Scotland bucks UK trend as higher education admissions rise

Scotland is the only part of the UK that has seen a rise in university and college admissions.

• 35,781 pupils have been accepted to Scottish institutions to date

• Applications in rest of the UK slump by 8%

School pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their A level results this morning, and subsequent offers of a place in a higher education institution.

A total of 35,781 pupils have been accepted to Scottish institutions to date, fractionally up by 244 from this time last year.

Meanwhile, applications to institutions in the rest of the UK are down by almost 8%, from 349,112 at the same admission stage in 2011 to 322,134 this year.

The first figures for Scottish students accepted to Scottish institutions were released last week following the publication of Higher exam results, revealing a 3% rise from 21,630 in 2011 to 22,292.

The 13,489 extra admissions to Scottish institutions revealed today are comprised of pupils from the rest of the UK who received their A level exam results today, international students and a number of additional Scottish students who have been accepted since last week.

Scottish students are exempt from tuition fees at Scottish institutions.

The Scottish Government is trying to find a way around European Union (EU) regulations which compel Scottish taxpayers to pay tuition fees for EU students studying in Scotland as well.

However, a loophole in the regulations means that students from the rest of UK have to pay to study in Scotland.

Today’s admission results, published by the The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas), also reveal that there are a further 101,171 pupils awaiting a decision UK-wide (down from 104,498 last year); 162,062 free to seek a place through the “clearing” process (down from 185,684); and 7,992 applications withdrawn (up from 6,762).

A Scottish Government spokesman said the total number of students accepted to Scottish institutions for next term will not become clear until the clearing and appeals process has concluded.

A Ucas spokesman said a full statistical analysis of admissions revealing country of origin and other information will be published later this year.