‘More difficult’ to enter university

Scottish students find it “more difficult” to get into some university courses than a decade ago, an MSP has claimed.

Labour’s Johann Lamont said the Scottish Government’s cap on university places for Scottish and EU students, who receive free tuition, is leading to increased demand and pushing up entry requirements for some subjects.

Questioning higher education minister Shirley Anne Somerville, Ms Lamont said: “I’ve been told it is more difficult to get into university than it was 10 years ago, if you are a Scottish student.

“There is competition for certain courses which means, as a consequence, we are having rationing by qualification.

“So maybe five or 10 years ago you would have access to a course that you can simply no longer do, simply because of the cap.

“Is this something the Scottish Government is prepared to look at?”

The minister, giving evidence at Holyrood’s Education and Skills Committee, said she wanted universities to act faster on the challenge of grade inflation, as outlined by Ms Lamont, through actions such as implementing minimum entry requirements and contextualised admissions.

She said Abertay University in Dundee had 107 students in September who received an offer of reduced qualifications, 63 of which needed the offer to gain access to university.

“What we are looking at is using the publicly-funded places that we have to create a fair system,” she added.