A bursary of £8,100 will be available to all youngsters who have experienced the care system

Young people who have experienced the care system are set to receive enhanced support to access higher education.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced at the weekend that the bursary for care-experienced students in further and higher education will be increased this year to £8,100.

The rate will be available to every care experienced person aged under 26 who is studying at university or college.

The announcement means the Care Experienced FE bursary will rise from £4,185 to £8,100 and the Care Experienced HE bursary will go up from £7,625 to £8,100.

It was also announced that £16 million will be invested next year in increasing college bursaries and university grants for students from the lowest income families and that repayment thresholds for student loans will be raised.

“This package reaffirms our commitment that access to university should be based on the ability to learn not the ability to pay,” said Sturgeon.

Who Cares? Scotland chief executive Duncan Dunlop welcomed the announcement, and said it is proof that the First Minister recognises the need to support the care experienced community.

“This announcement will go a long way in helping our members, up to the age of 26, achieve their education ambitions,” he said.

“Our members have dreams and ability to realise them. Reducing the level of all too real anxiety they have, too often, about how they will meet the cost of living, whilst studying, is always the right thing to do.”

Dunlop added that the charity would continue to highlight the need to support those who are over 26 to go onto higher education.