Scottish Greens Scottish Parliament Election 2026 Manifesto - NUS Scotland

The Scottish Greens published their Scottish Parliament Election Manifesto, 'Let's Demand Better' on Tuesday 14th April

This is what it says about the issues that students, apprentices and young people care about. Use the NUS Scotland Vote Matcher to see which parties you agree with most.

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What the Scottish Greens Manifesto says on...

Universities and funding

- Oppose any attempt to introduce tuition fees for Scottish students
- Oppose the marketisation of higher education and work with the sector to find a sustainable funding model for universities
- Suspend interest payments on student loans during maternity and parental leave

Colleges, Apprenticeships and Skills

- Support colleges to maximise income from the private sector without undermining the needs of students and communities
- New Deal for Apprenticeships with fair pay, adult entry routes and recognition of prior learning
- Increase the number of reserved places for students and staff on college boards

International students and migration

- Pressure the UK Government to enhance and expand the post-study work visa programme
- Support scholarships for Palestinian and Ukrainian students
- Call on the UK Government to end the policy of no resource to public funds for migrants to the UK

Cost of Living, Employment and the Economy

- Scrap council tax and replace it with a residential property tax based on the value of the property
- Provide a hardship fund for students during the summer and enable students to rebalance bursary and loan payments
- Make Fair Work First conditions mandatory for any company in receipt of public money to limit exploitative practices

The NHS, Health and Wellbeing

- Hire more GPs to ensure one GP for every 1,000 patients and the availability of 15-minute appointments
- Cost-of-living increase to the student nurse bursary and extend it to all student allied health professionals
- End all charges for dental treatment and gradually bring dental practices fully into NHS ownership

Housing and Renting

- Strengthen rent controls, including by introducing rent controls on student accommodation
- Make it easier for councils to block the use of land for student accommodation instead of long-term homes
- Build at least 15,700 more social homes each year between now and 2031

Transport and Travel

- Expand free bus travel to everyone resident in Scotland, starting immediately with under 30s
- Introduce an integrated ticketing system with daily caps for all public transport journeys
- Expand the National Cycle Network and support councils to deliver active travel infrastructure quickly and efficiently

Climate, the Environment and Energy

- £600 million investment programme in onshore and offshore wind, tidal and solar
- Fully funded worker-led transition plans to support every community to move away from fossil fuel dependence
- Oppose new fossil fuel and nuclear developments in Scotland

Rights, Equality and Liberation

- Introduce a Human Rights Bill recognising economic, social and cultural rights
- Embed rights of disabled people, older people, women, members of faith groups, migrants, gypsy, roma and traveller communities, and LGBT+ people
- Comprehensive ban on conversion therapy covering all settings

Society, Democracy and Young People

- Campaign for independence and call for devolution of taxation, workers’ rights, energy, migration and foreign affairs
- Continue four-day week pilots in the public sector, and support greater take up of four-day week in the private sector
- Automate voter registration starting in schools, colleges and universities

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