The University of St Andrews was founded in 1413 and is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest university in the English-speaking world. 

600 years old - we were founded before the printing press, before the battle of Agincourt, before the construction of the Forbidden City in Beijing, before the construction of Machu Picchu in Peru, before Columbus arrived in the Americas, and before Joan of Arc waged battle. Once the centre of Scottish political and religious life, St Andrews retains many marvelous mediaeval buildings, juxtaposed with modern cutting-edge Science and Arts facilities.

Location

The University of St Andrews is located on the east coast of Scotland, 50 miles north of Edinburgh, in the mediaeval town of St Andrews. We enjoy a breathtaking position, surrounded by rolling fields and wooded hills on one side, and the North Sea on the other. Our beautiful beaches are to be enjoyed both in summer and winter time and were made famous in the opening sequence of the film 'Chariots of Fire'. We are also famous for being the 'Home of Golf'. Our climate is fairly mild with less rainfall than the western parts of the country but St Andrews is prone to strong winds blowing in off the North Sea. There are up to 18 hours of daylight in the summer and in winter there are long dark evenings, crisp frosts and occasional snow flurries.

Town and Gown

Ranked amongst the UK's top 5 universities, St Andrews has around 10,000 students, 8,000 of which are undergraduates. Around 45% of our students are from overseas, from over 130 countries, and we pride ourselves on our cosmopolitan feel. The population of the town of St Andrews is around 22,000 including the students, so we are a very close-knit community. The town of St Andrews is approximately three miles wide with University buildings interspersed throughout. The town really is our campus and students walk almost everywhere, passing shops, cafes, pubs, and supermarkets on their way to class. St Andrews' students have consistently ranked us in the top 3 in the National Student Satisfaction Survey of UK universities for the past ten years.

Academics

Semester dates:

• Semester 1 - September to mid-December
• Semester 2 - January to early-May

Study abroad students attending the University of St Andrews can choose to study in three of our four faculties: Arts, Divinity and Science. Non-graduating students cannot study in the Faculty of Medicine.

Within each faculty, academic subjects are grouped into Schools. Please see the list of our Schools on our website. Admission to our International Study Abroad Programme is by faculty so prospective students should research the Schools of interest and apply to the faculty which most suits their requirements.

As an International student, the way the courses are structured at St Andrews may be completely different from what you are used to. St Andrews calculates semester or full year loads by credits, and not by the number of modules (specific courses) students take. It is normal for students to take only two or three different modules in a semester. However, modules at St Andrews will be heavier in terms of expected workload and you will undertake your own unsupervised independent study outside of lectures and tutorials. This allows students to research their subjects in greater depth and develops their analytical and problem-solving skills.

Students take 60 St Andrews credits per semester or 120 credits per academic year. Modules at first and second-year level (1000 & 2000) are known as 'sub-honours' while modules at third and fourth-year level (3000 & 4000) are known as 'Honours'. Study abroad students can take a combination of modules across the three faculties provided the timetables do not clash.

The St Andrews Undergraduate Course Catalogue gives prospective students information about each module including credit value, semester availability, timetable, method of assessment and a summary of the content.

Students may be interested in our Study Abroad Themes which bring together modules from several subject areas and which offer our visiting students the opportunity to make connections across disciplines.  The themes for 2022-23 are: 'Scotland', 'Sustainability', 'Travel and Exploration', Science for Arts Majors' and 'Unique to St Andrews'.

Students should check with their home institution for further information about the conversion of St Andrews credits and grades.

Accommodation

Study abroad students are guaranteed accommodation in University managed residences provided applicants apply for housing before the published deadlines.

We have twelve halls of residence, all co-ed, throughout St Andrews and offer two types of rooms:

• Standard Accommodation - shared bedroom with shared bathroom facilities
• En-Suite - single bedroom with private bathroom facilities

Some of our residences are Catered (with a meal plan) while others are Self-Catered (with no meal plan). Students will eat all of their meals in their Residence dining room which gives them a great opportunity to make friends with their fellow residents. 

Each Hall of Residence has its own unique character and further information can be found on our Student Accommodation pages.

Clubs & Societies

St Andrews is a small town so it doesn't offer the same type of nightlife a big city might, however the university more than makes up for that with student creativity and events.

The Students' Union puts on events throughout the year, from live gigs to comedy nights and the famous Friday Night Bop! (This is a dance that you will either go to once and never return or attend too many times to count!) With over 140 societies, students are bound to find something to get involved in from the Fine Food & Dining Society, to the Photography Society, the German Society to the Harry Potter Society. For a full list of societies check the Students' Union web pages. There is also a student radio station (STAR FM) and a student newspaper (The Saint), both of whom welcome contributions from study abroad students. 

St Andrews is also home to a large number of events that are put on by different groups throughout the year including many balls, charity fashion shows, debates, drama productions, concerts and arts festivals and students meet in the numerous pubs, bars and cafés to socialise with friends. Remember also to take part in some of the famous traditions which are unique to St Andrews such as the Academic Family, Raisin Weekend, the May Dip and the Pier Walk.

Sports

There are many opportunities for study abroad students to participate in one of the 100+ sports teams and 50+ sports clubs at St Andrews, including: fencing, kite surfing, football, water polo, rugby, rowing, riding, martial arts, and ultimate frisbee. Of course we have our world-famous golf courses too (seven in total in the vicinity of St Andrews) and students pay a much reduced rate to play them. For a full list of our sports clubs please visit our Athletic Union web pages.

Student Experience

Money

Programme Fee:

All students accepted to the International Study Abroad Programme are liable to pay the programme fee as follows:

• Semester - £9,535 (2022-23)
• Year - £19,070 (2022-23)

Accommodation Fees:

Range between:

• Semester - £2,488 - £5,069 (2022-23)
• Year - £4,975 - £10,137 (2022-23)

Living Expenses:

(As stipulated by the UK Border Agency)  (Can be offset against housing fees)

• £1,023 per month or £9,207 per academic year

Health Care:

International students attending St Andrews will be covered by the UK National Health Service (NHS) which entitles the student to free health care. We do advise, however, that students continue to maintain any current travel and health care insurance policies and ensure that they are covered for any repatriation costs in the event of a serious emergency.

The University has Disability Advisers on hand who can be contacted at any time for information, advice and support. Their areas of expertise and contact details are on the Student Services web pages.

Application

Entrance Requirements:

Entrance to the University of St Andrews is highly competitive and our entrance requirements reflect this. 

• Applicants are expected to have a strong overall average grade with a GPA of 3.2 or more on a 4.0 scale. 

This is simply a guideline and your entire record and reference will be considered in reaching a decision.

English Language Proficiency:

Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate evidence of English language proficiency at the time of application. Our minimum requirements and the types of proficiency tests we accept are listed on our English Language Teaching web pages.

How to Apply:

Further information about how to apply to St Andrews, including the supporting documents required and our online application form, can be found on the Global Partnerships & Study Abroad web page.

**Please check with your institution's study abroad office to check their application procedures.

Application Windows and Deadlines:

Visas

International students who are studying in the UK for longer than six months will require a Student visa. International students who are studying in the UK for less than six months and who are 'non-visa nationals' can enter the UK as a Standard visitor visa.

Further information can be obtained from the UK Border Agency (UKBA).

Travel and Transport

Since St Andrews is small, students will find that they can walk everywhere. There are also good bus services which loop the town and many students buy a second-hand bicycle.

St Andrews has access to excellent road and rail links which means that many study abroad students have the opportunity to travel throughout Scotland, the rest of the UK, and Europe at low cost. Our nearest international airport is in Edinburgh and students can take advantage of the low-cost airlines to travel to mainland Europe, with Paris and Amsterdam less than two hour's flight away, for example.

Orientation

Students who arrive in September will take part in Orientation Week events along with all of the new entrant students. Students who arrive in January for second semester will be invited to join in with a specific Study Abroad Orientation amongst other events. Both orientations enable students to find their way around St Andrews, meet Academic Advisors, join clubs and societies, learn about the differences between our teaching systems and make new friends.

Contact

If you require further information, please contact the Global Partnerships & Study Abroad Office at St Andrews.

Email: studyabroad@st-andrews.ac.uk