International students lead rise in applications to Scottish universities
Applications to Scottish universities have risen thanks to a surge in interest from international students.
- By Grant Smith, education reporter
- Published in the Courier : 31.01.12
- Published online : 31.01.12 @ 08.04am
Figures released by clearing service UCAS show that 96,364 applications had been received by the mid-January deadline, up 0.2% on last year.
Applications from UK residents fell by 1.5%, but were offset by a 6% increase from the European Union and a 24.7% jump from other countries. By contrast, the total number of applications to English universities fell by 8.5%.
Education Secretary Mike Russell said the figures were a ''vindication'' of the Scottish Government's decision to keep higher education tuition fee-free for Scottish students.
He said: ''The full picture around acceptance figures will emerge later this year, but high levels of applications from abroad reflect the excellent reputation Scottish universities enjoy abroad.
''We are also taking action to protect places at Scottish institutions for Scottish students, which forms part of our work on reforming post-16 education in this country.''
St Andrews University was among those to benefit from the increase in overseas applications, with those from EU countries up by 35% and those from the rest of the world up by 22%.
It also had an 11% rise in Scottish applicants, against a 3% drop in those from England. The university is planning to charge tuition fees of £36,000 for a four-year degree to students from other parts of the UK.
A total of 13,696 prospective students have sought places at St Andrews, a rise of 17% compared to 2011 and the largest number of applications it has ever received.
However, competition will be fierce as applications outnumber available places by 10 to one.
Vice-principal Stephen Magee said: ''We are pleased that applications to St Andrews have again grown, particularly when the sector as a whole has seen a drop in applications and the funding of higher education is more challenged than ever, for students as well as institutions.
''What will be far more important than application figures however are the numbers of young people who actually decide to take up the offer of a place at university, given the considerable pressures facing families at present.''
UCAS figures for Dundee University showed applications up 2.7% to 18,580, with Abertay University up 4.9% to 5,898.
The number of Scots seeking a place at a home university was down by only 1.1% but the number seeking a place at an English institution fell by 16.4%, an indication that would-be students have been put off by the prospect of paying tuition fees of up to £9,000 a year down south.
Gordon Watson, Scottish president of the UCU union which represents academics, said: ''While Scotland has seen a far smaller drop in university applications compared to the rest of the UK, higher fees south of the border appear to be forcing many students here to study locally instead of choosing courses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that may be better suited to them.''
But Robin Parker, Scottish president of the National Union of Students, said the figures were a ''ringing endorsement'' of the Government's policy on scrapping tuition fees for Scottish students.
''Overall, applications to study in Scotland are close to steady which is great news. At a time of high youth unemployment, we now need to build further on this year's increase in places,'' he said.
UCAS chief executive Mary Curnock Cook said she was worried that demand for higher education across the UK would outstrip the number of places available.
''Applications are already 50,000 ahead of the number of acceptances in 2011 and last year UCAS received over 100,000 further applications between January and the close of the cycle,'' she said.
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