Savanna Hoffman
Scottish students do not have to pay university tuition fees if they study in Scotland. The Scottish government covers the cost of tuition fees for Scottish students, which is around £900 million per year. Scottish students can also access non-repayable bursaries of up to £2,000 per year to help with living costs. However, this policy only applies to Scottish students studying in Scotland; if they choose to study elsewhere in the UK, they will be charged tuition fees. Additionally, students from the rest of the UK and international students are required to pay tuition fees to study at Scottish universities. The Scottish Funding Council allocates each university a number of 'funded places' for eligible Scottish students, with universities facing financial penalties if they exceed this number.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who is eligible for free tuition in Scotland? | Students who are '"ordinarily resident'" in Scotland and doing their first degree. |
| Who is considered 'ordinarily resident' in Scotland? | Students who have lived in the UK for at least three years before the start of their course and are not in Scotland primarily for full-time education. |
| Who is not eligible for free tuition in Scotland? | Students from the rest of the UK (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland), who will be charged up to £9,535 for tuition fees in Scotland. |
| What about EU/EEA and Swiss nationals? | Starting in the 2021/22 academic year, new EU students will pay international student fees and are not eligible for home fee status and free tuition. However, those with 'settled' or 'pre-settled' status in the UK remain eligible for home tuition fees if they meet residency conditions. |
| Are there any exceptions for students from the rest of the UK? | Students from the rest of the UK can apply for living cost grants and student loans from their home funding body when studying in Scotland. |
| What about Irish nationals? | Irish nationals living in the Common Travel Area of the UK, Islands, or Ireland starting a course in Scotland in 2021-2022 can apply for funding from SAAS. |
| Are there any other exceptions? | Yes, there are exceptional categories that may qualify for home or RUK fee status, including persons granted refugee status, certain Iraqi, Syrian, Afghan, and Ukrainian nationals, and more. |
| How is tuition funded for Scottish students? | The Scottish Government covers the cost of tuition fees, which is around £900 million for the 2022-23 academic year. |
| What about additional costs for Scottish students? | Scottish students can receive support for living costs in the form of student loans, non-repayable bursaries of up to £2,000 per year, and grants. |
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What You'll Learn
Scottish students studying in Scotland do not pay fees upfront
Scottish students who study at a university in Scotland do not pay fees upfront. This is because the Scottish government covers the cost of their tuition fees. Full-time and part-time Scottish students can benefit from this fee waiver, which does not need to be repaid. The government funding agency that Scottish students apply to is the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).
To be eligible for home fee status, student support, and free tuition, students must have a 'relevant connection' with Scotland. This means that they must be 'settled' in the UK and 'ordinarily resident' in Scotland on the 'relevant date'—the date their course starts. They must also generally have lived in the UK for the three years before this date. Students ordinarily resident in Scotland who are doing their first degree will typically be eligible for free tuition.
Scottish students who want to study elsewhere in the UK will forfeit their free tuition fees and can be charged up to £9,535 a year for their course. EU students who started a course in the 2021-22 academic year or later are also charged international student fees, unless they are ''settled' or 'pre-settled' in the UK and meet residency conditions.
Scottish universities can charge students from the rest of the UK (or 'rUK') tuition fees of up to £9,250 per year, and international students much more. There are no caps on the number of rUK or international students they can recruit.
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The Scottish Government covers the costs of tuition
The Scottish Government provides funding for tuition fees through the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). SAAS offers a fee waiver, meaning that eligible Scottish students do not have to pay tuition fees upfront and can study for free. This funding is available for both full-time and part-time students.
The Scottish Funding Council allocates a certain number of 'funded places' for eligible Scottish students, which attract funding from the main teaching grant. The majority of funding is provided through this main teaching grant, which was worth around £5,790 per student in 2023-24. Universities also charge Scottish students a notional 'tuition fee', which is paid by the Scottish Government on their behalf. This has been frozen at £1,820 per year since 2009-10.
In addition to covering the costs of tuition for Scottish students studying in Scotland, the Scottish Government also provides funding for Scottish students who choose to study elsewhere in the UK. SAAS can cover tuition fees for Scottish students studying in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. However, Scottish students who study outside of Scotland may forfeit their free tuition fees and may be charged up to £9,535 per year for their course.
