The Scottish government will end free university requirements for European Union students from next year.
Following the Brexit vote, there will be no legal obligations to continue with this policy.
Richard Lochhead, Minister of Higher Education, made the announcement in a statement to parliament. He added that they have taken this decision as of 2021/2022 and will implement it with courage. The figures show that there are approximately 16,000 EU national students enrolled in Scottish higher education.
The minister also stated that EU students who have started their education or started studying in Scotland this fall will not be affected. The Scottish government announced that the £ 19 million a year that they currently spend on free education for EU students will be spent on the higher education sector, which will increase the number of students at universities.
Scottish colleges and universities are planning a phased return to on-campus learning after the summer, as part of a blended model with distance learning.
It is thought that the government side will also consider whether the two-meter social distance rule can be reduced under certain conditions in colleges and universities when the new term begins.