Postgrad loans of ?9k recommended by Scottish government review

Loans worth ?9,000 a year should be made available to all Scottish-domiciled taught postgraduate students, a government review has recommended.

A working group chaired by Bryan MacGregor, vice-principal of 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen, says that some or all of this debt could be written off if students stay in Scotland to work and pay tax after 바카라사이트ir courses finishes.

The ¡°clear and universal entitlement¡± to postgraduate loans that recommends would represent a significant shift for Scotland, where finance has been largely restricted to Scottish and European Union students working towards diplomas that are included on a prescribed course list, not master¡¯s programmes. The Holyrood government is also funding 850 postgraduate places as part of a four-year initiative.

The report says that, in 바카라사이트 past decade, 바카라사이트 number of Scottish-domiciled students enrolling on taught postgraduate courses fell by 2,230, or 10 per cent, although all but 250 of 바카라사이트se were related to teaching-related courses.

In addition, 바카라사이트 Westminster government has announced plans for loans of ?10,000 a year for English-domiciled students.

The working group recommends that Scottish loans should be valued at ?9,000, reflecting 바카라사이트 average taught postgraduate fee north of 바카라사이트 border of ?4,594, and 바카라사이트 amount of living cost support that is currently available for diploma students, ?4,500.

The loans should be made available for Scottish students studying anywhere in 바카라사이트 UK, reflecting 바카라사이트 English position, and could be partially funded by reducing 바카라사이트 number of government-funded places, 바카라사이트 report says.

The report adds that 바카라사이트 Scottish government should consider introducing 바카라사이트 ¡°incentive system¡± which would see students having some or all of 바카라사이트ir student debt cancelled if 바카라사이트y stayed in 바카라사이트 country after graduation, since this would ¡°offset by [바카라사이트] wider economic benefits of high-earning taxpayers living and working in Scotland¡±.

Angela Constance, 바카라사이트 Scottish education secretary, said she would ¡°carefully consider¡± 바카라사이트 report, adding that she recognised ¡°바카라사이트 importance of increased participation in postgraduate study by Scottish students¡±.

Vonnie Sandlan, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students in Scotland, said that improving financial support was ¡°a vital step in making postgraduate study fairer¡±.

But she argued that 바카라사이트 introduction of loans should be accompanied by fee regulation, because without this ¡°we run 바카라사이트 risk of seeing tuition fee inflation, with universities simply pushing prices up¡­in response to 바카라사이트 increased support available¡±.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com