It is important to note that the regulations around eligibility for home fee status and student support are complex. To be eligible for free tuition in Scotland, students must have a ''relevant connection' with Scotland, including being ''ordinarily resident' in Scotland and having lived in the UK for a certain period before starting their course. There are also exceptional categories that may qualify for home or RUK (rest of UK) fee status, including refugee status and certain nationalities.
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Students ordinarily resident in Scotland are eligible for free tuition
To be eligible for free tuition, students must have a 'relevant connection' with Scotland. This means that they must be 'settled' in the UK and 'ordinarily resident' in Scotland on the 'relevant date'. The 'relevant date' is determined by when a student's course starts: 1 August for courses starting between 1 August and 31 December; 1 January for courses starting between 1 January and 31 March; 1 April for courses starting between 1 April and 30 June; and 1 July for courses starting between 1 July and 31 July.
Students must also have lived in the UK for the three years immediately before this date. However, students whose main purpose for being in Scotland is, or has been, full-time education will not be considered ordinarily resident.
Scottish students can benefit from this fee waiver whether they are studying full-time or part-time. They can also receive funding to cover living costs in the form of student loans and bursaries.
Students from the rest of the UK, however, will be charged up to £9,535 for tuition fees in Scotland. This is the same rate as the 'home' fee charged in England.
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Students from the rest of the UK pay up to £9,535 in fees
The regulations around home student status vary across the UK. There are three levels of fee status: a ‘home’ fee for students who live in Scotland; a ‘rest of UK’ (rUK) fee for students who live elsewhere in the UK or Ireland; and overseas fees for international students. The RUK fee is capped at a middle rate equivalent to the ‘home’ fee charged in England.
Students from England, Northern Ireland and Wales studying in Scotland can apply for living cost grants and student loans from their home funding body and will receive the same level of funding as they would if studying in their home country. However, they will still be required to pay an annual tuition fee set by the institution they are applying to. These fees vary depending on the institution and the course.
Students from the rest of the UK who want to study in Scotland should contact their chosen university or college for information about the level of tuition fees they will be charged. They should also discuss their eligibility for home fee status and student support with their university and SAAS. To be eligible for home fee status and student support, including free tuition, student loans, bursaries, and grants, students must have a ‘relevant connection’ with Scotland. This means they must be ‘settled’ in the UK and ‘ordinarily resident’ in Scotland on the ‘relevant date’. They must also generally have lived in the UK for the three years before this date.
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EU students starting in 2021-22 pay international fees
Scottish students do not have to pay university tuition fees if they study in Scotland. The Scottish government covers the cost of tuition fees, which is around £900 million per year. Scottish students can also access non-repayable bursaries of up to £2,000 per year to support their living costs.
However, this does not apply to all students. Students from the rest of the UK (rUK) are charged up to £9,535 for tuition fees in Scotland. Scottish students who choose to study elsewhere in the UK will also have to pay these fees.
The Scottish Funding Council allocates each university a number of 'funded places' for eligible Scottish students, which attract funding from the main teaching grant. Universities can recruit up to 10% above this number, but face financial penalties for recruitment beyond this. There are no such caps in the rest of the UK.
EU students who started a course in the academic year 2020/21 or earlier will not pay tuition fees at Scottish universities. However, from the 2021/22 academic year, new EU students will pay international student fees. Each university will set its own fees for EU students. Only EU nationals who are '"settled" or "pre-settled" in the UK will remain eligible to apply for home tuition fees, providing they meet the residency conditions.
EU students who are not 'settled' or 'pre-settled' in the UK will not be eligible for home tuition fees or student support from the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). This means that they will not be able to access the same loans, bursaries, and grants as Scottish students.
European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals who have been granted settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme will be eligible for home fee status and student support on the same basis as before Brexit.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Scottish students do not pay university fees. The Scottish government covers the cost of tuition fees for full-time and part-time students studying at a university in Scotland.
Yes, students from the rest of the UK are charged up to £9,535 for tuition fees in Scotland.
Yes, if Scottish students want to study elsewhere in the UK, they will have to pay up to £9,535 a year for their course.
No, Scottish students do not have to pay upfront for university. The government funding agency pays the university on their behalf.
Yes, there are some exceptions. For example, students whose main purpose in being in Scotland is full-time education are not considered ordinarily resident and will not be eligible for free tuition. Additionally, there are specific requirements for EU/EEA and Swiss nationals.
