Scottish voters are divided on the issue of free tuition for Scottish students as the crisis over university finances worsens. A poll commissioned by the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland found that up to 48% of voters believe Scottish students who can afford it should pay for tuition, with 29% opposed. A different multiple-choice question produced a closer result, with 43% believing those who can afford to should pay, while 44% felt every student should receive free tuition.
Scottish universities, along with universities across the UK, are facing deep financial difficulties. Dundee is expected to be the first university to receive part of a £10m government bailout. The policy of free tuition was introduced in 2008 by the Scottish National Party, but it has come under scrutiny after Dundee University revealed it was on the brink of insolvency. Edinburgh University plans to cut £140m to avoid going into deficit.
Scottish universities receive £7,610 per head to teach Scottish students, which is less than the £9,250 English and Welsh universities can charge. This means that universities rely on foreign students paying full-cost fees to subsidise the teaching costs for Scottish students. Additionally, the number of overseas students coming to Scotland has decreased, adding to the financial pressures and increasing competition between universities. The free tuition policy also limits the number of Scottish students who can attend university, preventing some from securing their desired spots.
The Carnegie Trust is establishing a citizens’ jury to review how Scottish universities should be funded. The jury will consist of 22 participants from different backgrounds who will participate in six online evidence sessions. They are due to report in January 2026, four months before the next Scottish parliament election.
Hannah Garrow, the trust’s chief executive, believes that there is a lack of evidence about what voters truly think about the issue. Universities Scotland, the sector’s representative body, supports the review and believes that the debate needs to move beyond the binary argument of free versus fees.
The Scottish Government remains committed to free tuition, stating that access to higher education should be based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay. They also emphasize that the commitment ensures Scottish students do not accumulate tuition fee loan debt like their peers in the rest of the UK.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/mar/24/scottish-voters-split-over-free-tuition-as-university-financial-crisis-deepens
