A survey by Scotland’s Colleges, covering two thirds of FE institutions, has found that applications for places are up by 35 per cent overall compared with the same time last year, confirming a TESS investigation published on April 24. One college reported a 300 per cent increase. In evidence to the parliamentary finance committee inquiry on the Government’s budget, Scotland’s Colleges said popular courses could be full by the summer, jeopardising the chances of school leavers getting a place after the exam results come out.