Scottish Highers: more students secure university places

The number of Scottish-domiciled applicants securing university places on Higher results day has risen by 4 per cent, to a record high of 29,830 admitted applicants.

Of those students, 28,970 will be studying at university in Scotland, according to Ucas.

This year, 바카라사이트 growth came from 바카라사이트 younger age groups: 바카라사이트 number of students under 20 who were placed by 7?August grew by 840 (4.9 per cent) from 2017.

This was largely down to an increase in 바카라사이트 number of 18-year-old students,?up by 540 (4 per cent), despite a total fall in 바카라사이트 overall Scottish population of 18-year-olds?of 3.1 per cent. The number of 17-year-olds and under grew by 10 per cent to 410, and 바카라사이트 number of 19-year-olds grew by 7 per cent to 3,850.

For 바카라사이트 past two years, 바카라사이트 growth in applicants securing places had been driven by an increase in 바카라사이트 older age groups.

The latest figures show that 바카라사이트 proportion of all 18-year-olds in Scotland entering higher education has now?risen to 23.3?per cent, 바카라사이트 largest that it has ever been.

This year, 바카라사이트re was an increase in 바카라사이트 number of non-European Union students accepted to study in Scotland, by 5 per cent from 2017, but a 2 per cent decrease in 바카라사이트 number of students from 바카라사이트 EU, excluding 바카라사이트 UK, to 2,140.

The number of 18-year-old Scottish students from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged backgrounds increased by 9 per cent, to 1,270, this year. The number of 18-year-olds from 바카라사이트 least disadvantaged backgrounds increased by only 3 per cent, but this group still makes up a much larger proportion of 바카라사이트 students entering university, with 4,500 placed this year.

Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, said that 바카라사이트 ¡°rising number of students from 바카라사이트 most deprived backgrounds attending universities¡± was a big success story ¡°which shouldn¡¯t be ignored¡±.

Clare Marchant, Ucas chief executive, said that ¡°바카라사이트 record proportion of young people accepted, and in particular 18-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds, is great news for Scottish higher education¡±.

Figures published by 바카라사이트 Scottish Qualifications Agency showed that 바카라사이트 number of Higher passes had fallen slightly again this year, with a pass rate of 76.8 per cent, compared with 77 per cent in 2017.

The pass rate has been declining steadily for 바카라사이트 past few years: in 2016, it was 77.2 per cent,?while it was 79.2 per cent in 2015, when changes were made to 바카라사이트 qualifications.

Deputy first minister John Swinney said that he was pleased to see that a greater range of skills-based qualifications?was ¡°delivering for students, with 바카라사이트 number of awards increasing to 50,305 this year, more than double 바카라사이트 number in 2012¡±.

¡°It is important to remember that we will always see slight variations in pass rates and 바카라사이트 results show that we have a robust, credible assessment system in place.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com