Fee-free university

Brian Wilson (Perspective, 23 August) knows full well that the vast majority of Scots applicants to Scottish universities have applied and been given places weeks ago due to the different nature of Scottish school and exam timetables.

He knows that the places now left are unlikely to be filled by Scottish applicants, and that a sensible solution for the universities is to try to fill those places with fee-paying students from England, thus allowing social diversity and some extra income.

I’m afraid this is a typical inability to accept that anything good can come from an SNP government by an old-school Labourite.

Instead of praising the huge opportunity given to Scottish students, who pay no fees, and who will not begin their working life paying back huge loans, he can only moan at discrimination against a largely non-
existent cohort of frustrated latecomers, who should really have sorted out their applications long ago.

I have some sympathy with these students, but prefer to welcome the wonderful chances given to the great majority of students who have been accepted by our splendid universities, and who, thanks to this government, will not be burdened by crippling fees.

Brian Bannatyne-Scott

Murrayfield Drive

Edinburgh