Dental Student Support Grant (DSSG)
Dental students in Scotland can apply for a grant of £4,000 a year to help with the cost of their studies. This is called the Dental Student Support Grant (DSSG).
Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) student who need to repeat all or part of a year during 2021/22 because of Covid-19 can also apply for an enhanced bursary.
Who can apply?
You can apply for a DSSG if you:
- are enrolled for Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) at Aberdeen, Dundee or Glasgow University
- have an annual household income of less than £34,000 per year
- are allowed to live and work in Scotland after graduation
When to apply
You must apply by 31 December in each academic year you want to claim a grant.
Which year you can first apply depends on which University you attend:
University | Year you can first apply for a DSSG |
---|---|
Aberdeen | First |
Dundee | Second |
Glasgow | Second |
How to apply for DSSG
To apply for a DSSG:
1. Application form
Complete the DSSG application form.
2. Get copies of your supporting documents
Find out what documents you need to supply with your application.
Students from Scotland
A copy of your Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).
If you are not eligible for funding from SAAS (for example , you are studying dentistry as a second degree), you may use the following as proof of income:
- tax return
- P60
Students from England, Wales or Northern Ireland
Your confirmation that you're happy for the university to confirm your household income with Student Finance.
International students
Your confirmation that you're eligible to live and work in Scotland after graduation. You'll also need to give proof of your annual household income. Such as a:
- tax return
- income certificate
- proof of earnings
3. Send information to your University
Send the following documents to your University by 31 December each year you want to apply for a grant:
- completed application form
- supporting documents
Where to send your forms
When your application is ready, send it to the University you'll be applying to:
University of Aberdeen
Email: iod-admin@abdn.ac.uk
University of Dundee
Tel: 01382 384801
Email: studentfunding@dundee.ac.uk
University of Glasgow
Student Financial Aid Team
Tel: 0141 330 2216/8778
Email: reg.finaid@admin.gla.ac.uk
Claiming a grant for a repeated year
If you have to repeat a year of your studiesduring 2021/22, you should complete the DSSG application form. You do not need to submit an extenuating circumstances form for 2021/22.
For the 2021/22 academic year only, you do not have to agree to work in NHS dentistry in Scotland following graduation to receive the DSSG and you will not need to pay it back. However, you must still meet all of the eligibility conditions to be able to claim the grant.
You will still have to meet the commitment to work in NHS dentistry in Scotland following graduation for any DSSG you have already received.
Enhanced bursary
Dental students in Scotland who have to repeat a year during 2021/22 because of Covid-19 can apply for an enhanced bursary of up to £6,750.
You must be enrolled for a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) at Aberdeen, Dundee or Glasgow University for the 2021/22 academic year.
How much you can get
The amount you can get depends on your circumstances and household income details.
Young students can get:
- £5,750 if your household income is £33,999 or under
- £4,750 if your household income is £34,000 or over
Independent students can get:
- £6,750 if your household income is £23,999 or under
- £6,250 if your household income is between £24,000 and £33,999
- £4,750 if your household income is £34,000 or over
Young students
You are a young student if all of the following apply on the first day of your course. You:
- are under 25 years of age at the start of the academic year
- do not have a dependent child at the beginning of the academic year
- have not supported yourself through work or benefits outside full-time education for any three years before the first day of the first academic year of your course
- are not married, in a civil partnership or living with a partner
Household income is the combined income of:
- your parents
- your parents partners that live with them
- their civil partner that lives with them
- your legal guardians
Independent students
You are an independent student if one of the following applies:
- you’re over 25 years of age before the start of the academic year
- you have a dependent child at the beginning of the academic year, who lives with you for the majority of the week
- you’ve supported yourself from earnings or benefits outside full-time education for any three years before the first day of the first academic year of your course
- you have no living parents
- you’re married, in a civil partnership or live with a partner before the first day of the first academic year of your course
- you’re estranged from your parents
Household income is the combined income of you and:
- husband
- wife
- civil partner
- partner
How to apply for the enhanced bursary
How you apply depends on your university.
University of Aberdeen
All students who want to apply for the enhanced bursary should:
- complete the enhanced bursary application form
- get copies of your supporting documents
- email your completed application form and copies of your supporting documents to: iod-admin@abdn.ac.uk
Supporting documents you need to send with your application
Students from Scotland
A copy of your Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).
If you are not eligible for funding from SAAS (for example, you are studying dentistry as a second degree), you can use the following as proof of income:
- tax return
- P60
Students from England, Wales or Northern Ireland
Your confirmation that you're happy for the university to confirm your household income with Student Finance.
International students
You'll need to give proof of your annual household income. Such as a:
- tax return
- income certificate
- proof of earnings
University of Dundee
Students will automatically get the minimum enhanced bursary amount of £4,750. You do not need to make an application if you only want to apply for the minimum bursary amount.
If you have a household income of less than £34,000 per year and want to apply for a higher bursary amount you should:
- complete the enhanced bursary application form
- get copies of your supporting documents
- email your completed application form and copies of your supporting documents to: studentfunding@dundee.ac.uk
Supporting documents you need to send with your application
Students from Scotland
A copy of your Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).
If you are not eligible for funding from SAAS (for example, you are studying dentistry as a second degree), you may use the following as proof of income:
- tax return
- P60
Students from England, Wales or Northern Ireland
Your confirmation that you're happy for the university to confirm your household income with Student Finance.
International students
You'll need to give proof of your annual household income. Such as a:
- tax return
- income certificate
- proof of earnings
University of Glasgow
Students will automatically receive the minimum enhanced bursary amount of £4,750. You do not need to make an application if you only want to apply for the minimum bursary amount.
If you have a household income of less than £34,000 per year and want to apply for a higher bursary amount you should:
- complete the enhanced bursary application form
- get copies of your supporting documents
- email your completed application form and copies of your supporting documents to: reg.finaid@admin.gla.ac.uk
Supporting documents you need to send with your application
Students from Scotland
A copy of your Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).
If you are not eligible for funding from SAAS (for example, you are studying dentistry as a second degree), you may use the following as proof of income:
- tax return
- P60
Students from England, Wales or Northern Ireland
Your confirmation that you're happy for the university to confirm your household income with Student Finance.
International students
You'll need to give proof of your annual household income. Such as a:
- tax return
- income certificate
- proof of earnings
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