Mother Blames Glasgow University After Son’s Death Over Graduation Error

The mother of a 23-year-old student who took his own life after being wrongly told he could not graduate has accused the University of Glasgow of failing her son.

Ethan Brown, a geography student, was informed in September 2024 that he had not been awarded a grade for one of his courses, making him ineligible to graduate. Three months later, on the day he should have received his degree, Ethan died by suicide.

An internal investigation later confirmed the university had made a “tragic error” in calculating his results. The review found Ethan should have graduated with a 2:1 Honours degree, but the mistake went undetected by multiple internal and external exam boards.

Speaking at a press conference, Ethan’s mother, Tracy Scott, described her son as a “kind, caring young man” with “a smile that would light up the room.” She said the university failed him academically and emotionally, adding: “The truth is Ethan had successfully attained a 2:1 honours degree, despite being repeatedly told he had failed. My son reported mental health struggles, but no support was offered. The system robbed us of Ethan.”

The family’s solicitor, Aamer Anwar, criticised what he called a “systemic failure” and questioned whether the error would ever have been identified without the family’s fight for answers. He also raised concerns about the adequacy of student wellbeing support at the institution.

The University of Glasgow expressed its “deepest sympathies,” admitting shortcomings in communication and student support. A spokesperson said: “Upon investigation, the university identified the error and commissioned a report by a senior professor. The report concluded that a tragic mistake was made in calculating Ethan’s degree outcome.”

Founded in 1451, the University of Glasgow is one of the UK’s oldest universities.