Chamber and committees

New data released by the university admissions service UCAS on Thursday 18 February show that the application rate for Scottish students has increased by 3.9 percentage points to 35.8%, with a 16% increase in the number of 18-year-old Scottish domiciled students applying to university.

The statistics also show continued increase in applicants from the most disadvantaged background with a 15% increase (1,100 people) in the number of applicants. 21.1% of 18-year-olds from SIMD20 backgrounds are applying to university, demonstrating that efforts to widen access are encouraging people of all backgrounds to apply.

We remain absolutely committed to the principle that access to education should be based on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay. Every child growing up in Scotland, regardless of their background, should have an equal chance of attending university and participating in higher education. We continue to work with the sector to maintain our commitment to the widening access agenda.

Unlike elsewhere in the UK, Scottish students studying in Scotland do not incur additional debt of up to £27,000. Average student support provided per full-time student was £6,140 in 2019-20, an increase from £6,010 in 2018-19.

We know that this year has not been the educational experience that students expect and deserve, and we are grateful to them for the sacrifices they are making to protect themselves, their fellow students and the wider community. Through our Learner Journey Task Force we are urgently working in partnership with colleges, universities, staff and student representatives to investigate all practical solutions to enable students to continue and complete their learner journeys, and move into employment or further study.