New UCAS statistics show that the number of students accepted to study in Scotland this year has increased by 1,260 to 45,090, including a record 2,090 18-year-olds from the most deprived areas of Scotland being accepted to enter higher education.
MSP welcomes figures
MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw Clare Adamson has welcomed the new figures, saying: “These new UCAS figures are hugely encouraging and show the importance of ensuring that young people, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to access higher education.”
Ms Adamson added: “It is particularly welcome to see a record number of 18-year-olds from Scotland’s most deprived communities being accepted to university or college.” She highlighted that free tuition is an important part of removing financial barriers, stating that young people should be able to choose their future based on ability and ambition, not on whether they can afford tuition fees.
She also noted that while students elsewhere in the UK face increasing tuition fees and significant debt, Scotland has continued to protect free undergraduate tuition, ensuring financial circumstances do not stand in the way of educational opportunity.
Criticism from Conservative MSP
However, Central Scotland MSP Meghan Gallacher from the Scottish Conservatives has criticised the situation for thousands of Scottish students who were denied university places in favour of fee-paying foreign students. The issue allows universities to seek foreign or UK-based fee-paying students to fill spaces opened up during Clearing.
One father, whose daughter gained AAAAB at Higher and AA B at Advanced Higher but missed out on a Glasgow University place, said: “There’s all these clearing pages and when you click you’re from England, or from the United States, you see all these courses but once you click you are from Scotland you are totally locked out.”
Ms Gallacher said: “This is further damning proof that the SNP’s university funding model is seriously flawed. Talented young Scots shouldn’t be seeing their incredible efforts go to waste and be denied entry to their dream courses.” She added that the SNP’s failure to address the situation means those who can pay are able to leapfrog Scottish students, and called for action to ensure opportunities for Scottish students are not limited.
