About 48% of Scots polled support the charging of university tuition fees “based on ability to pay, with students from lower income households paying less or not paying at all, and students from higher-income households paying more with access to loans that are repayable once earning a certain level of income.”
Almost 30% said they would not back such a move.
That’s according to a poll and report published by the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, amid ongoing discussions about the sustainability of Scotland’s universities.
Among those who support some form of tuition fees, views on a reasonable charges were mixed.
“Around one in five (20%) considered up to £1,500 per year to be a reasonable charge, while similar proportions considered between £1,000 and £2,999 to be reasonable (21%) or between £3,000 and £4,999 to be reasonable (22%),” said the report.
“Support for charges above £4,999 dropped down, with 12% considering between £5,000 and £7,499 to be reasonable, 7% considering £7,500- £9,999 to be reasonable, and 2% considering more than £10,000 to be reasonable. Sixteen per cent were not sure what a reasonable charge per year would be.”
The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland commissioned Ipsos UK to carry out survey research to measure public knowledge and views on higher education funding and access in Scotland.
The survey was administered through the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, a random probability online survey panel. Fieldwork took place between December 5 and 11, 2024. In total, 1,057 interviews were carried out with adults aged 18+ living in Scotland.
“There was widespread support for some form of Scottish Government support to cover the cost of tuition,” said the report.
“However, the public were divided as to whether the Scottish Government should cover costs for all first-time undergraduate students living in Scotland (44%) or should cover costs for first-time undergraduate students on low incomes, while those whose households can afford it pay at least some of the cost of tuition (43%).”
The report added: “Although it shows widespread support for some form of help with the cost of tuition fees, opinions are divided on the extent and scope, with 44% of the view that the Scottish Government should continue to support all first-time undergraduates, including those studying part-time, while 43% would prefer those whose households can afford it to pay at least some of their tuition fees.”
Hannah Garrow, Chief Executive of the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, said: “We know how complex the higher education funding system is and how much rides on it. However, recent discussions on how to finance higher education feel like they are stuck on repeat, while, for many people, funding continues to be seen as a barrier to access.
“This research shows that there is room for a more nuanced and open discussion on priorities for funding. If politicians are struggling to come up with solutions, perhaps the public can inject some democratic innovation into the debate. The government has already committed to lead the development of a new funding model so understanding the views of the public as beneficiaries and users of the system is critical.
“We hope that the Scottish Government and all political parties in Scotland will get behind our Citizen Jury and commit to giving its outcomes careful consideration.”