SNP ‘vindicated’ over tuition charges
Scots are still keen to study at home where they remain exempt from fees
THE Scottish Government has claimed its position on tuition fees has been “vindicated” after figures showed the country’s universities have been protected from the worst of a UK-wide downturn in applicant numbers.
Figures published yesterday by the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (Ucas) showed a 1.1 per cent fall in the number of Scots hoping to study in their home country, with a 5.6 per cent fall also recorded in the number of English applicants.
Scots will remain exempt from tuition fees while studying in Scotland, but as of the start of the next academic year in the autumn, students from England, Northern Ireland and Wales will pay up to £9,000 a year for their courses.
While the number of English applicants to Scottish universities fell, it did so at a lower rate than in England, where there was a near 10 per cent decline. The number of Scots applying to study south of the Border fell by 16.4 per cent.
Education secretary Mike Russell said the figures were a “vindication” of the Scottish Government’s decision not to charge Scots for tuition, but critics said the rising number of European Union students – who are also exempt from fees – “laid bare the inherent inequalities” in the funding arrangements.
The Ucas figures, which compared January applicant numbers with the same period last year, showed that, overall, there was a 0.2 per cent rise in the number of people applying to study in Scotland, compared with an 8.5 per cent fall in England, where all students will pay the new higher rate tuition fees. The deadline for university applications on most courses was 15 January.
However, the Scottish total included a 6 per cent rise in the number of applicants from the EU and a 25 per cent rise in foreign students from outside the EU, masking the fall in Scots, English and Northern Irish applicants.
Mr Russell said: “[These] figures will be welcome reading for Scotland’s education sector and the resilience shown by applications to Scotland compared to the rest of the UK are a vindication of the approach the Scottish Government has taken on student fees and funding the sector.
“The full picture around acceptance figures will emerge later this year, but high levels of applications from abroad reflect the excellent reputation Scottish universities enjoy abroad. We are also taking action to protect places at Scottish institutions for Scottish students, which forms part of our work on reforming post-16 education in this country.”
The National Union of Students (NUS) said the performance of Scotland’s universities provided a “ringing endorsement” of the Scottish Government’s decision on fees.
Robin Parker, NUS Scotland president, said: “Scottish applications have held up well – particularly when compared to elsewhere in the UK.
“With applications in England showing a drop of almost 10 per cent, it’s clear £9,000 fees are putting huge numbers of students off, and cutting off opportunities for people to study, reskill and get the education that gets them a job.
“Overall, applications to study in Scotland are close to steady, which is great news. At a time of high youth unemployment, we now need to build further on this year’s increase in places.”
But there was criticism from the Conservatives, who said the increasing number of students from the EU – who are exempt from fees – meant taxpayers were “footing the bill for the tuition fees of foreign nationals”.
Liz Smith, the party’s education spokeswoman, said: “These figures lay bare the true extent of the inherent inequalities of the SNP’s policy on fees. A huge increase in students from the European Union has seen a coinciding fall in the number of students applying from the rest of the UK. At a time when budgets are tight, the Scottish Government is duty bound to explain to taxpayers why they are being asked to foot the bill for the tuition fees of foreign nationals.”
The education secretary has previously held talks with the European Commission over the introduction of a “service charge” or “management fee” for EU students studying in Scotland, however, this remains some way off.
Meanwhile, Scotland’s ancient universities said they had seen notable rises in the number of applications from Scots. Application figures are different from applicant numbers in that one applicant can apply for a number of courses at the same institution.
Edinburgh University said applications from Scots was up 15 per cent, while there had been a 3 per cent increase in English applications. St Andrews recorded an 11 per cent increase in applications from Scots, while Glasgow was up 6.5 per cent.
Aberdeen saw a 5 per cent increase in Scots applications, while Dundee remained flat on the same period last year.
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Comments
There are 76 comments to this article
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Senex72
Sunday, May 20, 2012 at 12:31 PMAdmission to University should be by intelligence and commitment levels, costs met by by the State. one way or another. The excluded sons and daughters of the rich can always buy Mickey Mouse qualifications in England., where wealthy dolts apparently make successful lawyers, surgeons, economists and civil engineers, not to mention politicians. Although with London Rail advising passengers down for the Olympics to walk rather than try to take a train, water companies unable to stop leaks, border posts unable to handle passport queues let alone deport terrorists, and no one able to decide where to put the next airport runway the results are none too encouraging so far. Scotland seems well-advised to avoid it.
