Getting into Scottish university from England

[cubangal]

Is this even possible ?

I understand that the number of places allocated to English students for some courses (medicine) are limited - whether that's an official line taken by some Scottish unis or not, I don't know. For other courses, I don't think the same "policy" applies - our neighbour (English) is at Glasgow and absolutely loves it.

About 2,000 Scottish domiciled students go to English universities each year so not quite on the endangered species yet.

For info about 5,000 English domiciled students got to Scottish unis.

Generally you need a pretty compelling reason to go to an English university as a Scot because of the funding. So a prestigious course or university, or some compelling personal reason.

you wouldn’t go to a mediocre English ex-poly to take a media studies degree when you can not incur the fees and go to a Scottish one instead.

I came from London to study medicine at Dundee uni. My two DDs were born and raised in Scotland. One went back to England, to Durham uni, to do maths, as it had a better reputation than the Scots universities. The other stayed in Scotland and went to Edinburgh uni.
The SNP strictly limit the number of places for Scots students in Scots unis as they can’t afford to pay for the much trumpeted free places. So the unis are desperate to fill the empty unfunded places with fee paying English and overseas students.

It is a sad irony that a higher percentage of English kids from poor families get to uni than poor Scots kids do - because they use the English loan system. The SNP couldn’t run a bath.

Strathclyde has a very good reputation for engineering and many Scottish students will have had rejections. It has a few engineering courses in clearing 2022 but only for rUK or international students due to Scottish student funding limits. So yes, absolutely, fee paying rUK students can get into Scottish unis.

It's this true?

As long as you didn't defer entry into p1 then any Scots kids with a birthday between September and February will go to university at 17 after finishing sixth year, unless they take a year out. Scottish kids finish school c.6 months younger than English kids, so aged between 18years and 4 months and 17years and 4 months at end of June when they finish 6th year.

Are lots of Scottish kids taking years out or is it that there are fewer 16 year old applicants who go straight from fifth year?

You really will take any opportunity to bash the SNP and complain about Scotland, won't you?

I think they mean fewer students go to university from 5th year. Most people stay for 6th year then go to university now.

Virtually no one goes to university in Scotland straight from S5 now.
In my day last century it used to be quite common if people had the grades they went.
I'm not sure when that changed

The SNP strictly limit the number of places for Scots students in Scots unis

At least they don't have to accommodate all the EU students who also competed for the free places in Scotland.

So more free places for Scots.

I think numbers of rUK students are also now capped (by Westminster not the Scottish unis).
I think capping numbers of uni places is quite crafty of the Scottish Gov whike seeming to offer free uni to all, it effectively allows only the very bright to study subjects like History at "top" unis and funnels the good but more average students to degree courses at FE Colleges and new unis which have courses more geared towards employability and skills gaps. Some of the courses are very well designed in colkaboration with industry and innovatively delivered but they don't have the same prestige, hence grumbling from the middle classes . Thats just my observation from guiding my three through college and Uni applications.

My observation too @Wbeezer. I am good with the current policy.

Slightly surprised at the fact 2000 Scottish students a year go to English unis. In our area I have only heard of one or two each year. Wonder if some are the privately educated boarders in Fettes, Gordonstoun, Loretto etc effectively returning home.

@Babdoc Fellow Dundee medic here too. 👋 son also went to Dundee.

Slightly surprised at the fact 2000 Scottish students a year go to English unis. In our area I have only heard of one or two each year. Wonder if some are the privately educated boarders in Fettes, Gordonstoun, Loretto etc effectively returning home.

That seems high, I agree.

Yes, possibly English pupils at Scottish boarding schools returning home to England!

Anyone born September onwards and going straight to uni from S6 will still be 17 when they start. I did and it wasn't really an issue.

Are younger born students encouraged to take gap years more now?

It's more common than you would think @pinklavenders @SandyIrvine
My DC1 has just finished 1st year at uni and 3 of her friendship group of 10 from school are at English Unis. They all have an English parent.

I think it may depend where you live. We live in an area with quite a lot of non- Scottish families.

I went when I was 16 as I left after S5
Graduated when I was 20

Sorry I meant very few go to university from S5. However although dc with a birthday between September and February who were not deferred at P1 will indeed be 17 they will be almost 18.

I believe more children with December - February birthdays are now deferred at P1 - but that's based on anecdata as my dc is now early 20s.

At least 1 young person dc was at school with went to England to university - as others have said the course/ prestige of the institution outweighs the additional cost. In any case many people do not regard debt for educational purposes as "bad" debt.

@SandyIrvine i live near a large independent school, lots of kids apply to English unis as back up incase they don't get in to Edinburgh or Glasgow (there's a perception that Edinburgh descriminates against the privately educated 🤔😐) I know several who have been to Exeter, Durham, Bath etc and some v brainy types who have gone to Cambridge and Imperial. I suppose if parents have been paying school fees helping out with uni fees doesn't seem that expensive.

DD applied to two Scottish unis and three English ones. She received offers from all. She's presently on a four year course at Edinburgh and loves it. A real mix of students, private and state educated, she has a mix of English, Scottish and international friends (international students come from all over the world, India, USA, Africa - there are European students there, but she has more friends from the other countries).

You would be lucky to get a place at Dundee for Medicine if RUK now. They have about 17 RUK places.

Neither DS or any of his of extremely bright friends from a GS current year 13 received offers from Scottish Uni’s for Sept 2022 (all applied to either St Andrews or Edinburgh) and all were predicted a string of A*’s.

Plenty of Edinburgh/St Andrews offers for boys from DS3s very English school ,the only problem was that lots of the boys had Edinburgh as a safety option and in each case the offer was two or more grades higher than usual,so few accepted the offer.

@nolanscrack do you have any examples of the offers made (course, usual entry requirement, offer)?

I asked about this on the Oxbridge thread but no one responded. As *Wordlewobble said I am not hearing any evidence whatsoever of it being easier to get into Scottish unis if you're English - quite the opposite. DD's school has specifically told them not to apply to Scottish unis as chances of offers are so limited. This year the school got something like two offers (high-ranking private school), it got far more for Oxbridge. Friends with kids in Y13 at other English schools say no one is getting offers from Scottish unis, however high their predictions - or if they are they're being asked for all A stars. Why might this be?