Capped places ‘make university access hard’

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 ten years ago, if you are a Scottish student. There is competition for certain courses which means, as a consequence, that we are having rationing by qualification.”

Ms Somerville said: “Last year saw a 13 per cent increase in students from the most deprived communities and also, overall, a record number of Scots accepted to university.”