2,000 Extra University Places In Scotland

20th December 2012

An extra 2000 university places for young people, half of which will be for those progressing from college to university as part of ongoing efforts to widen access, will be funded by the Scottish Funding Council.

Universities will receive just over £10 million in 2013-14 to pay for additional places, including over 700 on widening access schemes, more than 1,000 for young people moving on from college to university and around 300 on the Skills for Growth scheme.

Education Secretary Michael Russell said:“Scotland already has a record number of people at university. We have abolished tuition fees to ensure education remained free and now also offer the best financial support package for students in the whole of the UK. To further widen access, we will now help more than 2,000 extra young people go to university.

“This will mean more young Scots, including those from our most deprived communities, will reap the benefits of a university education. This funding will help more college students see their learning count towards a university degree and ensure young people from deprived areas who show potential get the support and education they need to realise that potential.

“Even within our limited fiscal powers, our actions to ensure young people access education based on ability to learn rather than the ability to pay underlines our commitment to supporting a highly skilled workforce and a growing economy. In an independent Scotland, with full job creating powers we could do even more.”

Additional funding allocated to universities for 2013/14 will provide extra university places. This includes at least 700 places through widening access schemes to help young people from deprived areas access university, more than 1,000 articulation places for college students progressing to university and around 300 for skills for growth - targeted on subjects supporting the key industry sectors of energy and life sciences