I live in Scotland but study in England. Do i get free tuition in Scot Unis?

I have lived in Scotland for over 9 years but acquired my GCSEs in England and am currently studying my A levels there. Am I entitled to free tuition at Scottish universities? Or do I need to have the Scottish qualification (SQA etc). Since I will be applying for medicine I found there are separate places for Scottish students and for students from the rest of the UK. So if I am applying from the outside of Scotland there is more competition. I'm currently confused whether my situation means I am applying from the outside of Scotland or not. Even if I'm eligible for the free tuitions, will my application still be considered against other English candidates competing for the Non-Scottish places? Also, if a Scottish student applies to an English university are they only compared against other Scottish applicants? Any advice would be helpful as these factors are crucial for me in deciding which medical universities I apply to. Thanks

My understanding is you need to be studying full time in Scotland to get the free fees.


I dont know how you would be treated by Scottish unis, so ask them. from what you are saying although studying in England you remain resident in Scotland so you are slipping across the border every day?


http://www.saas.gov.uk/_forms/funding_guide.pdf

Yes, i take a bus every morning to school.

I have lived in Scotland for over 9 years but acquired my GCSEs in England and am currently studying my A levels there. Am I entitled to free tuition at Scottish universities? Or do I need to have the Scottish qualification (SQA etc). Since I will be applying for medicine I found there are separate places for Scottish students and for students from the rest of the UK. So if I am applying from the outside of Scotland there is more competition. I'm currently confused whether my situation means I am applying from the outside of Scotland or not. Even if I'm eligible for the free tuitions, will my application still be considered against other English candidates competing for the Non-Scottish places? Also, if a Scottish student applies to an English university are they only compared against other Scottish applicants? Any advice would be helpful as these factors are crucial for me in deciding which medical universities I apply to. Thanks

Usually student finance is based on your country of residence, so you should be eligible for free tuition at Scottish unis, and would therefore be counted as a Scottish student (and considered against other Scottish/EU students who get fees covered, as this is a separate allocation from rest of UK/worldwide). Free tuition fees eligibility has nothing to do with which qualifications you did/do in school, so it doesn't matter that you are doing A levels. If you are a Scottish student applying to an English university, everyone is considered together as everyone has to pay fees. Hope this helps, but if you're still unsure or want further clarification, you can double check with SAAS directly.

I have lived in Scotland for over 9 years but acquired my GCSEs in England and am currently studying my A levels there. Am I entitled to free tuition at Scottish universities? Or do I need to have the Scottish qualification (SQA etc). Since I will be applying for medicine I found there are separate places for Scottish students and for students from the rest of the UK. So if I am applying from the outside of Scotland there is more competition. I'm currently confused whether my situation means I am applying from the outside of Scotland or not. Even if I'm eligible for the free tuitions, will my application still be considered against other English candidates competing for the Non-Scottish places? Also, if a Scottish student applies to an English university are they only compared against other Scottish applicants? Any advice would be helpful as these factors are crucial for me in deciding which medical universities I apply to. Thanks

As others have said, SAAS funding is based entirely on residency so if you live in Scotland then SAAS will count you as a Scottish student. The fact that you study A-levels instead of Highers is irrelevant. If you are applying to Scottish universities then you will be competing for places with other Scottish students who have studied Highers. If applying to English universities then you will be competing against all other UK students because there is no distinction in funding category between different parts of the UK expect which funding body you apply to for fees ect.

Since the reason you're asking this question is because you want to give yourself the best chance of getting into a medical school (I'm assuming), it might be worth thinking it through what each version means. The Scottish medical schools have separate places for Scottish students, rest of UK students and international while English medical schools have only UK students and international. Applying to a Scottish medical school means you are trying going up against less people for fewer places than compared to an English medical school. As to which has less competition, I don't really know and it's probably questionable if it makes a difference though I do know that most Scottish applicants don't bother even considering English universities regardless of what subject they want to study due to having to pay fees.

Thanks for your help! I should be able to apply to Scottish unis confidently now, though im sure i will have to contact SAAS in the near future anyway. This just helps me at this stage when choosing my unis (and tailoring my personal statement to their 'requirements' etc.) before i get back to school.

Thats exactly what i was thinking (may or may not be true but free fees was the main reason). I feel it would be pointless for me to apply to a Scottish uni if i would be considered as an English applicant as i would just be placing myself into a even more competitive situation. This would extremely disadvantage me and make it more unlikely for me to get into medical school (and i would still have to pay full fees!). If im not considered as a Scottish applicant then i will probably apply to only English unis.
Hopefully this is not the case haha.

If you live in Scotland then you will be a Scottish student-going to an English boarding school will not change this. Where you consider home is the deciding factor.


In Scotland

As to competition there are indeed separate places for Scottish students and you don't have to pay fees- HOWEVER this actually normally makes it far more competitive as the number of places for Scottish students is restricted

For example if you look at Edinburgh University who helpfully publish offer rates here
https://www.ed.ac.uk/student-recruitment/admissions-advice/admissions-statistics

The offer rate for Scottish students for medicine is 13/14% in the last few years

But for rest of UK it is 18-27%

So good news no fees
Bad news harder to get a place


IN England you are all considered together as you all pay the same fees

No problem- good luck with your application


You have said that you live in Scotland and go by bus every day to school (presumably from home?), so if you have no English residency, then you have nothing to worry about, as you are then a Scottish resident!

Yeah! I have no residency in England. I go by bus to school from home every day haha.