Childcare Grant (pre-3 years of age) for Postgraduate Research Students

The attention of the School of Divinity has been drawn to a gap in eligibility for registered childcare support under the Scottish Government schemes. Funded early learning and childcare is normally available in Scotland for children aged 3 or 4 years.  There is a national childcare fund to which students funded by the SAAS are eligible to apply. A gap exists for postgraduate research students who are not SAAS-funded and whose children are under the age of 3 years.

The School of Divinity seeks applications for grants towards registered childcare for children less than 3 years of age of postgraduate research students in Divinity. Grants of up to £660 per semester per child have been available on this scheme for since 2023.  Applications for semester 2 of 2024-2025, subject to demand, are now open with a closing date of 10 December 2024.

Eligibility:

  • You are on a postgraduate research programme in Divinity (PhD, MPhil or MSt(Res)). (See below for a note about the eligibility of new students.)
  • You have (or will engage) registered childcare for a child under 3 years of age.
  • You are not eligible for other funding for childcare (e.g., from the SAAS scheme).
  • You are not in receipt of a grant from the University’s Discretionary Fund.

How to apply:

  • You should write a personal statement explaining your eligibility and reason for applying. You should indicate the registered childcare provider you use (or intend to use). This should be sent to the School of Divinity’s EDI Officer (divedi@st-andrews.ac.uk) to be considered confidentially by the Head of School, Divinity’s EDI Officer and a member of staff of the School’s EDI Committee.
  • Deadline for applications in relation to semester 2 of 2024-2025 is 5pm UK time on  December 2024. Late applications will not be considered.

An additional, exceptional, application round was made to cover the summer period (June-August 2024). Applications closed 23 May 2024.

Conditions:

  • A grant is made specifically for the costs of registered childcare provision. Grants will be paid in two instalments in a semester (normally shortly before the start of semester and then in Week 6). Evidence of engagement / payment to a registered childcarer will be required.
  • Students who will commence a postgraduate research programme in Divinity in semester 1 (for which the university’s official start date is 27 September 2024) are eligible to apply in advance of matriculation. Any award is subject to matriculation and may be proportionate; calculated in relation to the student’s start date. (In other words, the grant would cover the period from, for example, 27 September 2024 until 20 December 2024; which is the start of the Christmas vacation.)