In a Scottish Parliament exchange, Higher and Further Education Minister Graeme Dey defended Scotland’s free-tuition policy and said average student loan debt for Scottish borrowers was £16,680—about one third of the figure for English peers. The exchange excerpt does not state the data’s reference year, so these are the minister’s claims, not confirmed latest figures.
What did the SNP say?
SNP MSP Emma Roddick asked whether the Scottish Government remained committed to free university tuition after England raised tuition fees. Graeme Dey, Minister for Higher and Further Education and Minister for Veterans, replied: “I confirm that the Scottish Government remains resolutely committed to free tuition for Scotland-domiciled students.”
Dey framed the policy as an access principle, saying: “It has been a guiding principle of the Scottish Government that higher education in Scotland should be based on the ability to learn and not on the ability to pay.” These are statements of the government’s position, not independent evaluations of the policy’s effects.
How does the debt comparison work?
Dey said average student loan debt for Scottish borrowers was £16,680, about a third of the debt of English peers. The parliamentary excerpt does not give a reference year or underlying calculation, and the comparison is attributed to the minister rather than independently verified here.
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He also said eligible students studying in Scotland avoid tuition-fee loan debt of more than £27,750 over three years compared with studying in England. That figure is the minister’s stated comparison; it is not a measure of all borrowing or of the total cost of attending university.
Who gets free tuition—and what does it cover?
Free tuition does not mean every student in Scotland has every study cost covered. The Scottish Parliament Information Centre’s briefing of 10 September 2026 says tuition-fee support is available to eligible students living in Scotland who study at Scottish institutions. Eligibility and domicile matter, and the policy concerns tuition fees—not all living costs.
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Students may still use loans or other support to meet living costs. As a result, a comparison of tuition-fee borrowing alone cannot establish how much students borrow overall or whether one system leaves every student better off. A fair comparison also needs consistent borrower eligibility, domicile, cohort, reference year, maintenance support and repayment terms.
What other figures has the SNP published?
The SNP’s official webpage says Scotland accounts for around 3% of UK student debt and 8% of the UK population. The result available for that claim did not show the calculation date or supporting method, so the figures should be treated as the party’s published comparison, not as independently validated statistics.
The same party webpage claims a £3,650 increase in higher-education student support and maximum support of £11,400 for the most vulnerable students. It does not make the reference period or definition of “support” clear in the available result. These figures are distinct from Dey’s £16,680 average-debt claim and should not be combined with it as though they measure the same thing.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does free tuition mean student loans are cancelled?
No. Free tuition and loan cancellation are separate matters. The Scottish Parliament Information Centre briefing notes rule-based cancellation circumstances including death, specified permanent incapacity for work associated with disability, the 30th anniversary of liability and age 65. These are conditions set out in the rules; they do not mean every borrower can obtain early cancellation.
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The Scottish Government’s Student Finance and Wellbeing Study Scotland 2023–2024 includes student accounts describing anxiety about debt, interest and repayment. Such accounts show experiences some students reported; they do not establish how common those concerns are among all students.
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What can be concluded from the exchange?
- The government reaffirmed its commitment to free tuition for Scotland-domiciled students who meet the relevant rules.
- The £16,680 average and “about a third” comparison are figures stated by the minister, with no reference year supplied in the excerpt.
- The £27,750 figure is a three-year tuition-loan comparison for eligible students studying in Scotland versus England, as stated by the minister.
- These statements do not provide a complete, like-for-like comparison of total borrowing, living costs or repayment outcomes across Scotland and England.
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