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Mr Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education has announced today [Friday 14 October] that EU applicants, applying to start undergraduate degree course in Scotland’s universities in autumn 2017, will be eligible for free higher education for the duration of their degree programmes even where their course continues after the UK has left…

The bodies representing university staff, students and principals have joined together to call on the Scottish Government to offer certainty to EU students already applying to Scotland’s universities to start degree programmes in autumn 2017. The call follows an announcement today [11th October] from UK universities minister, Jo Johnson MP, which confirms that EU students…

Universities Scotland is proud that our member institutions are host to over 28,000 students from outside the UK. They are an important part of our university community, and the breadth of their contribution to Scotland’s social and cultural life was summarised in Richer for It. Scottish students benefit from learning alongside international peers, and our…

The Times Higher has published the 2017 world university rankings. Five Scottish universities feature in the top 200 and another 7 universities feature in the list which represents the best 5 per cent of universities in the world. Commenting on the rankings, a spokesperson said: “With five universities in the world’s top 200 and 12…

Higher education is to receive £25 million of the Scottish Government’s new £100m Capital Stimulus Package. The details were announced in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government for 2016-17 on Tuesday 6 September. Responding to the announcement Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland, said: “Universities are delighted to be one of the recipients of the…

Today (6th September) The Herald reported on universities’ commitment to review their admissions systems, one of the three work streams Universities Scotland is taking forward as part of our response to the Commission on Widening Access. Speaking to the Herald, Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland, said: “Universities are saying they will do more to…

Universities Scotland has set out its response to the Blueprint for Fair Access, the report of the Commission on Widening Access produced in March 2016. University leaders are to take forward three broad areas of work that address a number of the recommendations made by the Commission. Work will start straight away on a review…

Higher results day has brought good news for Scottish students today (Tuesday 9 August) with a 5 per cent increase in the number of Scots accepted into a Scottish university for 2016/17 academic year compared to the same point last year. As of midnight last night 28,300 Scottish students had accepted a place at one…

Universities Scotland was asked for comment on the UK Government’s new pilot exercise on the Tier 4 visa scheme open to international students who have studied masters programmes in four UK universities. Details of the scheme can be found on p93 of this Home Office guidance.  A spokesperson from Universities Scotland said: “We welcome the fact…