Hundreds of EU students will now be able to study in Scotland with financial help.
A new £2.25m scholarship programme means students from the continent can begin courses in the 2021/22 academic year.
The Saltire Scholarship scheme has been designed to help ease the negative impact of Brexit on student numbers.
Minister for Higher and Further Education, Jamie Hepburn, said the scheme aimed to “repair” links with Europe.
The Scottish Funding Council is allocating the money. One scholarship place is valued at £8,000 for universities and £4,000 for colleges, the body confirmed.
Students should contact their university for information on the application process.
EU student numbers nosedived after Brexit
New data from UCAS shows a 41% decrease in the number of EU students applying to study at Scottish universities this academic year.
Scholarships are available at universities for Masters level post-graduate study. Colleges will consider applications for Higher National (HN) level, Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND).
The University of Aberdeen confirmed they had received 12 scholarships through the scheme.
A university spokesman welcomed news of the funding.
“This helps us support EU students who had previously been eligible for Home (Scottish/EU) fee status, but are now classified as international students,” he said.
“The university already offers the Aberdeen Global Postgraduate Scholarship, which is a £5,000 tuition fee discount available to eligible self-funded postgraduate EU students.
“We also offer a similar £8,000 scholarship to undergraduate students.”
He said this underlined “the value we place on the many cultural and intellectual contributions they make to our community.”
The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) was allocated funding for one higher education student place under the Saltire Scholarship scheme.
It also received a smaller amount towards a further education student studying in the region.
Robert Gordon University (RGU) is still to confirm how many scholarships for EU students they will be able to offer.
‘Vital contribution to our society’
Mr Hepburn has consistently highlighted the decline in EU student numbers at Scottish universities, even before Brexit became reality.
He had campaigned against a ‘hard’ Brexit, citing the effect it would have on higher education institutions north of the border.
Unsurprisingly, the minister welcomed the new Saltire Scholarship.
“EU students make an absolutely vital contribution to our economy, educational environment and society as a whole,” he said.
“Our new scholarship programme will help strengthen and repair our links with the EU.
“It also sends a clear message that Scotland is open for business to European students.
“In the last year we have sadly seen a dramatic reduction in applications from EU students looking to study here.
“We are determined to do all we can to reverse the damage caused by Brexit and promote Scotland’s education offer globally.”
Out with Erasmus, in with Turing Scheme
The UK left the EU’s Erasmus student exchange programme after Brexit took effect earlier this year.
This made it more difficult both for European students to study in Scotland, and for Scots to study in Europe.
More than 2,000 Scottish students used the Erasmus scheme every year, according to Scottish Government figures.
The UK Government is replacing Erasmus with the Turing Scheme, which will provide funding for UK students to study abroad.
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