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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Scottish unis.....

26 replies

loooopo · 22/12/2015 17:06

If you are from England why would you do a 4 year course if paying £9k year fees? Has the number of rest of UK applicants plummeted since fees were introduced?

OP posts:
Roseformeplease · 22/12/2015 17:14

I think they only charge for 3 out of 4 years if coming to Scotland from England / Wales, although there would be more to pay in living costs.

But, Scottish degrees offer the chance to move within faculties and a general first year which makes them excellent for those who are less sure of their choices.

fuckweasel · 22/12/2015 17:16

It is possible to go straight into second year with A levels for some courses (as it is with Scottish Advanced Highers).

Katkat50 · 22/12/2015 20:54

A few thoughts....
Most Scottish unis charge for three years if it is a four year course (last year no fees) but Edinburgh and St Andrews charge the full amount for each year, apparently they think they are worth it.
You can only enter directly into year two if you have the right grades/subjects at A-level, so it is worth finding out this in advance if you really only want to be a student for 3 years.

My DS was keen to go to a Scottish uni, but decided it wasn't financially right for him or us.

disquisitiones · 23/12/2015 11:25

My understanding is that some Scottish students are indeed underrecruiting English students - many English university courses have expanded since 2012 but Scottish courses have typically not seen the same level of expansion.

One could equally ask whether there has been a change in the number of students on "enhanced" undergraduate degrees in the UK, four year degrees which result in qualifications such as MEng, MSci or MMath. These numbers have not fallen particularly, since most students feel they benefit from the higher level qualification.

We also point out the following to students who want to take the fourth year to get a masters but are hesitant because of financial implications. Although the total debt is increased by studying for a four year programme, the monthly repayments are not changed, as they are based on a percentage of income. So the only thing that changes is the amount of time needed to pay off loans. For many young people the latter is not terribly relevant as they are not even sure whether they are going to pay the loans off at all.

Original poster
loooopo · 23/12/2015 16:22

So do the Scottish degrees qualify as Masters as 4 years?

OP posts:
titchy · 23/12/2015 17:34

No. Scottish first year more at the level of year 13, hence why English students usually join in year 2 which is more like an English (and Welsh and NI) year 1.

Why wouldn't an English student go to Scotland? They're paying fees regardless....

Original poster
loooopo · 23/12/2015 18:29

Thanks for that - I really thought (clearly erroneously) that you paid for 4 years - did not know that you could start in yr2 or get a year free -- DS made his selections on that misunderstanding/assumption.....whoops

OP posts:
MrsJayy · 23/12/2015 18:34

4years is honours you dont need to do 4 years either you can do 3. Dd1 did 4 yrs but could have got her ordinary degree after 3 it depends what they do I think

SmallLegsOrSmallEggs · 23/12/2015 18:38

Also if you go to one of the old 4 (UoEdin, Glasgow, Adberdeen or St A) for 4 years you do get an MAHons not totally sure if Scuence is BSc hons or MSc Hons (I did a 4 yr at UoE and have an MAHons as a result) but you can still then go on to do a masters.

They do pack a bit more into 4 years. A wider range of subjects that reflects the broader range studied at school (i.e. it is relatively normal to do 5 or 6 Highers in Scotland)

MrsJayy · 23/12/2015 21:09

Dd did a sound degree (its classed as a science) she has Bsc Honours

raspberryrippleicecream · 25/12/2015 02:21

DS1 did apply to Glasgow for an MSc, he applied for second year entry. He's eventually firmed an English Uni for other reasons.

Rightly or wrongly, it would annoy me that the vast majority of students on the course weren't paying fees. We live 5 miles the wrong side of the border so perhaps feel it more.

BeeMyBaby · 25/12/2015 04:08

I only know about edin uni, but it is four years of fees and in the dept I'm in, there is perhaps more ruk students than before, as I believe entry numbers are no longer capped in anyway. However as Scottish/eu numbers are capped, it means they are most definitely in the minority. Most students start in first year and very few would choose to go straight into second year but u think because Edinburgh seem to use the extra money it charges in comparison to a 3 year course on bursaries, it must even it out a bit. Additionally, if you are awarded an MA (I believe in science they just call it bsc), it is an honours degree, not a masters degree.

SmallLegsOrSmallEggs · 25/12/2015 13:07

So what do you after 3 years in an ruk uni? Is it an ordinary BSc or a BSc Hons?

Original poster
loooopo · 26/12/2015 13:32

My understanding is that if you do a 4 year course in ruk - it is either a BA/BSc where one year is working in industry or abroad (ie MFL) or if 4 years at uni it is Masters which is common in maths and engineering I think.

OP posts:
MrsJayy · 26/12/2015 14:19

5 miles from the border that has to stick in your throat Raspberry

chemenger · 26/12/2015 14:24

Ruk numbers have increased in my department (ancient Scottish university) almost all join in 1st year, surprisingly it does not seem to put them off. Scottish students still form the majority though.

Behooven · 26/12/2015 14:28

rasperry it is unfair - isn't it because of some EU law that the rest of the UK has to pay. Ridiculous anyway.

SmallLegsOrSmallEggs · 27/12/2015 19:46

Its not because of an EU rule. It is because of the Westminster govmnt. Scottish students don't pay because of the Scottish govmt. Rest of EU students don't pay because of EU rules.

But it is the Westminster govmt that decided UK students now pay for tertiary education.

Behooven · 28/12/2015 19:35

Don't think so
BBC link

"Because of European law, the Scottish government also has to provide free tuition at Scottish universities for students from other EU countries - but not for those from other parts of the UK.
Essentially this is because it is possible to discriminate between students from different parts of an individual member state but not not to discriminate against those from other parts of the EU."

SmallLegsOrSmallEggs · 28/12/2015 19:39

Behooven. I am aware why other EU students don't have to pay.
As I said in my postm
However RUK students pay wherever in the UK they study because of the uk government. If the uk government want to pay for ruk students to study in Scotland then they could. (As the Scottish government do). You get what the majority vote for. The Scotyish gvmt don't have to pay fir English (or other uk students) the uk gvmt don't give them money for it so they don't do it.

Belly aching about it misses the point. The thing that is wrong is that the UK government makes students pay fees.

It is not a race to the bottom.

SmallLegsOrSmallEggs · 28/12/2015 19:41

And ironically had Scotland got independence then rUK students would also be exempt from fees in Scotland.

But you get what the majority vote for.

Siwi · 31/12/2015 09:10

Do students from Eire pay fees in Scotland?

SmallLegsOrSmallEggs · 31/12/2015 09:51

No

Siwi · 31/12/2015 13:56

Thank you small.
:)

cdtaylornats · 04/01/2016 23:22

And ironically had Scotland got independence then rUK students would also be exempt from fees in Scotland

That's possibly not true - it would depend if Scotland was allowed to remain in the EU post-independence. As everyone except Salmond said we wouldn't then EU laws wouldn't apply and Scottish universities could charge whoever they wanted.