Glasgow University has reported a 3.1% increase in postgraduate applications, despite Scotland experiencing a 2.6% decrease of applicants on the whole according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
The HESA figures also reported postgraduate applications have fallen by 3.4% for the UK as a whole, meaning many potential postgraduates prefer to study in Scotland. The University of Glasgow already has a good reputation with helping their students deal with the cost of postgraduate study. When student Charlotte Rosser was asked why she had chosen to apply to the University of Glasgow, she stated that she had been interested in studying in Scotland in particular and it was the “financial support provided” at the University which had been the major contributing factor in her decision.
In addition, the quality of education received here at postgraduate level has been cited as another influencing factor. Another postgraduate student located in the School of Humanities remarked that she chose the University of Glasgow because: “It is one of the best schools for Art History. While St Andrew’s and the University of Edinburgh also have incredibly strong courses, there were particular teachers based here who I wanted to learn from.”
The release of these figures coincide with the Scottish Funding Council provision of funds to Scottish Universities and granting the University of Glasgow the ability to support 122 extra postgraduate places, the most of any of the Scottish Universities. These places are aimed at supporting industry by encouraging links between the universities and business. It also aims to ease the financial burden associated with postgraduate study.
James Harrison, President of the SRC, commenting on the recent figures, said: “It’s great to see more people applying for postgraduate courses at Glasgow”. Harrison continued to praise the “improvement of facilities available for students to socialise and study”, in particular the opening of the Gilchrist Postgraduate Club last October, which has further enhanced the experience of postgraduates at the University of Glasgow, “providing postgrads with a dedicated social space for the first time in many years.”
A spokesperson for the University of Glasgow said: “The University of Glasgow has always had a commitment to providing a world-class teaching and research environment. We have a vibrant community of postgraduate students working across a huge range of disciplines. We welcome these figures as showing that Glasgow remains a popular destination for people around the world who wish to take up or continue their postgraduate studies.”
The HESA report also noted a 2% drop in undergraduates enrolling in Scottish universities, and a 12.5% drop in part-time undergraduates. 3.5% less of these students are coming from within the UK, whilst other EU students have seen a 7.1% rise and non-EU students a 8.1% rise.
