On 13 August, Scottish Government published new guidance, The Rest of UK Tuition Fee Status - Student Studying in Scotland (August 2025). The guidance has been produced “to support colleges and universities with their assessment of higher education [HE] students’ eligibility for the ‘rest of the UK’ (rUK) tuition fee rate to study in Scotland”.
Since 2011/12, our understanding about the rUK tuition fee in Scotland’s HE fees assessment system has been based on assurances given to us by the Scottish Government. There are a number of eligibility categories under which, in certain circumstances, students who are not eligible for a 'home' fee may instead qualify for the rUK tuition fee, which is capped at a middle-rate roughly equivalent to the 'home' fee charged in England. This new guidance marks the first time the Scottish Government has formally produced publicly-available guidance dedicated to explaining the arrangements for the rUK tuition fee and to whom the Scottish Government expects Scottish institutions to charge the rUK tuition fee.
We are working to embed references to the new guidance into our public information on Scotland HE fee status. This follows changes we have already made to our web information relating to amendments to the Scottish fees regulations which took effect on 1 August. Earlier in the year we advised UKCISA members about these legislative changes in a news item, Scotland fees-regulations amendment from 1 August 2025 and new guidance for rUK (May 2025).
We will continue to analyse the new guidance, including how it interacts with the fees regulations, and we may make further amendments to our information in the coming weeks as we seek, and hopefully gain, further clarity from the Scottish Government.
If you are a UKCISA member reading this, then please do familiarise yourself with our web information and circulate to your students as well.
