Scotland's universities have warned they face a "devastating" financial blow after Brexit if SNP ministers refuse to let them keep the £90 million a year currently spent giving EU students free tuition.

Universities Scotland said the Scottish Government could withdraw the money at the start of the 2020 or 2021 academic year when students from the remaining EU countries lose their legal right to the perk.

In a submission to Holyrood's education committee, universities said the SNP government had already slashed their resource funding by £130 million in real terms over the past five years, with a further 1.8 per cent reduction planned in April.

They argued that Scottish ministers should commit now to letting them keep the £90 million after Brexit to help them hit targets for awarding more places to students from poorer backgrounds, without displacing the middle classes.

Until now, EU anti-discrimination laws have meant the Scottish Government has had to extend its free tuition policy for Scots to students from the Continent.

Assuming an orderly Brexit takes place, this obligation would cease at the end of the proposed transition period in December 2020.

Scottish ministers have announced that EU students starting university in Scotland this year will get free tuition for the duration of their courses, potentially four years, funding them beyond Brexit.

But they have yet to disclose whether the same perk will be extended to those who win a place next year and, if not, what will happen to their free tuition funding.

Students from the rest of the EU currently receive free university tuition in Scotland credit: PA

Universities Scotland has previously said that Brexit could lead to more Scots being admitted as they could take places previously allocated to EU students.

This is because, to make free tuition affordable, there is currently a cap on the overall number of Scottish and EU students who can win a place.

The umbrella organisation's submission to the committee said it was "very important" that the money currently spent on EU students' free tuition does not disappear after Brexit.

"This resource is currently worth circa £90 million to the Scottish higher education sector; a level of resource that would be devastating if it were to be removed from institutions," it said.

Universities Scotland urged ministers to provide "very welcome planning certainty" by confirming the money will continue, arguing it was vital for "the stability of certain courses" and institutions.

It also argued the funding was essential "for opportunities for Scottish domiciled learners including progress towards achievement of widening access targets without displacement of other well-qualified learners."

SNP ministers have previously been warned that their targets to get more youngsters from deprived backgrounds into university will mean more children from middle-class backgrounds missing out, unless the Scottish quota of places is increased.

The Telegraph disclosed this month that more than 15,000 Scots missed out on a university place last year amid warnings the cap is failing to keep pace with demand.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We are in discussion with the higher education sector as to support beyond this period in the context of uncertainty caused by Brexit, which is a huge risk to the sector.

"Decisions related to funding after Brexit would be part of future budget considerations.”