Scottish Universities: Preference For Scottish Students?

Scottish universities are under increasing financial pressure, with the Scottish government boosting support for students' living costs while funding for teaching is likely to fall further. Scottish universities receive less funding per student and face caps on numbers. The Scottish government covers the full costs of tuition for Scottish undergraduates who study in Scotland, which is not the case for students from the rest of the UK. Scottish students are also exempt from tuition fees, which can be a deterrent for them to apply to English universities. In recent years, there has been a push for Scottish universities to prioritise Scottish medical students to ensure more doctors stay and work in Scotland after graduating. This has been a controversial decision, as it disadvantages students from the rest of the UK.

Scottish universities receive less funding per student

The Scottish Government covers the tuition costs for Scottish undergraduates studying in Scotland, which amounts to a significant expense. Additionally, Scotland provides non-repayable bursaries of up to £2,000 per year to the poorest students towards their living costs. However, this model of free tuition and bursaries is becoming increasingly challenging due to financial pressures facing the Scottish Government, universities, and students.

The funding situation for Scottish universities is expected to improve in the 2024-25 academic year, with an increase in the number of funded places for Scottish students. However, per-student funding is still expected to decrease. Universities Scotland has also expressed concerns about the impact of Brexit on EU student enrolment and the potential loss of research funding from EU sources.

To address these challenges, Universities Scotland has outlined several priorities, including maintaining visa-free access for EU students and exploring differentiated arrangements for Scotland's relationship with the EU. They also seek continued participation in European research networks and funding programmes to sustain their world-leading position in research and development.

In summary, Scottish universities face financial pressures due to lower funding per student compared to English universities, the cost of providing free tuition for Scottish undergraduates, and potential losses in international enrolment and research funding. Universities Scotland is advocating for policy changes to address these issues and secure the long-term success of Scottish higher education institutions.

Scottish students graduate with less debt

The lower debt burden for Scottish students is a result of the Scottish Government's policy of providing free tuition for Scottish undergraduates studying in Scotland. The Scottish Government covers the full costs of tuition for these students, amounting to around £900 million in 2022-23. However, this policy puts significant financial pressure on the Scottish Government and universities. The funding for teaching has been declining, and universities receive less funding per student and face caps on student numbers.

To address the issue of retaining doctors in Scotland, the Scottish Government has also prioritised Scottish medical students over those from other parts of the UK. This move aims to increase the number of doctors who stay and work in Scotland after completing their training. While this policy has caused concern among universities as it disadvantages non-Scottish students, the government justifies it as a necessary measure to ensure a positive gain in the Scottish workforce.

The University of Edinburgh, where only about 25% of the students are from Scotland, has faced criticism for not providing adequate support to Scottish students. The university has been accused of having staff who are unfamiliar with the Scottish education system and not providing sufficient guidance to counteract classism and discrimination on campus.

Scottish universities face caps on student numbers

Scottish universities face caps on the number of Scottish students they can admit each year. This is because the Scottish Government covers the tuition fees for Scottish undergraduates studying in Scotland, and the number of funded places is restricted. The Scottish Funding Council allocates a number of 'funded places' for eligible Scottish students, and universities can recruit up to 10% above this number, receiving only a quarter of the average per-student funding for additional students. This means that Scottish universities have a financial incentive to expand their intake, but only by recruiting students from outside Scotland who can afford the fees.

The funding available to Scottish universities to teach Scottish undergraduate students comes from a 'tuition fee' paid by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) on behalf of most Scottish students, and grant funding distributed by the Scottish Funding Council. In 2024-25, the 'tuition fee' was frozen for the fifteenth consecutive year at £1,820. The Scottish Government's budget for 2024-25 included a decrease in the university resource budget of £28.5 million, or 3.6%. This cut was partly due to the removal of additional places introduced in 2020-21 to accommodate students whose SQA qualifications were revised due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Scottish Funding Council confirmed that the cut to the number of funded places would be smaller than initially feared, with the Scottish Government instructing that no additional places should be removed in the 2024-25 academic year.

The Scottish Government controls tuition costs through per-student funding and restricting the number of funded places. In 2023-24, the majority of funding was provided through the 'main teaching grant', worth around £5,790 per student. Together with the ''tuition fee' of £1,820, this meant that Scottish universities received direct public funding of £7,610 for each Scottish student in the 2023-24 academic year. This was around 19% less in real terms than in 2013-14, due to the freeze in the 'tuition fee' and below-inflation increases in per-student teaching grants. This funding situation has likely contributed to a squeeze on Scottish university finances.

