Scottish independence: student influx from England

Legal problems arising around the inevitable influx of english students to Scottish Universities. Picture: DEADLINE NEWS

In a submission to the Scottish Parliament’s education committee, umbrella body Universities Scotland called on the Scottish Government to provide “legally defensible certainty” ahead of a possible Yes vote.

At present, Scottish students are exempt from fees in their home country, while those from elsewhere in the UK pay up to £9,000 a year.

However, should voters back independence, rUK (rest of UK) students would be classed as EU citizens and therefore entitled to the same free tuition as Scots.

Universities Scotland, which represents university principals, said: “It is essential that a regime is in place to ensure management of cross-Border flow on a stable and predictable basis.

“This is important as part of any constitutional outcome of the referendum, whether this is independence or further devolution.”

Otherwise, it said, the fee differential between England and Scotland would “inevitably lead many more English students to make the economically rational choice to study in Scotland”.

Universities Scotland warned that would lead to a “significant displacement” of Scots who would normally study in their home country.

Figures released by the Scottish Government under freedom of information show that if even 10 per cent of rUK students chose Scotland in the event of a Yes vote, then those studying in their home country would be likely to miss out on places.

Earlier this year, education secretary Mike Russell warned of an influx of “fee refugees” should the EU prevent Scotland charging UK students fees.

Mr Russell said up to 80 per cent of university places in an independent Scotland would be taken up by fee refugees unless they could be charged.

That analysis was confirmed yesterday by the submission, showing that should 10 per cent of English students opt to study in Scotland post-independence, then there would be just 3,000 places available for Scots, compared to 93,000 for those coming from elsewhere in the UK.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The requirements of the EU allow for exceptional circumstances [on charging fees]. This is the basis of our approach.”

Last month, European commissioner for education Androulla Vassiliou said the SNP’s plan to make rUK students pay to study in an independent Scotland had no precedent anywhere in the European Union.