Maritime Courses Funding

Nautical students in classroom at Riverside campus.

Maritime Courses

Funding for maritime courses can be complex and confusing depending on your phase and mode of study.  If you're a Cadet sponsored by a Training Provider or employer, your main income will come from your training allowance or salary. However, you may be eligible for higher education funding when you are enrolled on a higher education programme.

Fees

Your Training Provider or employer will normally pay your fees. Students studying HNC, HND or Certificate/Diploma of Higher Education can also apply for part of their fees to be paid by SAAS (or your national funding body). For information on fees, please go to our fees pages. 

Living cost support

Cadets may be eligible for additional living cost support from SAAS (or national funding body). Courses and levels are outlined below: 

Access to Maritime and NC Shipping Operations

  • College Bursary/EMA/Childcare/Discretionary Funds.

Marine Engineering

Certificate of Higher Education Marine Engineering and Electrotechnology
  • SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
NQ Marine Engineering
  • Maritime Trust funds
HNC
  • Phase 1 (NC): Maritime Trust funds.
  • Phase 3 (HNC): SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
  • Phase 5 (EOOW prep & SPD): Maritime Trusts
HND
  • Phase 1 (NC): Maritime Trusts.
  • Phase 3 (HNC): SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
  • Phase 5 (HND): SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
HND Top-up for cadets who have completed HNC.
  • Phase 5 (HND): SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
SPD
  • Phase 1 (HNC): SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
  • Phase 3 (HND): SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
  • Phase 5 (SPD & EOOW prep part time): Maritime Trusts

Deck Cadet (Nautical Science)

Certificate of Higher Education Nautical Science
  • SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
NQ Nautical Science
  • Maritime Trust funds.
HNC
  • Phase 1 (NC): Maritime Trusts.
  • Phase 3 (NC): SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
  • Phase 5 (OOW prep): Maritime Trusts
HND
  • Phase 1 (HNC): SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
  • Phase 3: SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
SPD
  • Phase 1 (HNC): SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
  • Phase 3 (HND): SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
  • Phase 5 (OOW prep & short courses part-time): Maritime Trusts

Marine Electro-Technology

Certificate of Higher Education Marine Engineering and Electrotechnology
  • SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan. 
HND
  • Phase 1: SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
  • Phase 3: SAAS for fees, bursary and student loan.
  • Phase 5: Maritime Trusts.

Scottish Cadets should apply to Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). You can find out more about the funding available through SAAS. Cadets from England, Northern Ireland or Wales should apply to their national funding provider.

Discretionary Fund

Cadets who are eligible for living cost support through Student Loans can also apply to the College Discretionary Funds for additional financial support. You can find out more here. 

Maritime Trust Funds

The College administers several Trust Funds specifically for Maritime students. Application forms are available from the Student Advisors at Riverside Campus. There are three rounds of applications and applications are assessed within two weeks of the closing dates: 

2025-26

  • Round 1: 31 October 2025.
  • Round 2: 28 February 2026.
  • Round 3: 31 May 2026.

2026-27

  • Round 1: 9 October 2026.
  • Round 2: 26 February 2027.
  • Round 3: 28 May 2027.

John Mather Trust

The John Mather Trust supports Cadets who are not eligible for bursaries or student loans are in financial hardship. This trust fund supports a limited number of Cadets with priority given to Cadets from the West of Scotland.

Theodore Salvesen Memorial Trust Fund

The College administers this Fund on behalf of the Salveson Trust. Priority will be given to students who are self-funding and maritime students who are not eligible for SAAS funding or college Discretionary Funds.

 Application forms for these Funds are available on CityLife. 

Other Maritime-specific sources of funding

Sailor’s Society

Students can apply for a grant from the Sailor’s Society, a Christian charity which began supporting seafarers in 1818. They support serving, retired and intending seafarers and their dependents. The Annual Award Scheme offers students financial support with fees, books and equipment. Applications are available from the Student Advisors and must be endorsed by the College.

MARS Training Ship Fund

The Mars Training Ship Fund may award bursaries or grants to individuals to enable them to attend courses in preparation for, or continuation of, a career in the merchant navy. Grants are awarded twice yearly, in March and September. Applications are available from the Student Advisors.

Slater Scholarship

The Slater Fund is managed by the Marine Society with Nautilus International and offers support to help individuals study for a first certificate of competency or to help Electro-Technical Officers, yacht crews or qualified fishermen gain STCW certification. More information is available on the Marine Society website.

Maritime Education Foundation

The Maritime Education Foundation (MEF) is a shipping industry charitable organisation that may provide grants to unemployed merchant navy officers and ratings to help them undertake approved training leading to STCW 2010 certification. 

Other sources of funding

There are many other trust funds and scholarships available to students. These may depend on your circumstances, family and where you live. Normally, you need to do a lot of research and make applications to funding providers before you start your course. To help, we have collated a useful list of external trust funds.

SAAS have produced a Register of Educational Endowments for students seeking additional funding streams.  

The Turn 2 Us website is a useful tool to search for trust funds and scholarships.

Further Information

Contact: studentadvisors@cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk.