Students who have already moved into university accommodation cannot return to live with their parents under current lockdown rules, Scotland's clinical director has confirmed.
Jason Leitch said that undergraduates living in shared flats or halls of residence now formed a single household.
The Scottish Government earlier this week banned indoor social gatherings across the country, but people are still free to meet up outdoors or in pubs and cafes in groups of no more than six from two households.
Leitch said on Twitter: "Was asked last night whether students in halls and flats can go back to parents’ homes.
"To clarify, they are a separate household.
"There are exceptions, eg caring responsibilities, but the law is clear: they can’t meet indoors with another household – even mum and dad. Sorry."
It comes as more than 1,000 students at Scottish universities are currently self-isolating following Covid outbreaks on several campuses, including Glasgow, Dundee and St Andrews.
Nicola Sturgeon was today accused of failure to plan for major outbreaks of Covid-19 across campuses and into wider communities.
Fears are being raised about the rapid spread among younger people spilling over. It was also claimed the spread shows mistakes from care homes and cruise ships in the early days of the pandemic are being repeated.
Meanwhile, UK Government health secretary Matt Hancock is not ruling out telling students in England to stay on campus over Christmas, raising concerns it could happen in Scotland too.
