ENTRY requirements at some of Scotland’s most prestigious universities are to be lowered to increase the number of students from diverse backgrounds.
The University of Edinburgh has introduced an Access Threshold scheme ahead of the new academic year, which lowers the grades required by prospective students.
Law applicants will be required to have one A and three Bs at Scottish Higher level for entry – below the five As typically required.
For medicine applications, pupils will be required to gain three As and two Bs – below the expected four As and one B.
Glasgow and Aberdeen University have also published different entry requirements for each course.
A spokesman for the University of Edinburgh said: “Our contextualised admissions process allows us to make offers to Widening Participation applicants, who meet the minimum academic requirements, using our Access Threshold – which takes into account a range of factors other than academic qualifications.”
Figures indicate that more than 15% of students entering Scottish universities last year were from the country’s most deprived areas. The Scottish Government is targetting a rate of 16% by 2021.
Alastair Sim, Universities Scotland director, said: “This is not about ticking boxes – it’s about giving people chances they have worked very hard to earn, often with the odds stacked against them, with the confidence to know they have as much potential to get as good a degree as their peers.”
“Every student that gets a place through this new system will fully deserve their place, that’s a responsibility universities have to all applicants and one they take very seriously.”
Scottish Labour’s education spokesman, Iain Gray, said: “Contextualised admissions are an important part of efforts to widen access to university and level the playing field.
“However, to avoid unintended consequences they must be backed by a relaxation of the student cap and sustainable funding of our universities.
“The current draft budget cuts university funding, and the Scottish Government has refused to review the cap for many years.
“SNP ministers must back our universities as they try to deliver the government’s own policy.”
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