NUS Scotland calls for students to be ‘free to graduate’

NUS Scotland is urging all college and university principles to scrap graduation fees in Scottish institutions.

Robert Gordon University has become the latest university to commit to scrapping fees, following in the footsteps of Strathclyde and Aberdeen universities.

NUS Scotland is running a campaign, Free to Graduate, which aims to abolish graduate fees and has written an open letter to college and university principles.

It follows the union’s findings through freedom of information requests that students in Scotland could spend as much as £225 to attend their graduation ceremony.

The letter, written by NUS Scotland president Liam McCabe, asks institutions to ‘follow the lead’ of colleges and universities that have already scrapped the ‘unjustifiable’ charges.

McCabe said: “Following our findings that Scotland’s students could be out of pocket by up to £225 for attending their graduation ceremony, NUS Scotland are campaigning to ensure every student is ‘free to graduate’.

“Today, we have published an open letter to all of Scotland’s college and university principles, encouraging them to engage with our campaign, step up to the plate and scrap these charges.

“We have already seen excellent, progressive work from some institutions across the country to abolish these charges and we want to see the rest doing the same.

“Working in partnership with NUS Scotland, student associations and the institutions, we can ensure that graduation is the big pay-off for students, not the great pay out.”