'Means testing tuition fees must be considered in Scotland'

Undergraduate tuition fees in England are set to rise to £9,535 from next year – an increase of £285.

It is the first time fees have increased south of the border since 2017, leading to significant criticism for the UK Government.

But the Scottish Government has said it is “resolutely committed” to the universal policy.

While Scottish students studying in Scotland do not pay tuition fees, English students studying north of the border pay the current £9,250 to study here.

However, the University and Colleges Union (UCU) anticipates Scottish institutions will match the tuition fee increase for non-domiciled students.

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Speaking to The Herald, Professor Mitchell said the Scottish Government should consider a policy of means testing tuition fees amid concerns it fails to address the attainment gap between the richest and poorest students in Scotland.

He said: "Decisions made during the 'good times' of massive growth of  public expenditure too often took little account of the possibility of difficult times ahead or the importance of thinking strategically about spending.

"Public spending became a means of appealing to the sections of the electorate most likely to turn out and vote.

“Sadly the section least likely to vote – the poorest in society – were not prioritised if we are serious about tackling the educational attainment gap."

But the National Union of Students (NUS) has warned free tuition is "non-negotiable", adding it makes education in Scotland more "accessible".

Official statistics, published earlier this year, showed a record number of Scottish students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds were accepted into university.

In 2024, 15.4% of the most disadvantaged Scottish 18-year-olds were accepted to study at a Scottish university, up from 14.6% in 2023.

However the Scottish Government aims to increase the number to 20% by 2030.

Earlier this year, experts warned that Scottish universities remain reliant on international students.

And universities have warned that "unpopular decisions" may need to be made to allow the sector to survive after the budget allocated £760.7 million for Scotland's higher education sector in the 2024-25 budget, a 3.6% decrease from the previous year.

Professor Mitchell added: "Of course, in a perfect world in which money was no option it would be great to have a policy on no tuition fees backed up with adequate alternative state funding of higher education.  But in the real world, absence of tuition fees is not being matched by adequate funding for higher education.”

He told The Herald: "Scotland has an internationally renowned university sector. But the sector is under increasing and obvious pressure.

"Tuition fees should be considered as part of an overall review of higher education funding. 

“Otherwise we will see cuts imposed on what ill-informed populist politicians refer to as ‘pointless’ degrees.  There should be no doubt about it that the courses that are most vulnerable though more will be under threat in time. 

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“We must review how higher education is funded if we are to protect such courses and ensure higher education plays its full part in society.  But, I stress, tuition fees should be only one part of that review.”

He also said an "unintended" consequence of the universal policy was that young Scots were being "denied a place" at university.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison confirmed at least 1,200 university places for Scottish students would be cut.

The numbers were increased during the pandemic following a spike in pupils meeting the admissions threshold. However, the Scottish Government could not afford the policy to continue, Ms Robison said.

"The current situation is perverse, a consequence of allowing an ill-informed emotional response to guide policy," Professor Mitchell added.

However NUS Scotland president Sai Shraddha Suresh Viswanathan said universal tuition for domiciled Scots made education more "accessible" but warned ministers additional funding was needed to address the challenges facing students.

She said: "Education should be easily accessible to everyone in our society and the focus of our politicians should be on removing barriers to education, not bringing back old ones like tuition fees.

"The Scottish Government is therefore right to defend universality but if it truly values education it must properly fund it.

"Our education system is struggling not because of free tuition but because of years of real term cuts and underfunding. The system is sadly now reliant on the exploitation of international students paying extortionate fees, particularly those from Britain’s former colonies."

"Scotland's students are clear, free tuition is not negotiable," she added.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We are aware of the UK Government’s decision to increase tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year and are currently considering the impact of this change for students from the rest of the UK studying in Scotland.

“The Scottish Government is resolutely committed to free tuition for Scottish-domiciled students.”

Mary Senior, Scotland official at University Colleges Union (UCU), said: “Regrettably, we anticipate universities in Scotland will now be able to charge students from the rest of the UK £9,535 from next autumn.

“UCU has consistently called for better funding for universities in Scotland, but we don’t want that to come at the expense of saddling students coming to study in Scotland’s universities from England, Wales and Northern Ireland with more debt.”