The Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) provided support of £834.8 million to students in higher education in 2016-17 — an increase of 3.6% — according to statistics published by Scotland’s chief statistician.

There were 143,110 full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students supported — those receiving any form of bursary, grant, fees or loans support — an increase of 1.5%.

The total amount authorised in loans was £506.0 million, a 4.1% increase from £486.3 million in 2015-16, for an average of £5,300 per student.

SAAS provides support to Scottish domiciled higher education students studying throughout the UK and to some outside the UK, as well as European Union students studying in Scotland.

The courses covered are at Higher National Certificate (HNC) level and above.

The average support provided per student rose from £5,720 in 2015-16 to £5,830 in 2016-17, up 1.9%.

The total amount provided in non-repayable bursaries and grants increased 4.7% from £66.1 million in 2015-16 to £70.1 million in 2016-17 — awarded to 52,165 students.

There were 14,785 European Union (EU) students supported by SAAS in 2016-17 — 10.3% of all students supported — who received £28.1 million of support, about 3.4% of the total amount of support given to all students.