Scotland the only part of the UK to see rise in students going to university.
UCAS figures show we're bucking the trend
A record number of Scots were accepted to a UK university in 2017 while Scotland was the only one of the home nations to see an increase.
More than 36,500 applicants living in Scotland accepted a place for this academic year - an increase of 2.4% at more than 850.
The figures were released on Monday by Ucas in their first End of Cycle Report 2017.
It also shows a record number of all applicants accepted to Scottish higher education institutions in 2017 - up 1.7%.
Further and Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville said: "It is great to see that Scotland is bucking the trend across the UK, with more of our prospective students securing a place at university. This follows on from the record numbers last year.
"It shows that our education system is supporting an increasing number of people to access higher education - giving them the skills they need to succeed.
"This is also another record year for Scotland's universities, with the highest ever number of applicants accepted to study here. It is testament to the fact that Scotland remains a destination of choice for students, due in no small part to the reputation for excellence that our institutions have worked hard to achieve."