Almost half of Scottish adults support the return of university tuition fees for wealthier students, a new poll suggests.
The survey, conducted by Ipsos UK for the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, found that 48 per cent of 1,057 respondents support charging tuition fees based on the ability to pay.
Public opinion on the extent of government funding varied – 44 per cent believed that all first-time undergraduates should receive full funding, while 43 per cent supported aid only for low-income students, leaving wealthier students to pay part of the cost.
Among those favoring Scottish Government funding, priority groups included students from low-income households (65 per cent), those studying fields with skills shortages (59 per cent), and students from disadvantaged backgrounds (52 per cent).
These findings come amid mounting pressure for the Scottish Government to address university funding, with 18 Scottish higher education institutions reporting operational deficits for 2023/24.
Since 2007, free tuition has remained the SNP’s flagship policy. However, declining international student revenue due to visa changes and anti-immigration rhetoric, along with underfunding, has fueled debates over the current funding model’s sustainability.
The issue has sparked discussion among Scottish students; several remain “grateful for free tuition,” arguing that fees would make university less accessible as “our parents already contribute through taxes.”
Another student warned that fees could push Scots to study elsewhere, noting that she “would have branched out to unis in England or even internationally” if not for free tuition.
Conversely, one Scottish student suggested fees “may help more Scottish people actually get into uni,” adding, “as long tuition is still lower than most countries, I can’t complain.”
Despite shifting public opinion, all major Holyrood parties remain committed to free Scottish undergraduate tuition. The Scottish government reaffirmed their stance, insisting higher education access “should be based on the ability to learn – not the ability to pay.”
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