The Scottish Government has failed to guarantee funding for European would-be university students after the Tories pledged cash in England.
UK universities minister Jo Johnson MP has said access to tuition fee loans and other support would continue throughout their course after enrolling in 2017 or 2018, even after the UK leaves the European Union.
Scottish university principals and trade unions have urged Holyrood ministers to offer the same certainty to those applying to study north of the border in 2017.
But a Scottish Government spokesman said: “We have already confirmed tuition fee funding to support EU students already studying here, or preparing to start this year, will remain in place for the full term of their course.
“We are currently considering the position of students applying for the 2017/18 academic year.”
Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, said: “Scotland’s universities and EU applicants applying here really need certainty from the Scottish Government on the fee status for courses starting in 2017.”
It came as Downing Street was forced defend itself against a leaked document which warned the economy could lose up to £66 billion a year in the event of a “hard Brexit”.
The Treasury calculation was included in official papers for a Cabinet committee, prompting pro-Brexit ministers to protest that it was “withdrawn from reality” because it did not assume the continuation of any trade deals.
SNP Europe spokesman, North East Fife MP Stephen Gethins, said: “This will have an impact on everybody across these islands, not least in Fife and elsewhere locally given our excellent universities who collaborate with European partners, our food and drink industry and other industries which rely on the single market.”
No.10 said the study used in the EU referendum campaign was “research” from “some time ago” and the Government’s focus was on the future.
