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Run~irea' Chaibineit airson Foghlaim agus lonnsachadhFad-bheathaC~brnetSecretary for Educationand Lifelong LearningMIChael Russell MSP/BPA

F IT : 08457741741

E: scottish.ministers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Ms Kezia Dugdale MSP

The Scottish Parliament

EDINBURGH

EH991SP

~laidhle/Our ref: 2011/1014565tJ4 August 2011

kThrk you for your letter of 10 August bringing to my attention the concerns of your

constituents about fee proposals for non-Scottish domiciled students.

I note the comments from your constituents about the Scottish Government's proposals to

introduce legislation that will enable Scottish Universities to set their own fees for studentsfrom the rest of the UK. The consultation on this matter runs from 29 June until 2 September2011 and your constituents may be interested in reading and responding to the consultation

paper. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011 /06/27091 056/0. No final decisions will

be made by Ministers until after the consultation has ended.

I should explain that the proposed new legislation is intended to ensure that opportunities for

Scottish students to study at Scottish institutions are protected. Ideally, no student attending

a Scottish university should pay fees, but with the introduction by the UK Government of

tuition fees of up to 9,000 per annum for students attending universities in England, we

cannot risk Scotland becoming the cheap option for students from the rest of the UK. We

firmly believe it is important to give Scottish universities the flexibility to compete with theircounterparts elsewhere in the UK and the power to set fees for students from the rest of the

UK at a level they think will attract the students they want.

However, I must stress that these proposals affect only students from the rest of the UK

attending Scottish universities. Scottish students studying a first degree at Scottish

universities will continue to have their tuition fees paid for them.

Taigh Naomh Anndrais, Rathad Regent, Dun Eideann EH1 3DG

St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG

WWW .scot land .gov .ukI~,\'F.ST()R IS PF.OPUi

mailto:scottish.ministers@scotland.gsi.gov.ukhttp://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011mailto:scottish.ministers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

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Your constituents also raised concerns about EU students being exempt from fees whilst

studying at a Scottish university. EU law requires Governments to treat students from other

parts of the EU on the same basis as local residents. As the Scottish Government has

decided to meet the cost of the tuition fees for students who are ordinarily resident in

Scotland, the Scottish Government must also meet the cost of tuition fees for EU studentsfrom outwith the UK.

This EU law does not, however, apply within the Member State. Under the Devolutionsettlement, it is up to the Administration responsible for the part of the UK where the student

is ordinarily resident to decide what, if any, level of tuition fee support to provide. The

Westminster Government retains responsibility for supporting students ordinarily resident in

England and they have decided not to provide tuition fee support. Accordingly, students

ordinarily resident in England will have to pay their own tuition fees if they study in Scotland.

I trust that the above information is helpful in clarifying the position.

MICHAEL RUSSELL

Taigh Naomh Anndrais, Rathad Regent, Dun Eideann EHl 3DG

St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG

www.scotland.gov.ukI~-VF_'iTORIS PF.oPL8

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/http://www.scotland.gov.uk/

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