SAAS would NEVER say it was a tax. While universities recieve £1,700 a year in fees, universities are given more money by the Executive and the GE is a way to allow them to afford this and to allow continued funding of Higher Education for future generations.'' The only alternative would be higher taxes, or to take money from other services. Anybody dissatisfied with the situation should contact their MSP, it was, after all, the MSP's who voted for the current financial arrangements.

I'm looking for a proper discussion here, this is a rather childish argument. I say "It is" and you replry "no it isnt". That is not debate. 172.200.181.36 13:02, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

''I'm quite happy to withdraw my comments, but they are based on experience. I have taken out the more childish parts of my argument, but the origional comments are innacurate in a number of places.''


 * To move this forward, if there are documented criticisms from reputable sources they should be included. Personal opinions from users are not whats needed. For example do we have comments from the SNP or others on the issue?Weggie 16:18, 12 October 2006 (UTC)

''As far as I know the SNP are against it and have pledged to abolish it if elected. What their alternative to fund tuition fees, the bursary and other grants is, I haven't heard, but it is probably worth looking at their website. Noone was really in favour of the GE, but it seems to have been the best of a bad set of choices available. SAAS would actually like to replace the GE sometime in the future.''


 * http://election.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=783&id=1474372006Weggie 09:30, 13 October 2006 (UTC)

I wonder how the Lib Dems plan to replace the funding hole that taking away the GE will create? At the moment that is the main reason for having it, to allow the Exec to continue funding students in Higher Education. While students are being asked to pay a figure of £2,289 if they start this year, it does cost the taxpayer something like £20,000 per student to put someone through a degree, and contrast that to England and Wales where a student will be left at least £9,000 in debt. The Graduate Endowment does hurt students, there is no doubt about that, but it seems to have been a bad choice among a set of even worse ones.

It is certainly worthwhile following some of the links provided on the main page to get some of the background. It seems as if the recomendations had been fully implemented students would have been paying an even higher ammount of GE.

Personally I do hope we can get rid of it, it's a real source of stress and hardship.

"Alex Salmond has abolished the Graduate Endowment fee with immediate effect, as of 01/06/07"

Does the First Minister have the power to repeal an Act of Parliament without a vote or legislation? Doing a bit of reading on the net it seem that it is 'planned' to abolish the GE, but that it has not happened yet see: for example. Note the story says "The SNP has confirmed plans".

Apparently tuition fees are not only paid for by the SAAS for Scottish but also EU (but NOT UK) students Source: ''Home fee students domiciled in Scotland or other EU countries (excluding England, Wales and Northern Ireland), starting a first degree or equivalent course in a Scottish university or college will not be required to make a personal contribution towards the cost of their annual tuition if they are studying for the first time. All such tuition fees will be paid on your behalf by the Scottish Executive through the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). Students must apply for this funding on a yearly basis.'', Uni St Andrews website --Johanneshahn (talk) 15:29, 28 February 2008 (UTC)