The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has claimed an “SNP raid” on college budgets has left Fife students more than £1 million out of pocket.
The Scottish Funding Council has allocated just £3.5m of additional bursary funds to colleges across the country, £11.2m less than requested.
Fife College requested £1.27m to help students pay for their studies and got just £254,000.
The figures were revealed as the region’s students took part in a day of action to end student poverty.
Representatives from Fife College’s students’ association joined NUS Scotland to call on the Scottish Government to increase funding for further education and stop students falling into poverty.
They were supported by Lib Dem leader Mr Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife.
Alasdair Clark, vice-president, education and representation, at Fife College Students’ Association, said: “Every year students at Fife College and across Scotland fall into poverty during their studies.
“Students at Fife College have made a really strong call for an end to the outdated, postcode lottery support that further education students currently face. Instead, we want to see an entitlement for further education students, to guarantee them a minimum amount of bursary funding at colleges across Scotland.
“That’s why we’re fully behind NUS Scotland’s campaign, Stop Student Poverty, to ensure the Scottish budget commits the necessary funding to students’ support.
“The Scottish Government must act now and prevent more students from falling into poverty and to remove this barrier to education.”
Mr Rennie said: “The SNP’s raid on college budgets is having a direct impact on young people’s pockets.
“Students need this bursary funding to help them manage the cost of living while studying.”
He added: “Many won’t understand why the SNP are slashing this budget at a time when we need to do everything we can to boost jobs and growth.
“In some areas, such as Fife, we know that more young people go on to college instead of university.
“These cuts will strike a damaging blow to the people who need help the most and blows a further hole in the SNP’s claims to be committed to widening access.”