The Answer
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 06:12 PM#74 ....... 0.89% of Englands new undergraduates study in scotland ......... 5.32% of scotlands new undergradutes study in England!
Auld Twa
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:28 AMFriday morning. We have just seen Lord MacLennan in the Lord's debate appear to say that Scottish students are disadvantaged because they do not have to pay fees. Apparently this discourages them from studying at English universities. He should be advocating the removal of all fees anywhere in the UK.
Scottish Golf History
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 03:44 PMEdinburgh University said applications from Scots was up 15 per cent.. .....were up ....?? Are we allowed to know the univeristy and subject studied by the author?
panayiotis
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 07:24 PMEducation,Learning, Instruction,Intelligence,Training, Knowledge, Wisdom all should be obtained constantly at any cost.
ACM
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 05:24 PMIn England there will be fewer graduates stacking shelves for a living. Why are the taxpayers in Scotland paying for people to be educated for the sake of it when there are no jobs available.
ItsTime
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 01:13 PMI am sure the SNP are going to find the money to pay for all the English students to study in Scotland for free.
Rhynieman
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 12:50 PMThere is too much emphasis on academic qualifications for every child however academically equipped they are... turning colleges into Universities and making it easier to get your piece of paper just adds to our long term social problems. Universities have had it too easy for too long...the lecturers and professors are generally lazy.. and institutionalised and have huge holidays... and sabbaticals.....get post grads to run the tutorials and mark exam papers for them.....ask any student .....they are usually poor teachers and the quality of their research is by and large unimpressive and in any case carried out again by post-graduate students under their supposed direction... the quality of many graduates that manage to scrape through and get their piece of paper is what you would expect given the academic environment where maintaining numbers is more important than pursuing excellence. It is great that Scotland supports its young people but we should really change our snobbish attitudes towards the jobs people do in society and encourage people to have pride in their lives and experience fulfilment instead of just doing the bare minimum to get the money and hoping their lottery numbers come up. ..
well informed
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 12:44 PM63 Imagine a Govt which uses public funding to spend on the public!! whatever next? Nae wonder yer outraged!! Its enough tae make any unionist spit and swear!
well informed
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 12:42 PM59 That'll teach em not to vote for right wing govt policy eh?
well informed
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 12:39 PM60 You would think that the opposition would learn from that wouldnt you? I mean here they are pushing policy after policy which squeezes the electorate dry makes them unemployed sends them off to war sells off their public assets makes them pay for them twice puts them into increasing depths of debt increases their cost of living lowers their standards of living and then tells them that hard decisions have to be made while not having to endure the results of the hard decisions themselves!! And you vote for them on that basis!!! Give me a Govt which chooses to bribe me instead everytime!!!
well informed
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 12:33 PM63 Oh good something else to look forward to! Talk about positive Govt!!
well informed
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 12:32 PM9000 pounds a term tuition fees!!! Privatisation at its finest!!! Utilitiy bills double figure increases!!! Privatisation at its finest!!!! Optical and dental services extortionate unregulated pricing!!!! Privatisation at its finest!!!! Rail fares extrotionate unregulated pricing!!!! Privatisation at its finest!!! PFI PPP costs spiralling uncontrolled and unregulated!!!! Privatisation at its finest!!!! Corrupt right wing Govt under Corporate direction and influence!!!! Private sector corruption at its finest!!!! All something to look forward to with a No vote in the Referendum!
samcoldstream
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 12:21 PMAt FMQ's later this week, the Labour Parliamentary group will accuse the Scottish Government of hoarding over half a billion pounds in additional, unexpected consequentials in the Scottish Block which it is claimed the Nationalists will use in various pledges and promises, otherwise known as bribes, to butter up the voters before the Referendum.
Rhynieman
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 11:58 AMAll those well paid Westminster politicians who have benefitted from a free University education should agree to pay back the equivalent money they received....this should have been a condition of the vote in the Commons re tuition fees since after all we are all in it together...even if you have a duck pond
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