Universities Scotland welcomes news on SQA results day on the number of Scottish students securing an undergraduate place at university via UCAS in 2025.
Commenting, Universities Scotland’s Deputy Director, Lesley Jackson said:
“There are lots of positives for university applicants on SQA results day, including the record number of Scots aged 17 and 18 securing a place, increasing by 4.2%.
“There is additional good news when it comes to widening access as there has been an increase in those aged 17 and 18 from the poorest backgrounds achieving a place at university, increasing by 5.5% compared to 2024. This is the highest it’s been at this point in the cycle, for these age groups, which is a testament to the work being done by universities to widen access to higher education despite ever more challenging financial circumstances in which to drive forward this important agenda.
“Whilst there is good news to celebrate when it comes to school-leavers, there are aspects of the wider picture of placed applicants today which are concerning. The number of over 25-year-olds getting a place at university has fallen again, which comes down to falling demand. This has knock-on consequences for widening access across the piece and is worrying when we think ahead to Scotland’s changing demographics, which will see the number of school-leavers decline from 2030 onwards. Scotland needs to address the issue of better support for mature and part-time students from a skills and equity perspective.”
Notes:
- The UCAS data released today is a snap-shot of placed applicants on SQA results day. The admissions process remains a live process for the next few weeks, with Scottish students and those from the rest of the UK and overseas continuing to have their places confirmed, and/or applying through the clearing system.
- Our comments on the data compare the snap-shot today with the same time in the cycle last year (SQA results day 2024) for the most accurate comparison.