You don’t need to hop on a plane to study in another country…just cross the border into England.
If you’re a Scottish student thinking about studying in England, then keep reading, because we’ve taken a look at some of the differences between Scottish and English universities – and the results may surprise you!
Contents:
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Reputation and rankings
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University choice
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Degree programmes
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Your qualifications
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Student number caps
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Tuition fees
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Cost of living
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Closer than you think
Reputation and rankings
Both Scotland and England are home to prestigious universities that rank highly in the world league tables. But when it comes to Russell Group members – research-intensive universities that maintain the very best research, an outstanding teaching and learning experience and unrivalled links with local and national business and the public sector – there are only two in Scotland: Edinburgh and Glasgow universities.
England has 20 Russell Group universities, so, if studying in a world-class research environment is important to you and your degree programme, then it might be worth looking over the border.
And, just in case you were wondering, as well as being a Global Top 110 university in the QS World University Rankings 2024, Newcastle University is a founder member of the Russell Group.
University choice
There are 19 higher education institutions in Scotland and over 160 in England, which isn’t surprising given that the country is bigger and more populated.
But what that means for you is a more diverse choice when it comes to choosing a university – and the degree programme – that’s right for you.
Newcastle offers over 185 undergraduate degree programmes in the arts, humanities, engineering, sciences and social sciences, ranging from Accounting and Finance to Zoology. And if you want to go on to postgraduate study, you can choose from over 300 programmes.
Degree programmes
The average undergraduate degree length in England is three years, so you’ll graduate sooner than in Scotland, where a Bachelor’s programme will take four years to complete.
In England, you’ll specialise in your chosen subject earlier, whereas in Scotland, you’ll study a range of subjects in your first two years before specialising in the next two.
If you successfully complete a humanities or social sciences programme at one of Scotland’s four ‘ancient’ universities – St Andrew’s, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh – you graduate with a Master of Arts.
This is different to the Bachelor of Arts you would get at most English universities, but isn’t the same as a postgraduate Master’s – it’s still an undergraduate degree.
Your qualifications
Your Scottish qualifications, including International Baccalaureate, are accepted at English universities.
And you won’t necessarily have to take Advanced Highers to secure an offer – a good set of Highers should be enough.
If you do take Advanced Highers, some English universities regard these as more testing qualifications and could accept you with lower grades than equivalent A Level subjects.
At Newcastle we accept Highers qualifications – and you can find out more in the entrance requirements of the degree profile you’re interested in.
Student number caps
Scottish universities are bound by strict recruitment controls, commonly known as ‘student number caps’. This means they can only accept a certain number of Scottish students to their degree programmes, which has the knock-on effect of increasing competition for places.
If you’re applying for a popular degree programme at a Scottish university where demand for places is high, you could run a greater risk of being rejected.
Student number caps were lifted on English universities in 2015.
The Department for Education has carried out a consultation process on the reintroduction of student caps in England, but this is being fiercely resisted, meaning that universities can still expand their available degree places and welcome more Scottish students studying in England.
Tuition fees
As a Scottish undergraduate student attending a Scottish university, you won’t have to pay tuition fees – they’re covered by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). For 2024 entry the fees are £1,820 a year.
Scottish students studying in England will have to pay the standard undergraduate tuition fee set by your English university – for 2024 entry the fees are £9,250 a year.
But did you know that, if you’re eligible for Student Finance, you can get a Tuition Fee Loan to cover the cost of your tuition at an English university?
Your loan won’t have to be paid back until you’ve completed your course and are earning over £27,660 a year (before tax and other deductions). Plus, after 30 years, any remaining debt is wiped out.
Cost of living
When it comes to the cost of living, Scotland is generally considered to be cheaper than England, but its capital can be expensive.
Living and studying in Edinburgh could cost you more than living in the North of England – particularly when you bear in mind that our student-friendly city of Newcastle is ranked 9th in the UK for affordability (QS Best Student Cities 2023).
Closer than you think
And finally, crossing the border into another country doesn’t mean you’ll be thousands of miles away from home – Newcastle is just 1 hour and 25 minutes from Edinburgh by train.
And if you do want to hop on a plane to go to uni you can do that, too – from Aberdeen, for instance, it's just a 50-minute direct flight to our International Airport.
