Scotland’s universities have demanded that SNP ministers make clear whether EU students who win a place next year will get their tuition fees funded by the taxpayer after Brexit.

Principals, staff and students joined forces to issue a joint call for the Scottish Government to say for how long their ‘free’ tuition policy will apply to EU students, who are already applying for degree programmes starting in autumn 2017.

Their demand for clarity came after Jo Johnson, the UK Universities Minister, announced that European students applying for places in England next year will continue receiving loans and grants for the duration of their studies, even if Brexit happens sooner.

SNP ministers are currently forced by European anti-discrimination laws to offer ‘free’ tuition to EU as well as Scottish students. However, Brexit will spell the end of this requirement.

If Britain leaves the EU in 2019, as expected, this would be halfway through a four-year degree that starts next year.

Universities could then theoretically charge EU students fees in the same way that English, Welsh and Northern Irish youngsters already have to pay £9,000 per year to study in Scotland.

But principals are worried they could face legal action as prospectuses published before the Brexit vote in June guaranteed that EU students starting in the 2017/18 academic year would not have to pay fees.