By Bill Heaney
Scottish universities are becoming increasingly reliant on international funds, as the number of overseas students has tripled since the SNP came to power.
Figures published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency reveal that the number of first time undergraduate international students attending university in Scotland has risen three times as quickly as the number of home-domiciled students since the SNP came to power.
Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary Liam Kerr has warned of the “unfair” impact that the SNP’s “arbitrary” cap on the number of places offered to Scots students is having on their future opportunities.
He added that the Scottish Conservatives would “ensure that our universities receive the funding they need to provide world-class tuition without being reliant on international fees.”
“While it’s welcome that so many young people from across the globe choose to study in Scotland, our universities’ reliance on international fees is having an unfair impact on young Scots.
“Universities have made it clear that the SNP’s arbitrary cap on the number of places offered to Scots each year means that they are forced to turn away talented homegrown students.
“Ministers must urgently listen to the Scottish Conservatives’ longstanding calls to lift this stringent cap so that more homegrown students can attend universities in their own country.
“The Scottish Conservatives will ensure that our universities receive the funding they need to provide world-class tuition without being reliant on international fees.”
International students attending Scottish universities has increased at three times the pace of Scottish students since the SNP came to power. Between 2007-08 and 2021-2022 there has been a 60% increase in the number of first time undergraduate Scottish domiciled students attending Scottish universities. This compares to an increase of 205% for international (non-EU) students. (HESA UK Students 2021-22, 19 January 2023, link; HESA Student Data 2007-08, link).
The number of international (non-EU) students has doubled as the proportion of university students since the SNP came to power. In 2007-08 international (non-EU) students made up 5.3% of first time undergraduate students. By 2021-22 this had doubled to 10%. (HESA UK Students 2021-22, 19 January 2023, link; HESA Student Data 2007-08, link).
Principal of Aberdeen University, Professor George Boyne, said there is a Scottish Government cap on the number of Scottish students able to go to Scottish universities. ‘To be clear, individual universities are not capping the number of Scottish students we take. That is a Scottish Government cap to ensure that undergraduate education is affordable within the Scottish Government budget, so that is a Scottish Government cap and we recruit to the cap. We take as many Scottish students as we are allowed to take’. (Official Report, 28 September 2022, link).
University funding from international students is set to overtake funding from the Scottish Government this year. Funding from international is set to make up 27% of universities’ average total income in 2023-24, compared to 25% from Scottish Funding Council grants. (Scottish Daily Express, 28 September 2022, link).
Since 2006 there has been an 84% increase in the number of Scottish domiciled applicants denied entry to Scottish universities. The funding cap for Scottish students has led to an 84% increase in the number of Scottish-domiciled applicants being refused entry to universities in Scotland since 2006 as more people apply for university. (The Scotsman, 1 August 2022, link).