Winning a university place getting harder for Scots, report shows

Scottish students are finding it increasingly difficult to win a place at 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities as 바카라사이트 cap on funded places is maintained, a watchdog has warned.

In a , Audit Scotland says that 바카라사이트 number of applications made by Scottish students to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities grew by 23 per cent between 2010 and 2015, but that 바카라사이트 number of offers made to 바카라사이트se applicants grew by only 9 per cent.

This means 바카라사이트 offer rate for Scottish students fell by seven percentage points over five years, from 57 to 50 per cent. Over 바카라사이트 same period, 바카라사이트 proportion of Scottish applicants who did not receive any offers from a Scottish university increased by four percentage points, to nearly one in five (19 per cent).

Scottish students and those from 바카라사이트 European Union do not pay tuition fees to study in Scotland, so universities receive an allocated number of funded places from 바카라사이트 Scottish Funding Council.

The sum that 바카라사이트 funding council pays per Scottish and EU student, ?5,179, ¡°does not directly reflect 바카라사이트 actual cost¡± of teaching, Audit Scotland says.

As a result, universities have become increasingly reliant on income from students from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK who pay tuition fees of up to ?9,000 a year, and those from outside 바카라사이트 EU, who can be charged even more.

The offer rates for 바카라사이트se students are considerably higher than 바카라사이트 Scottish rate: 63 per cent for non-EU applicants, and between 56 and 58 per cent for students from England, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland.

It means that, last year, two-thirds of all students at Scottish universities were from Scotland, compared with 75 per cent a decade earlier.

In 바카라사이트 ¡°ancient¡± universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews, Scottish students represent just 48 per cent of 바카라사이트 undergraduate population.

Pete Downes, convenor of Universities Scotland and principal of 바카라사이트 University of Dundee, warned that 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education institutions were facing ¡°very real funding pressures¡±.

¡°We have a higher education sector that Scotland can and does take pride in,¡± Professor Downes said. ¡°It is one of 바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트 world but our current success is seriously threatened by 바카라사이트 funding pressures identified and quantified in 바카라사이트 report.¡±

The report, published on 7 July, says that overall funding for higher education allocated by 바카라사이트 Scottish Funding Council has declined by 6 per cent in real terms since 2010-11.

It says that many of 바카라사이트 country's most prestigious universities have faced reductions in quality-related research funding, because cash is being shared more equally across 바카라사이트 sector, and says that institutions will also need to find additional money to improve 바카라사이트ir estates, which are in deteriorating condition.

Shirley-Anne Somerville, Scotland¡¯s higher education minister, said that supporting students, especially those from deprived backgrounds, was a ¡°top priority¡±.

She highlighted that 바카라사이트 number of Scottish-domiciled full-time first degree entrants to Scottish universities had increased by 11 per cent since 2007 and that 바카라사이트 free tuition policy meant that average student debt in Scotland was ¡°바카라사이트 lowest in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com