Scottish university keeps fees below £9,000

A Scottish university has set fees below £9,000 per year for students from outside the country studying three- or four-year degree courses.

The University of Glasgow said the annual fee for students from the Rest of the United Kingdom (RUK) undertaking an undergraduate degree will be £6,750, with the exception of those studying medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine who will be charged £9,000.

All RUK students entering first year are also to be awarded a bursary, or fee waiver, of £1,000.

The university said that for the majority of undergraduates from RUK, it means fees for a four-year degree will be no more than £26,000.

The institution also said it would offer "significant fee waivers" and further bursaries to students from low-income households.

For some students this would be worth £12,000 across the course of a typical four-year degree.

Professor Anton Muscatelli, principal and vice-chancellor of the university, said: "We greatly value the contribution, both academic and social, that students from the Rest of the United Kingdom make to our campus and are committed to doing all that we can to ensure that they continue to be a welcome part of our university.

"We considered all of our options and have been able to limit the fees for undergraduate students to £6,750, with those studying degrees in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine charged £9,000 a year.

"We have also been able to be innovative and imaginative in coming up with a package of measures which, we hope, will make the choice of studying at the University of Glasgow even more appealing.

"We have decided to invest significant amounts in a generous package of bursaries and fee discounts. This will mean that every single RUK student who embarks on a four- or five-year degree programme will be awarded a £1,000 bursary or fee waiver in their first year.

"We have decided to do this to ensure that Glasgow remains inclusive, affordable and that we continue our strong tradition of offering education to all based on their ability to learn, irrespective of their background."

Currently, no full-time undergraduates domiciled in Scotland pay tuition fees at Scottish universities.

Stuart Ritchie, president of Glasgow University Students' Representative Council, said: "GUSRC welcome the university's decision of a fee level below £9,000 per year, but are fully aware that the total cost of a University of Glasgow degree will be £27,000 excluding bursaries.

"We now ask the university to provide further details of how this cost will be subsidised, particularly for those from low-income households.

"We worked constructively to lobby the university to ensure that a commitment would be made to keep the University of Glasgow open and inclusive. Whilst the initiatives mentioned in today's announcement take a step toward this, further information is needed to prove that the finance packages are not merely tokenistic and that the desire to widen access remains a long term vision for the university."

The university is the latest Scottish institution to announce its fee levels.

St Andrews and Edinburgh universities have set fees at the maximum level of £9,000 a year for RUK students, with a four-year honours degree costing £36,000.

Yesterday, the University of Dundee and the University of Strathclyde also announced fees of £9,000 a year for RUK students, but both capped them for a four-year course at £27,000.

Also yesterday, the University of Abertay Dundee said it will charge RUK students £7,000 a year, capped at £21,000 for an honours degree course.

PA