Does anyone understand funding and admissions for Scottish universities?

[Nospringflower]

A friend was talking about this and said a number of things about how the system works and I wasn't convinced how accurate she was. I have just been googling to try and find out more but can't. Hoping I can ask questions to someone who knows how it all works! Thanks

But rates of PhDs in most STEM fields are pretty low, and most people who take a four year undergraduate programme aren't considering, and don't do, a PhD.

I don't find that to be true. At English universities only a minority of students will be enrolled on MSci rather than BSc in any given subject (with the exception of MEng, where the fourth year is used for professional status). Of those enrolled on the MSci, a number will still choose to finish after three years, i.e. switch to the BSc programme in their second or third years. For a typical RG science subject 10% or so may stay on for the fourth year. The fraction is higher in top places such as Oxbridge and for subjects where a PhD is useful for an industrial career.

Those who stay on and do the fourth year are usually interested in PhDs or careers related to their specific science for which the fourth year would be useful. So amongst those who actually do the fourth year most are considering and many actually do a PhD.

The MSCi is a postgrad programme though isn't it?

Sorry to clarify again - the fourth year is postgrad level years 1-3 take you through the undergrad curriculum?

Jeanne16- in their prospectus Edinburgh for the subject my daughter wants to study they put the offer range from A*AA to ABB. Stating contextual offers and offers for international students are more likely to be at the minimal end. Maybe English students count as international!
I think my dd was getting over the fact that she might be 'paying' more than other EU/Scottish students, as several universities meet some of her main criteria. However, if the entry requirements drop she might then feel like she only got in because she is English!

DS's offer for second year entry (skipping the first year) on his course was the same as his English offers. Entry onto first year is published 1 Grade lower, eg AAB instead of AAA.

Wow I didnt expect to see so many responses. I have spent quite a bit of time reading up on this and found out that there is a scheme called LEAPS which helps those from disadvantaged backgrounds get into Universities (this scheme covers the SE area) and there is a good document called Blueprint for fairness that looks at all these issues.

I understand that there is a quota set by the Scottish govt which caps the number of Scottish students allowed to attend Scottish universities and they are fined if they go over their quota. The rest are then students from EU/rest of UK.

What I havent managed to find out is what the quota is set at and if it differs for different courses or is just an overall for the university as a whole. Does anyone know what the quota is i.e. 50% of students are Scottish who pay no fees etc and I am assuming this includes those who are from disadvantaged backgrounds (thus further reducing the chances for getting into a Scottish Uni). I am all for this though just would like to know the figures.

The final figure I would be interested in finding out is the proportions that come from private school versus high - havent looked into that yet but suspect it is as you would expect - disproportionally more people from private - just dont know how much more.

Thanks if anyone can shed any light on this.

The quota is per university. It'll be more than 50% of intake, though of course universities are free to take as many non-quota students as they want. The reality is they don't take on massive amounts of extra students. There is also little relative movement across nations, particularly England to Scotland (and vice versa) so Scottish students being at a disadvantage isn't really true. In fact the change to the UCAS tariff slightly favours Scottish qualifications.

The proportion of private vs state will depend on the university - St Andrews has 74% of its undergraduate intake from state schools, Abertay has 94%.

There are quotas for Scottish students due to finance. I think all UK unis are encouraged to admit more state educated students rather than just focus on grades.
Having said that my privately educated son got 5 unconditional offers in Scotland. My state educated stepdaughter didn't get in to the Scottish conservatoire and thought the quota thing may have been responsible but who knows, she got a place down south.
I suspect since the introduction of tuition fees for English and Welsh students fewer students from there come to Scotland as the course is a year longer (they pay 1 year less tuition fees but still have an extra year's living costs. Some courses admit straight to 2nd year if good grades. This means Scottish students still have a good chance of getting in to Scottish unis even with the quotas.
I did notice in clearing many Scottish unis just had places for non-Scots.

we live in Wales, ds just about to graduate MA from Dundee...4th yr was indeed'free'...although we had to help with rent ( she still got subsistence loan)...off to do post grad at Edinburgh which she us will have to fund
it annoyed her that most of her friends didn't have tuition fees to pay, yet still moaned about lack of money!...however her A levels results were mediocre and I think she got into her course because she wasn't Scottish
(cost of living in Dundee much cheaper than dd2 in Manchester)

OP Friend was saying that her private educated son is disadvantaged

but that will be cancelled out by the fact he has been 'advantaged' by going to private school... surely

Ive not had a look but you can sometimes find some illuminating statistics on What Do They Know which documents freedom of information requests.