University of Strathclyde 2025 Childcare Funding

Full-time eligible students attending the University will be able to apply for assistance with registered childcare costs through the Childcare Fund. To qualify, children must be under 15 years old, or under 17 if they have special educational needs. Childcare Fund awards are granted in addition to any other funding a student receives.

Please ensure you have utilised all funded early learning and childcare (ELC) options, as you must maximise these to be eligible for the Childcare Fund. You can find links in the further information section of this web page to find out what you may be eligible to. 

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirments
• Interview Process
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineMay 31, 2025
• Study LevelUndergraduate
• SponsorUniversity of Strathclyde
• City to studyGlasgow
• Eligible CountryUnited Kingdom

Benefits

The scholarship is partially funded

Requirements

To be eligible for support from the Childcare Fund for registered childcare, students must be receiving SAAS tuition fees and the full living cost loan, which includes the £2,400 Special Support Loan. This loan is intended to help cover general study, travel, and childcare costs. As a result, £800 (one-third of the Special Support Loan) will be considered when assessing your eligibility for childcare support.

If your childcare expenses are approximately £20 or less per week, you may not be eligible for additional support from the Childcare Fund, as these costs should be manageable through your Special Support Loan.

Interview Dates and Process

The University receives an allocation of Childcare Fund from the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).  SAAS issues guidance on administering the Fund and the University has a policy to best manage local demands. In order to ensure that the Childcare Fund can assist as many students as possible we have a University of Strathclyde Childcare Fund Policy: This link opens a PDF document for Childcare Fund applications. 

The Childcare Fund is intended to provide a significant contribution to childcare costs, but is not intended to cover the full cost of wraparound, full time childcare.

The Childcare Fund will help students over their academic year:

• PGDE 14 August 2024 to 20th December 2024 13th January 2025 until 22nd May 2025
• Undergraduate 16th September 2024 to 20th December 2024 13th January 2025 until 23nd May 2025
• Postgraduate 16th September 2024 to 20th December 2024 13th January 2025 until 31 July 2025

 When assessing your application we will take into account the following:

• If eligible, you must be using the free childcare places or equivalent discount to which you are entitled under the Scottish Government’s scheme for 3 and 4 year olds. If you choose to use a provider that does not participate in the scheme, you may not be eligible to the childcare fund.
• If you are eligible we expect you to apply for the childcare element of Universal Credits to help with the cost of childcare.
• For lone parents, we will also take into account the Lone Parent Childcare Grant which we will assess at the same time as your Childcare Fund application.
• We will also take into account the overall cost of your childcare and the cost per hour or session.
• We will consider how the childcare applied for relates to your study commitments and personal circumstances.
• We will also consider whether anyone who shares caring responsibilities for your child(ren) can provide some of the childcare you need.

Depending on the demand on the Fund, level of awards could change throughout the year.

Application Deadline

May 31, 2025

How To Apply

Are you qualified and interested in this opportunity? Kindly go to University of Strathclyde on studentsupport.strath.ac.uk to apply

1. Students have to apply to the childcare fund each semester. The current application is to cover semester 1 childcare. Students who apply for support with semester 1 childcare will be contacted when applications open for semester 2. 
2. You complete the application form and your childcare provider(s) complete Annex A detailing what childcare they have been asked to provide and the cost.

Application and Annex A for semester 1 childcare:

Online Application

Download this, you need it completed to submit with your application - 

Annex A for semester 1 - Childcare Funding Semester 1: This link opens a PDF document

Annex B for semester 2 - Childcare Funding Semester 2: This link opens a PDF document

Funding and Financial Support Privacy Notice: This link opens a PDF document

For more details, visit University of StrathclydeScholarship webpage