Chamber and committees

The Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) funding allocation to Scotland’s colleges for the current academic year (2025-26) equates to a 2.6% increase in funding for teaching activity, and a 4.8% increase for capital maintenance funding, to support colleges to continue to invest in student’s learning experiences.

In 2023-24, there was a reduction in very short courses which contributed to the reported decrease in overall college enrolments.

At this point in the budget cycle no decision has been made on the funding that will be made available for colleges in financial year 2026-27. The Scottish Government recognises the critical role that colleges play in delivering high-quality education, is aware of the pressures colleges are facing and remains fully committed to working constructively with the sector. The College Tripartite Alignment Group has membership from a range of colleges, the Scottish Funding Council and the Scottish Government and provides strategic direction on the pressures and opportunities facing colleges. You can read more about the Group’s activities here Colleges: Tripartite Alignment Group - gov.scot.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on staffing levels and future workforce plans: operational decisions are for individual colleges to determine.

The Scottish Government recognises the vital role English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) plays in supporting people whose first language is not English, equipping them with the communication skills necessary to contribute and integrate economically, culturally and socially in Scotland.

Scottish Government funding for college based ESOL provision forms part of the Scottish Funding Council’s grant allocation. Colleges are responsible for decisions on course provision and are best placed to respond flexibly to local ESOL need alongside partners including local authorities and the third sector. Local authorities themselves play an important role in delivering their community learning and development (CLD) plans, which supports the provision of community based ESOL.

Recognising ESOL’s importance, the former Minister for Higher and Further Education wrote to the Scottish Funding Council with supplementary guidance: Letter to Mike Cantlay from Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans - 04.03.25 to ensure ESOL remains a priority for colleges in the academic year 2025-26.

Additionally, the Scottish Government has directly made £1.2m available for ESOL provision in Glasgow since 2024-25. This funding has been provided in response to the Learning: For ALL. For Life report: Learning: For All. For Life. A report from the Independent Review of Community Learning and Development (CLD) - gov.scot which called on the Scottish Government to take immediate action to address high levels of need for ESOL, which disproportionately impacts Glasgow. There have been recent spikes of demand, for example, following the war in Ukraine.

A further £200,000 has also been invested in a nationwide online ESOL and employability pilot in 2025-26 for up to 1,800 learners which is administered by ESOL Scotland and focused on gaps in provision.

In response to the Learning: For All. For Life report following the independent review of CLD, Scottish Government and COSLA accepted report recommendation 1.1 to establish a joint CLD Strategic Leadership Group (SLG). The SLG will play a central role in developing our detailed response to the remaining 19 recommendations. The SLG, which includes the Scottish Funding Council as a member, has met on four occasions and identified taking action on ESOL an immediate priority.

Despite continuing fiscal challenges, the Scottish Government has increased the direct mental health programme budget for 2025-26 by 1.2% to £270.5 million. We expect total mental health spending to reach record levels – around £1.5 billion - in 2025-26. We have invested significantly in a range of mental health services, including allocating over £160 million since 2020 on community-based support for children, young people and adults. It is important to emphasise that students have access to, and benefit from, the support services provided by the NHS and in our communities.

We also continue to fund NUS Think Positive to work with colleges, universities and students’ associations to develop and promote their mental health support offer.

Our Student Mental Health Action Plan was published in September 2024. The Plan aims, through collaboration between colleges, universities, public and third sector, to join up support that is already available, embedding students into the wider communities in which they live and study. Through the Action Plan’s Delivery Group, the Scottish Government is bringing partners together to make this happen.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) regularly monitors college student numbers, including headcount, enrolment and full-time equivalent students. SFC publishes this information on an annual basis through its College Statistics 2023-24 - Scottish Funding Council.

Colleges receive funding from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) based on the number of credits they deliver. The SFC increased the credit price from 2023-24 which is an increase to the investment in each individual student.

The Scottish Government recognises the critical role that colleges play in delivering high-quality education. The 2025-26 budget provided almost a 5% increase in capital maintenance funding to help colleges further invest in student’s learning experiences. In collaboration and with agreement from the college sector, SFC retained £2.5m of its 2025-26 capital budget for high priority needs (including health & safety issues).

The Scottish Funding Council’s College Infrastructure Strategy (CIS) describes the SFC’s approach to determining future investment in Scotland’s college estate and other college infrastructure. The CIS sets out the collective approach between the SFC and colleges to develop a 10-year Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP) for Scotland’s colleges. The plan will identify future infrastructure investment needed for a sustainable sector and is due to be published in autumn 2026.

At this point in the budget cycle no decision has been made on the funding that will be made available for colleges in financial year 2026-27. The Scottish Government is aware of the pressures colleges are facing and remains committed to working constructively with the sector and the Scottish Funding Council. The College Tripartite Alignment Group has membership from a range of colleges, SFC and the Scottish Government and provides strategic direction on the pressures and opportunities facing colleges. You can read more about the Group’s activities here Colleges: Tripartite Alignment Group - gov.scot.

The reason behind the withdrawal of £26m transition funding in 2023 is on record.

The funding was originally announced as part of the 2023-24 Budget to support strategic change and transformation in the college sector. That it had been necessary to take this as a required saving given new portfolio pressures was communicated in this letter to the Education Children and Young People Committee on 2 May 2023 found here: Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans.

The Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) funding allocation to Scotland’s colleges for the current academic year (2025-26) equates to a 2.6% increase in funding for teaching activity, and a 4.8% increase for capital maintenance funding, to support colleges to continue to invest in student’s learning experiences.

The SFC provides regular advice to the Scottish Government on the pressures facing the college sector. This is based on the regular financial returns received from colleges.

The Scottish Government’s position remains that the current UK immigration system is not working for Scotland.

We continue to call on the UK Government for urgent changes to ensure that the immigration system reflects Scotland’s distinct demographic and economic needs. Our tailored migration proposals including a Scottish Visa, a Rural Visa Pilot and a Scottish Graduate Visa are designed to operate within the existing UK immigration framework. They have, however unfortunately been repeatedly dismissed by the UK Government.

Labour's immigration policies are damaging to our National Health Service, public services and our economy. They have refused to work with us on our proposals. It is clear that Scotland requires a tailored approach to migration which can only be delivered through a fresh start with independence.