Other languages in Scotland

English may be the main language in Scotland but the country also has a variety of others which are taught in schools and other institutions.

Gaelic schools

Gaelic is an officially recognised minority language native to Scotland. Children in Scotland are taught in English at school. In a very small number of schools the main teaching language is Gaelic (pronounced 'gallick').

Gaelic is more common in parts of the Highlands and on some of the Scottish Islands. There are 60 Gaelic primary schools across Scotland and one Gaelic school in Glasgow which teaches three-to-18-year olds.

Some short courses in Gaelic are also available for adults. 

Second languages in Scotland

Many people in Scotland can speak at least one other language. The most common second language spoken by native English speakers is French because it is taught in schools. School children in Scotland can now also learn Spanish, German and most recently Chinese, as well as French.

The most common languages spoken by ethnic minorities in Scotland are Urdu, Mandarin and Polish.

Languages in Scottish schools

In 1998 a Standard Grade examination in Urdu was introduced. Many schools and Further Education colleges offer this as an option. Standard Grades are qualifications obtained in the third or fourth year of high school.

It is estimated that over 100 languages are spoken by children in Scottish schools, mainly concentrated in Edinburgh and Glasgow. If you are coming to Scotland as a student then there are services available for English language improvement.

For school pupils, help is available in the form of English as an Additional Language (EAL) support within the school environment. There is more information on getting language assistance for children in Scottish schools on the Enrolling a bilingual child to a Scottish School page.

Bilingual skills in demand with employers

There are excellent employment opportunities for people with multiple language skills in Scotland.

Many employers will employ you based on your ability to speak more than one language. This case study about international call centre,  Sykes Enterprises in Edinburgh is a good example.

Read more recruitment case studies where Scottish companies benefit from employing international workers. recruitment case studies where Scottish companies benefit from employing international workers.