Eligibility for free tuition set to be extended to asylum-seeker children

Eligibility for free student tuition support in Scotland is set to be extended to cover a wider range of immigration statuses.

It comes after Iraq-born student Ola Jasim successfully challenged the Scottish Government in court on human rights grounds.

The 20-year-old, who has lived in Scotland for nine years, could not access free tuition due to a time limit on eligibility.

Following her win at the Court of Session last year, the Government is now proposing to remove the time limit which previously applied.

This will mean unaccompanied children who are asylum seekers, as well as the children of asylum seekers, will be able to apply for free tuition.

Another change will also grant student support to those who have been residing in Scotland for three years, if they have leave to remain in the UK.

The changes to regulations have been laid at Holyrood and are designed to come into effect ahead of the next academic year.

Higher education minister Graeme Dey said: “Scotland has a strong track record in supporting our young people.

“I recognise the impact that any delay to an asylum claim can have on a young person’s education journey and I hope the changes set out here will go some way to address that.

“In addition, the changes we are proposing to capture a range of immigration statuses will mean that all students, other than excepted groups, must now meet the same length of residence in the UK – three years – to access support.

“The public consultation and stakeholder engagement we carried out was generally positive about the proposed changes.

“We will now seek to engage on other important issues highlighted in the consultation.”