Practice Learning Support Grant (PLSG)

Scottish Government is funding new arrangements to support social work students on placement.

From academic year 2024 all eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students will receive a grant of £750 to support them while on each assessed placement. The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) will pay the grant directly to eligible students. The grant is to support with costs incurred while undertaking the practice learning placements that are a mandatory component of qualifying courses.

Use of grant

Students can use the grant flexibly, however it is intended for expenses incurred, such as:

• travel to and from their placement location
• personal subsistence of the student eg work clothing/meals etc
• other practical or wellbeing requirements which enable practice learning participation.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the grant, students must:

• be an ordinary resident in Scotland according to SAAS residency criteria
• be on a social work qualifying programme approved by the SSSC
• be studying full time
• be undertaking a period of assessed practice learning (year one or two postgraduate; year three or four undergraduate) from August 2024 with verification of their attendance on placement provided to the SSSC by the university and/or placement provider (we will make payment within 15 working days of receiving verification)
• not be sponsored by an employer for their studies (ie must not already be in receipt of payment towards programme fees, or payment in lieu of studies).

Eligible students will no longer claim travel directly through universities as this grant is intended to be used to cover the costs. Only students who are ineligible for the PLSG should apply for travel support from their university. Exceptional travel costs may be supported by university discretionary funds.

Exceptional travel/accommodation costs

Students who incur costs which exceed the £750 PLSG for attending placements can claim for additional travel or accommodation costs beyond this amount. We will require evidence of these costs and students who this applies to should contact PLSG@sssc.uk.com for more information on the process to claim exceptional costs.

In placement travel costs (business travel) incurred by a student while on placement remain the responsibility of the placement provider.

Implementation

All eligible students starting an assessed practice placement from August this year will receive the grant. We will contact students directly with guidance on how to claim the grant in September. Students will receive payments from October 2024.

Guidance

Read the guidance for students on how to claim the grant.

Read the guidance for universities on how to confirm a student's eligibility or non-eligibility and attendance and details of the placement.