Scotland is extending its postgraduate scholarship programme to cover students from the European Union, in a bid to stem a drastic post-Brexit decline in applications.

The Holyrood government said that it was allocating an additional ?2.25 million to the Saltire Scholarship scheme, which supports students on master¡¯s level courses, to bankroll the expansion.

Hundreds of EU students will benefit from the announcement, ministers said.

Saltire scholarships are currently targeted at applicants from Canada, China, India, Japan, Pakistan and the US, and provide an award of up to ?8,000 towards tuition fees on full-time programmes at any Scottish university. At the moment the scheme covers only courses in science, technology, creative industries, healthcare and medical sciences, and renewable and clean energy.

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Jamie Hepburn, Scotland¡¯s higher education minister, said that the scheme was being extended in response to data from Ucas which showed a 41 per cent decline in the number of EU students applying to study undergraduate courses at Scottish universities this year.

¡°Our new scholarship programme will help strengthen and repair our links with the EU and sends a clear message that Scotland is open for business to European students,¡± Mr Hepburn said.

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¡°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.¡±

EU?students lost their eligibility for free undergraduate tuition at Scottish universities this autumn, triggering?a sharp drop in applications.

The Scottish government said that applications to use the Saltire scholarships for undergraduate courses ¡°may be considered on a discretionary basis¡±. Applicants to Scottish colleges will also be eligible for funding for Higher National level, Higher National Certificate, and Higher National Diploma courses.

Earlier this year Holyrood announced a ?3 million scheme of Saltire Research Awards to ¡°reinvigorate and repair¡± European research partnerships ¡°following the uncertainty caused by Brexit in recent years¡±.

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chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com