College funding

Our core funding for colleges contributes to the cost of providing learning and teaching and funds academic, administrative, technical and support staff. It also funds facilities, accommodation, equipment and materials. We also provide student support funds to colleges.

Colleges that we fund

We currently provide funding support to 26 colleges (within 13 college regions) in Scotland.

College funding announcements and Outcome Agreements

College funding announcements are issued throughout each year and Outcome Agreements set out what colleges plan to deliver in return for SFC funding. 

Student Support

We provide student support funding to colleges for bursaries, childcare, Education Maintenance Allowance and discretionary funds for students up to, but not including, Higher National Certificate level.

European Social Fund

Scottish colleges currently receive funding through our work with the European Social Fund (ESF), which supports employability initiatives like vocational training places for young people.

Widening Access

SFC funding for Widening Access supports education that is accessible to learners from all backgrounds and all of our actions contribute to delivering the targets and recommendations outlined in A Blueprint for Fairness.

Skills and Economic Transformation

Funding to colleges for skills and economic transformation comes from a number of funding streams, including Flexible Workforce Development Fund; Foundation Apprenticeships; and National Transition Training Fund (NTTF) / Young Person’s Guarantee (YPG).

Capital

Capital funding for colleges covers land, buildings and equipment and supports our work to secure effective and sustainable spaces for learning, research and innovation.

Non-core programme funding

We also provide funding through our non-core programme funds to support national priorities in Scotland’s colleges.