Successes and goals

Our successes in 2011-12

Campaigning together with students and students’ associations across the country we have had some massive wins in recent years which have made a real difference to students throughout Scotland.

  • 87% of MSPs in the current Scottish Parliament have made a commitment to keep tuition fees out of Scotland, protect places at colleges and universities and to improve student support
  • Following this the Scottish Government also committed to keeping higher education tuition-free for Scottish students and invest an extra £135 million in our universities
  • The Scottish Government has also announced a new package of student  support for higher education students which is the best in the UK – up to £7,250 in loans and grants for the poorest students, and all students will be eligible for a loan of £4,500
  • Changes to the support available for part-time HE students  - students with an income of less than £25,000 a year will pay no fees to study
  • We lobbied for and won an increase of over £11 million in college bursary funding in 2011 and campaigned successfully for this funding to be maintained in 2012
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Our goals in 2012-2013

  • Scotland is the worst country in the UK for the numbers of people from poorer backgrounds who get into university and we just published a research report – Unlocking Scotland’s Potential – which highlights just how bad the situation is.
  • We’re campaigning this year to change this and make sure it’s people’s ability, not their bank balance that decides if they go to university. 
  • We’ll also be opposing any cuts to college budgets, working to make sure college students’ education is not damaged by cuts or mergers, and campaigning for a fairer system of student support for college students. 

Our campaigns