Childcare Fund application forms You can apply to the Childcare Fund through your student portal on the My Finance page of MyPortal.
Please make sure you fully read the Instructions for applying to Discretionary and/or Childcare Funds before starting your application. You can also find information on what documents you may need to have ready before applying.
Students who wish to apply to both the Discretionary Fund and Childcare Fund will need to complete a separate application for each fund.
Applications usually take 3 to 4 weeks to fully process. Please note that applications that are not fully completed, or missing relevant documentation, will be moved to the end of the queue and this could result in a significant delay in processing your application.
Students must apply to the Childcare Fund in each trimester for help with childcare costs. You will need the form below to be completed by your childcare provider.
Since funds are limited, any award made may not cover your full costs.
All childcare providers are contacted by the Student Funding Team to check attendance and payments.
Who can apply?
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Funds are available for Home students to help towards registered childcare costs during term time. These costs may include a nursery, childminder or after-school care. You can only apply for help towards days for which you are timetabled to attend classes at GCU campus, placement or classes online.
Students from England, Northern Ireland and Wales studying in Scotland may be able to receive support towards childcare costs through their own Local Education Authority.
International and EU (fee-only funded) students cannot apply to this fund.
To be eligible you must be in receipt of all SAAS support funding available to you. Funds are limited so how much you are awarded towards childcare will take into account household income and any other sources of childcare funding you are already entitled to, for example, Lone Parents Childcare Grant/Working Tax or Universal Credit Childcare element/Local Authority contribution.
These funds are only available for childcare provision for children up to the age of 14 (unless for a child over 14 with disability needs).
How to apply
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We can no longer accept applications to the Nursing & Paramedic Discretionary fund as this fund is now exhausted for this academic year 2024/25
Students who wish to apply to both the Discretionary Fund and Childcare Fund will need to complete a separate application for each fund.
Instructions for applying to Discretionary and/or Childcare Funds
Documents you may need to have ready before applying
Carer form
Childcare help for Nursing Students
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Full-time Nursing students should apply to SAAS for the Childcare Allowance for Parents. If the Childcare Allowance for Parents does not fully cover your childcare costs, you can apply to the Student Funding team for further help towards the remainder of your costs. Please note that funds are limited and awards may not cover your full childcare costs.
Lone parents' childcare grant
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This is a SAAS grant (up to a maximum of £1,215 per academic year) administered through the University. If you are a full-time, undergraduate student and apply to the university for help towards registered childcare costs, this grant, if you are eligible, will be included in any childcare award made to you. The Lone Parent Childcare Grant only covers registered childcare. Applications will be assessed taking into account any payments received for childcare costs from other sources. You must have applied to SAAS for the Lone Parent Grant or HMRC Working Tax Credit Lone Parent Allowance before you will be considered for this grant. If the Lone Parent Childcare Grant does not fully cover your childcare costs, the Student Funding team will assess your application for further help towards the remainder of your costs. Part-time students cannot apply for this grant.
Finding Childcare providers An important consideration for students with children is who will look after them while you are at university. Glasgow Caledonian University has its own nursery on campus.
Childcare costs are very expensive and can range between approximately £200 - £600 per week for each child.
We have a range of resources if you are looking for childcare. Here are some suggestions below. You can also look outwith our website for finding childcare .
On campus nursery
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Our nursery provides a safe and secure environment to aid your child’s development.
We cannot guarantee that places in the Nursery on campus will be available therefore we strongly advise making enquiries to the nursery as soon as possible.
The Caledonian Nursery takes children from 6 weeks to five years old. For further information please contact:
Childcare Scotland Nursery
Other ways to find Childcare
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Your local authority should be able to give you a list of registered childcare providers in your area. Here is a list of online resoures to help you.
Useful Links
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Useful Contacts Useful Links
