Scottish universities 'could continue discriminating against English after independence'

By Simon Johnson. Universities in a separate Scotland might be permitted to charge English students tuition fees by securing an exemption from EU anti-discrimination laws, a legal opinion obtained by the sector has concluded. Solicitors Anderson Strathern said there may be a way around the rules, which would ban the current practice of charging students from the rest of the UK fees while providing ‘free’ tuition for their Scottish peers. The legal opinion said ministers would have to convince the EU that Scottish applicants would be squeezed out by a tide of school leavers from south of the Border unless the charges were retained. However, the document said universities would have a better chance of complying with EU law if they reintroduced tuition fees for all students but made only those living in Scotland eligible for grants. Read more...