free education in scotland

In the UK, the government funding agency you apply to depends on which country you normally live in.
You do not have to pay tuition fees to the university yourself. Instead:

Universities in Scotland face a £500m black hole, with the number of lucrative fee-paying students from overseas expected to fall steeply following the Covid-19 pandemic.
As The Sunday Times revealed last month, an analysis of cash reserves and revenues, including money drawn from overseas students, found that about a third of Scotland’s 19 higher-education institutions could have insufficient funding to continue by the end of the year.

Find out more about undergraduate and postgraduate tuition fees for our Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Orkney campuses. Tuition fees must be paid for each year of your programme. How and when you pay tuition fees for your programme depends on your level of study.
Edinburgh, Scotland
UK EH14 4AS
+44 131 449 5111

There are a few circumstances where you may need to pay additional fees, for example if you need to repeat an assessment. See our Additional Fees page for more information.
Our tuition fees represent excellent value for money – giving you access to world-class teaching, supportive tutors and the facilities you need to achieve your potential. Also, UK degrees are normally shorter and more intensive than in the US or Australia.

References:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/scottish-students-face-an-end-to-free-university-education-rcft5jscm
http://www.hw.ac.uk/study/fees/tuition-fees.htm
http://www.stir.ac.uk/study/fees-funding/international-student-tuition-fees/
http://www.mygov.scot/tuition-fees/