Fewer students dropping out of university courses

The proportion of students dropping out of Scottish university courses has fallen but remains above rates in the rest of the UK, figures show.

The percentage of full-time, first-degree students failing to complete courses was 6.5% in 2014/15, a 0.2% improvement on the previous year and the second-best performance recorded over the last 18 years, according to data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Similar figures for England and Wales show a growing rate of drop outs, with 6.3% in England and 6.1% in Wales, up from 5.9% and 5.8% respectively.

Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, said: “It's very encouraging to see Scotland's retention rate improve again.

“This reflects a lot of hard work and commitment to ensure that students have access to the right advice, support and guidance, whether that the need is academic, pastoral or financial.

“Universities will remain focused on supporting students, on delivering continuous improvement in retention at the same time as widening access.

“We have always said it is important to widen access to get students of all backgrounds through the door but just as important to support them when they are there.”

The data also showed students in Scotland are the most likely in the UK to have a “productive outcome” at university - classified as achieving a degree, another higher education qualification or transferring course at university.

HESA found 90.3% of students in Scotland will achieve productive outcome, above the UK average of 89.5%.

Mr Sim added: “Where students run into difficulty it is important they are given constructive options which might include transferring course, deferring a year or finishing with another higher education qualification rather than to leave university with nothing.

“The data suggests students in Scotland are receiving this support and guidance, perhaps better than elsewhere, and that is definitely a positive situation.”