In addition to the caps on Scottish student numbers, Scottish universities also face challenges due to a decline in international student enrolments and higher labour costs. There is widespread concern that changes to visa rules have led to a decline in international student recruitment, particularly at the postgraduate level. The number of entry clearance visas granted for masters-level study in the first six months of 2024 decreased by 16% compared to 2022, with significant falls in students from Nigeria, Bangladesh, and India. This trend poses a major risk to university finances, as fee income from international students has become increasingly important, especially with the decline in resources for domestic undergraduates.

Overall, Scottish universities face caps on the number of Scottish students they can admit due to funding restrictions imposed by the Scottish Government. This, coupled with declining resources and higher costs, presents a challenging financial situation for Scottish universities.

Scottish students are more likely to be from working-class backgrounds

Research has shown that young Scots from working-class areas are four times less likely to attend university than their more affluent peers, with a "shocking access gap" identified by the Sutton Trust. This disparity is even more pronounced when compared to students from England, where those from the poorest neighbourhoods are only 2.4 times less likely to attend university than their richest counterparts. Scottish students from deprived backgrounds are also less likely to gain university admission than those in similar situations in England, with a 10% lower offer rate according to UCAS data analysed by the Scottish Conservatives.

This inequality is further exacerbated by the fact that Scottish universities cap the number of Scottish students they accept annually. As tuition fees for Scottish students are covered by the Scottish government, universities fill the remaining spaces with students from elsewhere in the UK or overseas who can afford the fees. This practice has led to a situation where Scottish students, who are more likely to be from working-class backgrounds, comprise only about 25% of the student body at some universities, such as the University of Edinburgh.

The socioeconomic gap is further widened by the university admissions process. For instance, the University of Edinburgh employs a "flag" system as part of its Widening Access programme, which prioritises applicants from the most deprived areas of Scotland or low-attainment state schools. While this system increases diversity and inclusion, it also contributes to a growing divide between Scottish students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and their peers from England or other countries.

Scottish students who do gain admission to university continue to face challenges due to their socioeconomic status. For example, Shanley Breese, a law student at the University of Edinburgh, experienced demeaning comments about her accent and clothing choices, as well as microaggressions and exclusionary behaviour from her peers. She, along with other Scottish students, also faced staff who were unfamiliar with the Scottish qualification system, further contributing to feelings of alienation.

In conclusion, while Scotland's higher education system provides some benefits for Scottish students, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds, there are still significant barriers for those from working-class backgrounds in accessing and navigating the university experience. These issues highlight the need for continued efforts to improve social mobility and create a more inclusive environment for Scottish students from all socioeconomic backgrounds.

Scottish universities are struggling to retain doctors

The Scottish Government has acknowledged the issue and is taking steps to address it. In 2016, they announced plans to increase the number of medical school places by 190 over five years to tackle the shortage of doctors. However, they recognize that this will only be beneficial if more doctors stay and work in Scotland post-graduation. As a result, they have decided to prioritize Scottish medical students, increasing the number of Scottish-domiciled medical students by 100, while reducing the intake from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland by the same number. This strategy is based on evidence that Scottish-domiciled graduates are more likely to remain working in the Scottish NHS in the long term.

While this policy has caused concern among universities, who worry about the impact on students from the rest of the UK, the Scottish Government justifies it by citing the positive gain for the Scottish workforce. Universities Scotland has expressed a desire to continue dialogue with the Scottish Government to ensure workforce needs across the NHS are met.

The root cause of the problem may lie in the funding challenges faced by Scottish universities. The Scottish Government has struggled to maintain adequate funding for universities, resulting in a gap between funding per Scottish student and per student in England. This has led to well-qualified applicants being denied places due to student number caps and the drive to recruit more students from socially deprived backgrounds. The situation is further exacerbated by the decline in international student recruitment, impacting another key income stream for universities.

Overall, the issue of retaining doctors in Scotland is a complex one, requiring a comprehensive approach that addresses various factors, including funding, work-life balance, and job satisfaction, to ensure that senior doctors feel valued and incentivized to continue their crucial work in the Scottish NHS.

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