Get university tuition back or risk Scottish brain drain, SNP says

Humza Yousaf, Scottish First Minister, has rejected calls to reintroduce tuition fees. Consider introducing tuition fees to stop the brain drain of young talent from Scotland, said the head of one of the country's leading universities.

Professor Sir Peter Matheson, Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, pushed for schools to be allowed to charge fees from the most wealthy students will help create more places for ordinary Scots.

He warned that the lack of funding means that «talent and money» will go south and young people will have to study in England or abroad instead.

But Humza Yousaf, the Scottish First Minister, immediately dismissed his argument, stating that «there will be no movement at all … regarding free education.»

Homegrown students can attend Scottish universities for free, the number of places offered is limited to Holyrood.

The shortage of centrally funded places is expected to be around 10,000 for the coming academic year, with demand far exceeding supply.

The lack of places meant that last year one law course at the University of Edinburgh was completely filled with applicants from disadvantaged families.

As a result, Scots from wealthier families had to move to another place when they could pay fees, creating additional places and helping fund the system.

Professor Sir Peter Matheson has warned that the lack of funding means that young people will study in England or abroad rather than in Scotland. Photo: Ranald Lisk/University of Edinburgh. «calm consideration» of allowing such students to pay.

In an article for The Herald newspaper, he said: «We are accused of denying opportunities to more traditional candidates. In a limited system, this is somewhat inevitable.

“We do not seek to exclude any group. It's not that privately educated applicants won't be able to get a place in Edinburgh.

“How can things change? Last year, think tank Reform Scotland suggested that Scottish graduates earning more than the average salary could contribute to tuition fees and possibly allow for better public funding and/or a higher headcount cap.”

He added : «In addition, wealthy families in Scotland can currently pay for their children's education in England or abroad, but not in Scotland.

“So talent and money are leaving Scotland. Changing any of them would be a political decision beyond my control, but it deserves calm consideration.»

First Minister unmoved by requests for tuition fees

Mr Yousaf said he «disagrees» with the idea of ​​introducing tuition fees, which was completely abolished by the SNP for local students in 2008.

“There will be no movement from the Scottish government. about free education,” he told reporters at an energy conference in Glasgow.

“I have a lot of time for the Headmaster of the University of Edinburgh, but I believe that education, especially university education, should be based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay.”

More than 120 will be allocated in the coming academic year 000 centrally funded places, of which approximately 30,000 are expected to be for first-year students.

This compares to the 50,000 young Scots applying for university places in 2022. , according to Ucas, the university admissions office.

«SNP underfunds the system»

Typically around 10,000 Scots go to study in England every year, meaning around 40,000 applicants are expected to apply for 30,000 places.

The Scottish Government pays universities £1,820 per student, and this amount currently covers only about 80% of the average cost per place.

The Universities of Scotland, a group representing the country's higher education institutions, said the SNP should recognize that it is underfunding the system and pump in more money.

A spokesman said: «The funding that universities receive from the Scottish government is does not cover Scottish students' tuition or tuition fees. conducting research.

“This used to be problematic, but recent inflationary pressures have made life difficult for universities.

“This is becoming increasingly unsustainable and the Scottish government needs to find a solution. There is a clear political consensus on free tuition.

“We need proper funding for our sector and this is not happening at the moment.”

Funding cut by £20m

Last week , The SNP has cut £20m of funding for Scottish universities next year.

Pam Gosal, Scottish Tory Shadow Minister for Higher Education, said: that the SNP does not fully support our universities.

“They have to turn away students who fully meet the requirements for courses due to an arbitrary limit on the number of students appointed by SNP ministers.

“The time has come for them to stop putting the future prospects of students at risk and give our struggling institutions the funding they need.”