SFC news published since 2018. See SFC archived content for earlier news articles.
Photos: UHI Perth, Forth Valley College, Dundee and Angus College
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has announced its indicative funding allocations for the next academic year.
Based on the education and skills provision announced in the 2026-27 Scottish Budget, today’s allocations will maximise opportunities for learners and support for colleges and universities at a time of financial restraint.
The college sector in Scotland will see a significant 8% increase to the funding allocated for teaching in 2026-27. The rise represents a £42.5 million uplift compared with the current year’s allocation. The money colleges will receive for the ongoing maintenance of their campuses and infrastructure will remain the same year-on-year at £32 million. However, an extra £8.2 million will be made available for colleges’ high priority needs, bringing the total to £10.7 million in this area of funding.
Scotland’s universities and their students will benefit from a 3.3% (23.7 million) increase in the funding allocated for teaching activities. Researchers and those working to transform discovery into innovations for society and the economy will see a 26.8 million (just over 8%) rise in their funding for 2026-27.
Martin Boyle, Chief Operating Officer at the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“Colleges and universities play a vital role in Scotland’s economy, creating the skills, knowledge and innovations needed for our future prosperity and well-being. They are also transformative in the lives of the people who learn and work in them.
“The uplift in college and university funding announced in the Budget has allowed us to allocate funding that maximises opportunities for learners and supports institutions to continue delivering world-leading research and ground-breaking innovation.”
Full details of the indicative funding allocations for Scotland’s colleges and universities can be found on the SFC website.
