Hundreds of university places for Scottish students cut next year

Scotland’s Deputy First Minister has confirmed 1,200 places at universities for homegrown students will be cut next year, but she could not say if the number would be higher.

The Times reported on Tuesday that a spreadsheet released alongside the Scottish Budget last month suggested a 6% decrease in higher education resource would be a result of “additional savings to be made in the HE sector including from reducing first year university places”.

Under current rules, Scottish domiciled students are guaranteed free tuition if they live in the country for three years before the start of their course.

Speaking to the Finance and Public Administration Committee, Shona Robison, who is also Finance Secretary, said there will be 1,200 fewer places for Scottish students next academic year.

These places were funded by the Scottish Government during the pandemic using Covid money, as a result of changes to the examination processes which caused a spike in university attendance.

Ms Robison said continuing to fund the places is “not sustainable”.

She added: “We’ve maintained those places for two years without the Covid funding available.

“That spike in places due to Covid is going to have to return to the pre-Covid levels of university places.”

Scottish Labour MSP Michael Marra said the amount cut from the budget would be the equivalent of a reduction of around 3,800 student places.

Ms Robison replied: “That’s not a number I’m familiar with, there isn’t a number as such, because the Scottish Funding Council is still to have those discussions with the university sector around the places that will be available.

“But going forward, the number of places that will be settled is a discussion that the funding council is having with the universities in order to land in a place that is affordable and sustainable.”

Asked by Conservative MSP Liz Smith to clarify the number of places that could be cut, the Deputy First Minister reiterated the only figure she is aware of is the 1,200 places stemming from the pandemic.

Ms Robison went on to say universities in Scotland should have been “more than aware” of the drop in places and known the figure would not be “sustained in the long-term”.

She added that the country’s struggling financial picture will not be seen as a reason to bring back tuition fees for Scottish students, a policy she claimed has resulted in more people from deprived backgrounds going to university.

“If you’re asking me if we’re reviewing the position of free tuition, then no, that is not something we’re reviewing,” she said in response to a question from Ms Smith about the current funding model for higher education, which the Tory MSP said was not related to tuition fees.

The Scottish Government’s own equality statement, also released alongside the Budget, said there is a “significant risk” increased competition for places could “disadvantage” students from poorer backgrounds.