As students pay for their own tuition in other parts of the UK, a similar cap does not exist elsewhere (other than for a temporary period during the covid-19 pandemic).29 It was reported in 2020 that, for the previous academic year, the unofficial ‘cap’ had led to only 55% of university applications from Scottish students being offered a place at Scottish universities, compared to 74% of English students at Scottish universities,30 raising questions about impact the free tuition policy has on widening access for Scottish students. Scottish university income sources