Universities and colleges have accepted a record number of Scottish young people, but the overall application rate has dipped slightly?owing to a fall in the number of older students.

Admissions service Ucas said on 5 August ¨C exam results day in Scotland ¨C that 17,350 17- and 18-year-olds have secured a place, up 4.2 per cent on 16,650 last year.

There has been a total of 31,850 Scottish applicants this year, 120 fewer than last year, which Ucas said was?because of declining numbers of applicants aged 19 and over.

The results come after a difficult period for Scottish higher education, with several universities experiencing financial trouble including the University of Dundee, which has had to be bailed out by the taxpayer.

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About 147,000 people received their results, and the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) confirmed that attainment rates at A-C increased at all levels of national qualifications.

Results day was disrupted by the aftermath of Storm Floris, which meant some pupils in parts of the Highlands and Islands had to wait to receive copies of their certificates?because of delays in postal deliveries.

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Higher A-C attainment rose a percentage point to 75.9 per cent, but was still below the 77.1 per cent seen in 2023 and 78.9 per cent in 2022. Advanced Higher A-C attainment rose to 76.7 per cent from 75.3 per cent in 2024.

Education secretary Jenny Gilruth said the results were ¡°evidence of a strong recovery in Scotland¡¯s schools, following the pandemic, with more passes at every level compared to last year¡±.

¡°They are a testament to the hard work of learners, teachers and parents and carers,¡± Gilruth added.

SQA ¨C which is set to be replaced by a new body to be known as Qualifications Scotland in December ¨C said the poverty-related attainment gap also narrowed over the 2024-25 academic year.

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This was reflected in the admissions figures, with record numbers of 17- and 18-year-olds from the most deprived areas progressing to university or college ¨C 2,060 compared?with 1,950 in 2024.

Ucas said 93.7 per cent of all Scottish applicants had secured their first-choice place, a slight decrease on 2024, but higher than 2022 levels.

International undergraduate students applying via Ucas continued to rise, with 3,660 accepted at Scottish universities and colleges this cycle, compared?with?3,480 last year and 3,380 in 2022. Of these, 2,990 were from outside the European Union while 670 came from the bloc.

Jo Saxton, Ucas chief executive, said the increase in accepted students from disadvantaged backgrounds was ¡°testament to the tremendous efforts being made to support widening access to higher education in Scotland¡±.

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She said there were still opportunities to enter higher education via clearing, with around 27,000 courses available across the UK and 2,700 at Scottish institutions.

tom.williams@timeshighereducation.com