Number of Scots from deprived areas going to university second highest on record

The number of Scots entering university from the most deprived backgrounds has reached its second-highest level on record, figures show.

Data from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) show 16.7% of full-time first-degree entrants to university in 2023-24 were from the 20% most deprived areas of the country.

That is up from 16.3% in 2022/23 and 16.5% in 2021/22, and matches the figure in 2020/21 – though that year had more entrants overall, meaning more people from deprived areas went to university, but the percentage remained the same.

Those from the 20% most deprived backgrounds going to college also increased in the most recent figures to 28.9% – up 28% from 2022/23 but down from a high of 29.1% in 2019-20.

The total number of all Scottish undergraduates in full-time higher education stood at 20.8% in 2023-24, up from 20.2% the year before but down from a peak of 21.4% in 2019-20.

The number of care-experienced Scots entering higher education was recorded 2.4%, with the figure having increased every year since 2013-14.

The number of Scots with disabilities entering university also increased to a record high of 23.3%.

Graeme Dey, the higher and further education minister, said the figures show access for the poorest Scots is improving.

He said: “These figures show that the number of people from deprived areas in Scotland studying full-time for their first degree in 2023-24 was the second highest on record.

“The number of Scots, from the most deprived areas, entering university on full-time first degree courses is up 37% since this Government established the Commission on Widening Access, while we have also seen record numbers of Scots from deprived areas accepted to study in 2024, increasing by 11% since 2023.

“The findings today are a testament to the great work being done by both our universities and colleges to improve access, with an increase to 20.8% of all full-time entrants to undergraduate HE courses, including colleges, coming from the most deprived areas.

“However, there is more to do to meet the goal of 20% of all entrants being from the 20% most deprived communities by 2030.

“I will continue to work constructively with the sector to create more opportunities for people from the poorest backgrounds to go to university and gain qualifications which will help in our mission to eradicate child poverty.

“Our continued pledge to keep tuition fees free is also ensuring that access to higher education is based on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay.”