Yes vote threat for students
Forecasts of stiff competition for places after 2014
SCOTTISH students face a significant increase in competition for university places if the country votes for independence, an academic has claimed.
Stirling University economist Professor David Bell estimates that changes to the fees regime brought about by independence could see applications from students from the rest of the UK (rUK) rise by at least 4000 – 12% of the Scottish annual intake.
That would put g reater pressure on places for Scottish students unless the Government funded an expansion of higher education or was able to find a way of charging those from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Currently, Scottish-domiciled students pay nothing for their tuition, but those from the rUK pay fees of up to £9000.
The charge is possible because, under EU law, separate countries within one state, like the UK, can operate different fee policies.
However, in an independent Scotland that remained part of the EU, rUK students would have to be given parity with those from Scotland and have their tuition fees paid for them.
It would also mean the end of a new stream of income for universities.
Mr Bell will raise the issues at a event today jointly organised by Edinburgh University and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The ERSC is currently funding a number of academics at Scottish universities as part of a programme of activities to inform the current debate on the 2014 referendum.
Mr Bell has looked at data from German universities that shows the introduction of fees can suppress student enrolments by some 2.7%.
He suggests that, if demand from rUK students rose by just 1% after the scrapping of fees, that would lead to 3900 extra applications. Last year, 5066 rUK students were accepted into Scottish universities.
“The evidence shows that students are sensitive to fee differentials and the possibility of studying in Newcastle for £9000 or Edinburgh for nothing would cause people to move.
“The potential student population in the rest of the UK is so large that even a slight swing towards favouring Scottish institutions could make quite a significant difference to the annual intake.”
Mr Bell suggested one solution for a post-independence Scotland would be to introduce the Welsh system, where home students are charged fees along with EU students, but both are eligible for grants and loans to cover the cost.
Welsh domiciled students can also apply for incomerelated grants covering living costs, which are not available to EU students.
However, such a policy would be virtually impossible for the SNP to introduce given their outspoken opposition to tuition fees of any kind.
A Scottish Gover nment spokeswoman said: “We remain committed to access to higher education for eligible Scots based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay.
“No fees was the pledge we made, it is a pledge we have delivered on and this will not change with independence.
“A record number of students are now in higher education in Scotland.
“There are a range of options and mechanisms available to ministers to maintain the balance of students from within and outwith Scotland post-independence and we will publish specific plans in due course.”