Scottish students race to get last remaining nursing places north of the border

Scottish students are scrambling to get the last remaining places on nursing degrees in the country after receiving their results this week

There are 3,027 nursing training places commissioned by the Scottish government for 2016/17, with most already filled by school leavers who received their National, Highers and Scottish Baccalaureate results on Tuesday.

However, a small number of Scottish universities are offering places through clearing, the process that matches students with unfilled places.

On results day, Edinburgh Napier University had about 50 places available through clearing on its adult nursing undergraduate course, which has a total intake of 349.

It also had nine places on offer on its learning disability course, which takes 55 students.

Edinburgh Napier University advisor of studies for nursing and midwifery Fiona MacKinnon fielded 100 enquiries on Tuesday from prospective students who met the qualification criteria.

The university said up to 10% of its intake for nursing courses was usually made up of students from the European Union (EU). Ms MacKinnon said there have still been EU candidates this year, despite the uncertainty following the Brexit vote.

She said: ‘The main application cycle was completed by the time the EU referendum decision came out. We probably won't see until next year if there is any impact on that.’ 

Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen had up to 15 clearing places available for its adult nursing degree on results day, while Abertay University in Dundee had about five clearing spaces available on its mental health nursing degree.