A Fairer Path Through Student Debt in Scotland

For many young Scots, university is described as free because eligible Scottish students do not pay tuition fees at Scottish universities. That picture is incomplete. Rent, food, transport, digital access and course materials can still force students to borrow heavily, while graduates elsewhere in the UK may face substantial tuition-fee balances. Annabelle Ewing’s plan to reduce student debt in Scotland focuses on the wider cost of learning, not just the headline fee.

As an SNP candidate for Ochil and South Perthshire, Ewing connects education funding with economic recovery, social mobility and Scotland’s ability to make its own choices. Her approach would seek a fairer mix of grants, living-cost support and repayment protections, while arguing that Scotland needs greater powers to build a sustainable higher-education system.

Tackling The Cost Behind Tuition Fees

Scotland’s tuition-fee policy removes a major barrier for many Scottish students, but it does not remove the cost of being a student. Accommodation near Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews or Stirling can absorb much of a maintenance payment. Rising grocery bills, rail fares and energy costs can then push students towards commercial overdrafts, credit cards or additional borrowing.

A practical student debt strategy would increase non-repayable support for students from low- and middle-income households. Grants should reflect actual living costs, with additional help for disabled students, carers, parents and those who must travel long distances from rural communities. This matters in Ochil and South Perthshire, where students may face different costs from those living within walking distance of a city campus.

The wider principle is straightforward: support should be based on what students need to live and study, rather than assuming every household can provide a private financial safety net.

Rebalancing Grants And Maintenance Support

Ewing’s platform can be understood as a call to shift the balance away from loans and towards grants. A maintenance loan may provide immediate help, but it becomes part of a graduate’s future repayment liability. A grant supports participation without increasing the amount owed after graduation.

This would require a transparent assessment of living costs across Scotland. Housing support in central Edinburgh cannot be calculated in the same way as support for a student commuting from Perthshire. Funding should also recognise the cost of placements, laboratory equipment, professional clothing and unpaid work experience, which can affect students in nursing, teaching, law and other vocational courses.

There is a useful comparison for an Australian audience. The Commonwealth-supported place and HECS-HELP system separate tuition charges from ordinary living expenses, while TAFE students may still struggle with rent and transport. A Scottish model that expands grants would address that gap more directly.

Policy area	Current pressure for students	Fairer direction
Tuition	Fees are covered for eligible Scottish students in Scotland	Protect free tuition while widening eligibility where possible
Living costs	Loans may cover rent, food and transport	Increase means-tested grants and maintenance support
Housing	Private rents can consume much of a payment	Link support to regional rental costs and expand affordable housing
Repayment	Graduates repay according to income under UK rules	Protect low earners and seek stronger Scottish control
Part-time and vocational study	Support can be less predictable	Make funding portable across university, college and work-based learning

Making Repayments More Manageable

Reducing student debt does not mean treating every graduate in the same way. A nurse, teacher or small-business owner may begin on a modest salary, while a graduate in a higher-paid profession may repay more over time. A progressive system should protect people during low-income periods and avoid penalties when earnings fall.

That could include stronger repayment thresholds, clearer information about interest and indexation, and a simpler process for graduates whose income changes. People returning from parental leave, moving into self-employment or working seasonally should not be trapped by complicated administration. The objective is to prevent education debt from delaying a first home, family plans or a decision to work in a rural area.

Australian graduates will recognise the concern. HECS-HELP balances are generally collected through the tax system, but indexation and rising living costs have made education debt a visible issue from Sydney to Adelaide. Scotland can learn from that experience by ensuring that repayment rules remain understandable and proportionate.

Linking Education To Scotland’s Economic Recovery

Student finance is also an economic policy. Graduates who leave university with manageable obligations are better placed to rent or buy locally, start a business, accept a public-service role or continue into postgraduate training. That can strengthen communities across Perthshire, Fife and the wider central belt.

A debt-reduction plan should therefore sit alongside investment in colleges, apprenticeships and high-value sectors such as renewable energy, life sciences, digital services and social care. Students should have routes between university, college and paid work without losing financial support each time they change direction.

The Australian labour market offers a relevant reference point. A student in Melbourne may combine university with casual work, while a young person in Brisbane may choose TAFE before moving into a degree. Scotland needs similarly flexible pathways, with funding that follows the learner rather than being tied too narrowly to one institution or course.

Seeking Greater Scottish Control

The UK student-loan system limits how far the Scottish Government can reshape repayment, write-offs and long-term funding. Ewing’s wider constitutional position is that Scotland should have the powers to design policies around Scottish priorities. In that context, reducing student debt is connected to the case for greater responsibility over taxation, welfare and economic development.

Independence would not automatically solve the cost of education. Any future Scottish system would still need sustainable public finances, reliable administration and a clear promise that support would reach the students who need it. A credible plan must therefore publish its eligibility rules, funding sources and protections for graduates on low incomes.

For voters, the central choice is whether education should be treated primarily as a private investment or as public infrastructure. Ewing’s position places access to learning closer to the second view: an investment that benefits the whole country through skilled workers, stronger communities and a more resilient economy.

Supporting Annabelle Ewing means backing a student finance approach that protects free tuition, expands living-cost assistance and makes repayment fairer. It also means supporting a broader programme for Scotland’s economic recovery and representation at Westminster. Follow the campaign’s local updates, examine the proposals, and make sure your voice is heard at the ballot box.