ILA Scotland

May 2010

ILA500 scheme extension announced

Keith Brown, Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning announced that the ILA500 scheme will be extended in 2010-11 to include qualifications at SCQF level 11. He said: "Postgraduate skills are recognised as increasingly important for forging the knowledge-based economy which is crucial for continuing the economic recovery and beyond.

“More than 70 per cent of Scottish taught postgraduate students study part-time; a hugely important part of our current postgraduate provision.

“We introduced the £500 grant for part-time postgraduate students for the last academic year. It has proved successful, providing real help to existing graduates who are working , facing redundancy or unemployed. Already this year more than 400 postgraduate students have taken advantage of this new funding.

During the past academic year, the ILA500 scheme has provided partial fees support of £500 to more than 400 part-time students on low incomes or who are on benefits.

Reacting to the current economic climate and the higher than usual level of graduates affected by redundancy, the Scottish Government has decided to extend the scheme for another year.

You can see the full Scottish Government press release here.

Changes to the ILA Scotland scheme announced

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Secretary today announced a variety of changes to the ILA Scotland scheme that will provide increased support for individual and workforce development, throughout the current economic climate.

The changes, which will be available to learners from academic year 2009 - 10, include:

• Increasing the income threshold from £18,000 to £22,000
• Reducing the minimum study requirement for ILA500 from 50% of a full - time course to 40 Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF) credits
• Widening the range of courses eligible for ILA500 funding to include part - time taught postgraduate courses at SCQF level 11, initially for academic year 2009 - 10 only, with a review at the end of the first year in light of economic conditions.

January 09