The Student Room Group

Scottish Uni Fees

To put it bluntly I'm confused. I'm looking at Uni's in Scotland and was wondering what exactly I'd have to pay? I live in England but have a dual citizenship, my dad is from Holland. So was wondering what exactly it would cost. Probably a bit of a stupid question.

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Reply 1
NI students regardless of nationality currently pay RUK fees in scotland but this has changed now.

What about that are already there do they still have to pay for the rest of their years?
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by tehmonkey
To put it bluntly I'm confused. I'm looking at Uni's in Scotland and was wondering what exactly I'd have to pay? I live in England but have a dual citizenship, my dad is from Holland. So was wondering what exactly it would cost. Probably a bit of a stupid question.


Phone up and ask x
Reply 4
I'm a Northern Irish student with an Irish passport, and I'll be applying for two Scottish Unis in September. We've known about this loophole for a few months, but I just saw the news report and apparently we get free fees as EU nationals and student loan as UK residents.

Personally, although I think it's awesome, it's probably not fair at all. I mean yes, a lot of people here identify as Irish and have Irish passports and you can't tell them otherwise just because they're applying to university, but honestly if you live in Belfast you're a UK resident. That's not Ireland.

Pretty sure everyone already there applied as a UK student and therefore pay their fees. It's only if you apply as an EU national that you get into the loophole.
Reply 5
Who would I need to phone up, I'm guessing UCAS?
Reply 6
my Grandad was born in Ireland and so all of my dad's family are from Ireland (South, the Republic of) and I've heard this is enough to get an Irish passport, so if i get a passport before starting Edinburgh in September does that mean no tuition fees? (Im from England). I've already applied for student finance though -_- HELP!!!!! Need to know NOW!!!!!!! :smile: I have a distinctly irish surname too haha!
Original post by madstudent
my Grandad was born in Ireland and so all of my dad's family are from Ireland (South, the Republic of) and I've heard this is enough to get an Irish passport, so if i get a passport before starting Edinburgh in September does that mean no tuition fees? (Im from England). I've already applied for student finance though -_- HELP!!!!! Need to know NOW!!!!!!! :smile: I have a distinctly irish surname too haha!


If you've received an offer from Edinburgh it will have a caveat stating that the institution has given you this offer under the belief that you are a British Citizen.

Hence, changing your citizenship or getting a dual nationality will not supersede the previous terms of agreement. You will still have to pay.

I may be wrong so its best to call them up and discuss it.
It's about where you have lived for the past few years, not your nationality. I got free tuition because I lived in Scotland for 3 years before my degree but I'm originally English. So you can get the passport but that doesn't change the fact that you've been living in England in the years leading up to the course.
Reply 9
Original post by cat_in_the_hat
It's about where you have lived for the past few years, not your nationality. I got free tuition because I lived in Scotland for 3 years before my degree but I'm originally English. So you can get the passport but that doesn't change the fact that you've been living in England in the years leading up to the course.


But that can't be right as there's a boy in my German class who was born in Germany but has lived in England since he was a baby and he's going for free... ? He claimed it was because of his german passport, which got me thinking in the first place.. :tongue:
Reply 10
Original post by tehmonkey
To put it bluntly I'm confused. I'm looking at Uni's in Scotland and was wondering what exactly I'd have to pay? I live in England but have a dual citizenship, my dad is from Holland. So was wondering what exactly it would cost. Probably a bit of a stupid question.


It's not based on citizenship, it's based on residence. Though I'm not sure of EU rules.

And no, you wouldn't phone UCAS as they are only the applications service, you need to phone the university's finance office.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Emielle
I'm a Northern Irish student with an Irish passport, and I'll be applying for two Scottish Unis in September. We've known about this loophole for a few months, but I just saw the news report and apparently we get free fees as EU nationals and student loan as UK residents.

Personally, although I think it's awesome, it's probably not fair at all. I mean yes, a lot of people here identify as Irish and have Irish passports and you can't tell them otherwise just because they're applying to university, but honestly if you live in Belfast you're a UK resident. That's not Ireland.

Pretty sure everyone already there applied as a UK student and therefore pay their fees. It's only if you apply as an EU national that you get into the loophole.


Yeah thats what I thought. Thanks

btw Belfast is in Ireland. Ireland is the name of the island not a country technically there is no sovereign state that goes by the name of Ireland. Saying Belfast isn't in Ireland is the same as saying Kota Kinabalu isn't in Borneo because its on the Malayisan side. Or Saying Dili isn't in Timor because it is on the Timor-Leste side. Saying that those that live in Northern Ireland shouldn't be allowed to get the fees paid for because the 'they are a UK resident' is a bit ridiculous. So what if they are UK residents? It is nationality that should matter. Should a Scottish national not get Scottish university for free because they had been living in England for the past #years on that same basis then? Because to me that sounds unfair, not the other way about.

It also says in the article that it is up to the universities to decide? Surely no university will say they can get it for free when they can get 27k out of them? Or have I read that bit wrong?
Maybe it's because he was born in Germany? Everything I've found on the website relates to residence eligibility, though I could be wrong. Why not call SAAS? You'll get a much better answer from them.
Reply 13
Original post by bestofyou
Yeah thats what I thought. Thanks

btw Belfast is in Ireland. Ireland is the name of the island not a country technically there is no sovereign state that goes by the name of Ireland. Saying Belfast isn't in Ireland is the same as saying Kota Kinabalu isn't in Borneo because its on the Malayisan side. Or Saying Dili isn't in Timor because it is on the Timor-Leste side. Saying that those that live in Northern Ireland shouldn't be allowed to get the fees paid for because the 'they are a UK resident' is a bit ridiculous. So what if they are UK residents? It is nationality that should matter. Should a Scottish national not get Scottish university for free because they had been living in England for the past #years on that same basis then? Because to me that sounds unfair, not the other way about.

It also says in the article that it is up to the universities to decide? Surely no university will say they can get it for free when they can get 27k out of them? Or have I read that bit wrong?


No one has Scottish citizenship as Scotland is not an independent country.
Original post by River85
No one has Scottish citizenship as Scotland is not an independent country.


you know what I mean though.

Someone from Scotland is scotish, they aren't welsh or english are they?
There's also a page saying that an EU National who has lived in the UK a while can receive free tuition if they haven't utilised a right of residence. Seeing as you're English you'll have a de-facto right of residence. Again though, call SAAS!
Reply 16
Original post by bestofyou
you know what I mean though.

Someone from Scotland is scotish, they aren't welsh or english are they?


They are British and, if resident in England, pay RUK fees as far as I'm aware.

The difference with Northern Irish students, who hold an Irish passport, is they have dual nationality (and the Republic of Ireland is an EU nation).

You might think this is unfair, but then it's the same with British students living abroad, who then may be classed as "international" for funding purposes should they wish to return to the UK to study, thus paying international student fees, despite having a British passport and being born in the UK.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 17
Okay, I will tomorrow (me has got essays to do), thank you so much cat_in_the_hat !!!!!!!!! :smile: really appreciate it!
Glad I could help :smile: Good luck!
I'm pretty sure you'd have to pay the fee for UK citizens, because you presumably have lived in England for the 3 years prior to the start of your course.

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