The body that represents Scotland’s higher education sector says Scottish universities will not face an influx of “fee refugees” in the wake of plans to increase tuition charges in the rest of the UK.
A report by Lord Browne has recommended the £3290 per year cap on tuition fees down south be removed.
UK Business Secretary Vince Cable said a fee of £7000 a year to get university qualifications was being considered by ministers but fees for some courses could top £12,000.
Scots currently do not pay to attend university, but undergraduates from the rest of the UK have to pay a fixed fee of £1820 per year to study here.
Despite students potentially having to pay a substantial amount more south of the border, Universities Scotland does not believe people will flock to institutions.
A spokeswoman said, “Our position is really straightforward. Everyone thought that (an influx of students choosing Scottish universities) would happen when fees first came in down south. But there wasn’t an influx then and there isn’t much evidence it will happen again now.”
Tuition fees of up to £1250 a year were introduced for British students with the exceptions of Scots studying at Scottish universities in 1998. In 2004 the charge increased to the current maximum of £3225 each year. Now fees are set to rise again.