Why Choose Our Love Gaelic Courses — A Truly Global Approach
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
For many prospective learners of Gaelic, the traditional pathways — through Scottish colleges and universities — can feel limited, especially because of the way tuition and eligibility are divided based on where a student lives. That’s where we do things differently: in our Gaelic courses, we don’t distinguish between students based on their country of residence. Whether you live in Scotland, elsewhere in the UK, the EU, or any other country in the world — you get equal access, equal pricing (where relevant), and the same commitment to helping you master the language. This principle of inclusivity isn’t just idealistic. It addresses a very real gap in current higher-education offerings, and brings Gaelic education to anyone — regardless of geography.
What the Traditional System Looks Like — and Where It Falls Short
To make the contrast clear, let’s look at how tuition works at a typical Scottish university offering Gaelic (or Gaelic-studies) courses.
Many Scottish undergraduates ordinarily benefit from tuition-free courses when they meet residency and domicile criteria. (UCAS)
If you are resident elsewhere in the UK (England, Wales or Northern Ireland), you will often be charged a “rest-of-UK” fee. For example, the fee for some courses at University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is listed as £9,250 per year for students from England, Wales or Northern Ireland. (UCAS)
For EU and non-EU / international students, fees are typically significantly higher. At UHI, recent fee listings show EU and international students paying around £15,870 per year. (UCAS)
Moreover, depending on changes in residency and eligibility rules (for example with EU-citizenship and residency post-Brexit), many EU / non-UK students now pay the same international fees as non-EU students. (University of Edinburgh)
This means that access to Gaelic courses via universities can be unequally accessible — or very expensive — depending on where you are from and where you live.
In short: under the conventional system, your country or residence often determines whether Gaelic education is cheap/free — or prohibitively expensive.
How Our Gaelic Courses Compare — Equal-Access, Transparent Pricing, Global Reach
Here’s how our offering stands out:
No geo-based discrimination: We welcome students from anywhere in the world — whether you live in Scotland, London, Berlin, Reykjavik or Tokyo. Your country of residence does not affect your eligibility, nor your access.
Flat pricing (or flexible pricing): Because we are not constrained by national-funding schemes or domicile criteria, we can offer a single transparent price (or a few clearly defined tiers) — so that all students pay the same (or fairly comparable) amount regardless of location.
Flexible learning format: Many traditional Gaelic programmes require presence in Scotland — often on remote or rural campuses (e.g. islands, Gaelic-speaking communities). (UHI) By contrast, we offer options for remote/distance or blended learning, allowing students across the world to participate without relocating.
Inclusive entry for all levels: Whether you’re a complete beginner, a heritage speaker, or an advanced learner, you receive a learning path suited to your level — without the bureaucracy of residency-based fee status decisions.
Price Comparison: University-Based Gaelic vs. Our Courses
Residence / Student Type | Typical University Fee for Gaelic (UK/EU) | Typical University Fee for Gaelic (EU / International) | Our Gaelic Courses (All Students) |
Scotland (resident) | Often free (tuition covered by funding agency) (UCAS) | — (if resident and eligible) | Same flat rate (no residency requirement) |
Rest of UK (England, Wales, NI) | ~ £9,250 – £9,535/yr (UCAS) | — | Same flat rate |
EU (post-Brexit, non-UK) | Often treated as international — costs for full international tuition apply. For instance, UHI lists ~ £15,870/yr for EU students. (UCAS) | Same as non-EU international students — often much higher. (Save the Student) | Same flat rate |
Non-EU / International | International tuition — sometimes £10,000–35,000/yr or more, depending on course and institution. (Student Information Scotland) | Same as above | Same flat rate |
Interpretation: For many students outside Scotland, and especially for EU / international learners, traditional university-based Gaelic can end up being very expensive — often several times (or more) the cost of what we can offer. Meanwhile, Scottish-resident students benefit from subsidised tuition — but this depends strictly on residence. Our model removes that gate entirely.
Why This Matters to Save Gaelic — Beyond Just Price
Fairness and equal opportunity: Language learning shouldn’t be limited by geography. By treating all students equally — whether in London, Berlin, Cape Town or Tokyo — we open Gaelic up to a global audience.
Cultural revitalization at global scale: Accessibility can help rebuild interest in Gaelic worldwide. We’re enabling people with various backgrounds, roots, or passions — even outside Scotland — to learn, use and promote Gaelic.
Flexibility for modern life: For people with jobs, families, commitments — relocating to a remote Scottish island or attending a full-time in-person degree is often impossible. Our courses accommodate that.
Cost-effective alternative: For EU or international learners, our courses can be a fraction of the cost of university tuition. For UK learners outside Scotland, our transparent pricing means you know what you pay — no surprises.
A Call to Choose Inclusiveness, Not Borders
If you believe in saving and reviving Gaelic as a living, global language — not just a regional heritage — then the traditional system’s reliance on domicile and residency feels arbitrary. We believe that the right to learn Gaelic should not depend on where you were born or where you live.
Our courses are built on the idea that language belongs to everyone. No matter where in the world you are, if you want to learn Gaelic — speak it, read it, live it — you should have the chance.
Join us. Learn Gaelic on your terms. Break down borders, not steps to learning.
