European Union nationals who start university next year in Scotland will have free tuition throughout their degree programme despite Brexit, the education secretary has said.

The Scottish Government currently pays for European students' tuition fees as it is required by the organisation's rules.

It cannot charge people from other EU member states because it offers free tuition for students from Scotland.

John Swinney called on the UK Government to give assurances of the rights of EU nationals in the UK to stay in the country.

He told delegates at his party's conference: "I am proud that Scotland is a destination of choice for EU students.

"Therefore, I am pleased to give them further reassurance by confirming that support from the Scottish Government for tuition-free studies will continue for those commencing courses here in the 2017-18 academic year.

"However, the continued refusal by the UK Government to give assurances that the immigration status and rights of EU nationals living in Scotland will not change after Brexit is deeply concerning."

He added: "EU students will rightly have concerns about any change in their status half way through a course.

"These students deserve certainty. They deserve to be guaranteed their right to stay."

There is no similar legal guarantee for English, Welsh and Northern Irish students, meaning Scottish universities charge people from the rest of the UK.

When asked by STV News if the Scottish Government would extend free university tuition to students from the rest of the UK after Brexit, a spokesman for the education secretary said their policy is about "maintaining the current system".

Last week, the UK Government announced that it would continue to offer student support to EU nationals starting their degrees next year at English universities after the UK leaves the organisation.