University denies over-reliance on foreign students

The vice chancellor of the University of Glasgow has denied his institution is over-reliant on foreign students.

It follows claims international applicants have access to more clearing courses than UK students.

Prof Sir Anton Muscatelli told BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show overseas students were important in making universities "viable".

A recent report found Scottish universities earned £1.7bn from international tuition in 2021 and 2022.

But Prof Muscatelli said the claims were not correct at an "overall level".

He told the programme: "Where that's often misunderstood is because actually a lot of international students come to do postgraduate courses in the UK.

"If you look at the number who come to do undergraduate courses the percentages are much smaller."

Prof Muscatelli was speaking after The Herald reported international students had access 12 times more courses through clearing than UK students.

According to the newspaper, British students applying to the University of Glasgow through clearing, had access to eight courses while international students could apply for 84.

Clearing is a process that allows students to apply for undersubscribed courses after results day, should they not get the grades they need or simply change their minds.

Prof Muscatelli added: "What these students do is they actually pay for our home students, they support their educations because funding in England and in Scotland for home students in terms of funding their education doesn't meet the cost.

"International students add £4.75bn to the Scottish economy it is effectively a huge asset, and I think debates like this are important, but we mustn't forget just how important these students are to our economic future."

The vice chancellor added that 15% of funding for UK students came from the cross-subsidisation of international fees.

He continued: "The number of Scottish undergraduates at any university in Scotland, and that includes Glasgow, is fixed.

"There is a fixed number that is funded by the taxpayers.

"There isn't a cap on international students because there isn't a funding cap."

The report on international tuition fees by Prof Sarah Armstrong, of the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, found that all Scottish universities grew by enrolling more fee-paying overseas students during the pandemic.

The University of Edinburgh made £608m and the University of Glasgow made £482m.

NUS Scotland president Ellie Gomersall told BBC Scotland News foreign students were used as "cash cows" by big institutions who had "little regard for their welfare".