Education Secretary Mike Russell has welcomed a rise in the number of applications for places at Scottish universities.
The total number of applicants has increased by 6.1% compared to last year to 111,296.
That included a 1.2% rise to 42,201 in the number of Scots wanting to study north of their border.
Figures from the University and College Admissions Service also show a record percentage of Scottish 18-year-olds have applied to study at university.
Mr Russell said: “Scotland’s universities have a reputation for excellence and today’s figures show their appeal is as strong as ever.
“Of course, Scottish students are safe in the knowledge that access is based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay and these students will benefit from the best package of support in the UK.”
He noted the increases followed figures published last month by the Higher Education Statistics Agency which showed graduates from Scottish universities doing better than their counterparts from the rest of the UK.
“As the HESA figures demonstrated, the benefits of a Scottish degree are clear. Graduates from Scottish universities are more likely to go on to further study or employment,” Mr Russell said.
Total applications to UK universities are up by 2.7% compared to last year.