New figures show record numbers of Scots accepted to university

Shirley-Anne Somerville has welcomed the figures. Picture: contributed

A record number of Scots were accepted to a UK university in 2017, new figures show.

More than 36,500 applicants living in Scotland accepted a place for this academic year - an increase of 2.4 per cent at more than 850.

All other UK countries saw a fall in the number of people accepted to university.

The figures were released on Monday by Ucas in their first End of Cycle Report 2017.

It also shows a record number of all applicants accepted to Scottish higher education institutions in 2017 - up 1.7 per cent.

Further and Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “It is great to see that Scotland is bucking the trend across the UK, with more of our prospective students securing a place at university. This follows on from the record numbers last year.

“It shows that our education system is supporting an increasing number of people to access higher education – giving them the skills they need to succeed.

“This is also another record year for Scotland’s universities, with the highest ever number of applicants accepted to study here. It is testament to the fact that Scotland remains a destination of choice for students.”