Fee-paying students ‘favoured over Scots’

THE proportion of Scots at Scottish universities has slumped to a new low, sparking claims fee-paying students are being favoured.

Official figures published yesterday showed that 83.8 per cent of students at Scottish universities last year were from Scotland, the lowest proportion in five years.

It led to claims universities are favouring students from other parts of the UK and outside the EU, who have to pay fees of up to £9,250 a year.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency figures, for the 2016-17 academic year, showed 158,970 Scottish students attended universities here last year, 2.6 per cent higher than the 154,975 in 2015-16.

Those from the rest of the EU increased by 1.4 per cent, from 20,945 to 21,245.

Yet numbers from England soared by 3.7 per cent, from 24,535 to 25,450, while students from Wales increased by 5.9 per cent from 760 to 805. Those from outside the EU increased by 3.5 per cent, from 29,980 to 31,045.

The Scottish Government hailed the increase in Scots students, despite the proportion falling for a third consecutive year.

Further and Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville said: ‘More people than ever before are coming to study at Scottish universities, including students resident here.

‘It is a clear demonstration of the strength of Scotland’s reputation as a fantastic place to live, study and work.’

A spokesman for umbrella body Universities Scotland said: ‘We’re delighted to see increases in almost every level of study at universities in Scotland. This is proof that Scotland has one of the leading higher education sectors in the world.’

But Scottish Tory education spokesman Liz Smith said: ‘Audit Scotland has been clear about the financial pressures facing the higher education sector, as have the universities.

‘The worry must be that under the SNP it is increasingly financial considerations rather than academic ones driving university entrance.’