Brexit already hitting university applications
● Number of EU nationals applying to study in Scotland drops 4 per cent
Britain’s “damaging” decision to leave the European Union is already having an impact on the number of EU nationals applying to Scottish universities, ministers have claimed.
The number of EU applicants to universities north of the Border has fallen by almost 4 per cent compared with last year, according to Ucas figures.
A total of 19,090 EU citizens have applied to start their studies in Scotland this year, down 730 on last year’s figure.
This represents the lowest number of applications from EU member states since 2014, when 18,730 people said they wanted to study in Scotland.
The decrease in the number of EU citizens applying to study in England was even more pronounced, falling by more than 5 per cent to 42,080.
The other parts of the UK also saw year-on-year declines
0 The number of applications from non-eu nationals to study at Scottish universities has risen by 6 per cent ineuropeanunionapplicants. Northern Ireland saw a 9.5 per cent fall, while in Wales the dip was 8.2 per cent.
Scotland’s minister for employability and training, Jamie Hepburn, said ministers were “deeply concerned” by the fall in applications, which he blamed on the UK government’s decision to pursue a hard Brexit outside the single market.
He said: “While Scotland fares better than England when it comes to attracting EU domiciles, it is still worrying to see this decrease in applicants – the damaging reality of Brexit.
“We are urging the UK government to ditch their hard Brexit model, which will no doubt have a hugely negative impact on areas such as higher education, not only in Scotland but also in the rest of the UK.”
However, the number of non-eu international applicants to Scottish universities increased by more than 6 per cent compared to last year, rising from 16,630 to 17,690.
Mr Hepburn said it was “good news” that universities north of the Border were still attractive to overseas students, pointing out that the rise in non-eu applicants was significantly higher than the 2 per cent increase recorded across the UK.
“We want every student who has come from outside Scotland, from the EU or further afield, to study here to know that they are very much welcome,” he added.
Theucasfiguresalsoshowed that the number of English applicants to Scottish universities has risen by almost 4 per cent and is now at a record high. Scottish institutions have received 31,100 applications from people south of the Border for the 2017 academic year. In 2013, the figure was 28,680.
A Department for Education spokesman said: “EU and international students, staff and researchers make an important contribution to our higher education sector and we want that to continue.”