Small increase in university students from poorest areas
In order to achieve the final target, a total increase of 3.3 percentage points will be required over the next six years; however, over the past six years, the recorded increase has been just 1.1 percentage points, and the total increase since 2014 stands at just 3 percentage points.
The latest Report on Widening Access also reveals that the number of full-time, first-degree university entrants with experience of the care system continues to increase: it now stands at 1.9 percent, which is higher than the overall percentage of under-18s thought to be looked after by local authorities.
Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP says that the figures show the Scottish Government is guilty of 'breaking yet another promise to close the attainment gap between students from the most and least deprived areas.'
He said: 'When it comes to the attainment gap, the SNP can only offer broken promises and missed targets.
'Universities have done a lot of work in trying to widen access, but they can only do so much. Ultimately, the SNP's failure to close the attainment gap at a school level undermines that good work because it is leaving lots of young people from deprived backgrounds without the support they need to get into university.
'In schools, there are lots of issues that need addressed, from behaviour challenges to teachers stuck on supply lists and fundamental problems with the curriculum. But all of these have gotten worsen on the SNP's watch.'
Graeme Dey MSP, the [[Scottish Government]] Minister for Higher and Further Education Graeme Dey, welcomed publication of the latest data:
'These figures show that the number of people from deprived areas in Scotland studying full time for their first degree in 2023-24 was the second highest on record.
'The number of Scots, from the most deprived areas, entering university on full-time first degree courses is up 37% since this government established the Commission on Widening Access, while we have also seen record numbers of Scots from deprived areas accepted to study in 2024, increasing by 11% since 2023.
'The findings today are a testament to the great work being done by both our universities and colleges to improve access, with an increase to 20.8% of all full-time entrants to undergraduate HE courses, including colleges, coming from the most deprived areas.
'However, there is more to do to meet the goal of 20% of all entrants being from the 20% most deprived communities by 2030. I will continue to work constructively with the sector to create more opportunities for people from the poorest backgrounds to go to university and gain qualifications which will help in our mission to eradicate child poverty.
'Our continued pledge to keep tuition fees free is also ensuring that access to higher education is based on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay.'
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