The University of St Andrews

Perhaps more so even than Oxford or Cambridge, the University of St Andrews defines the town in which it is located. Housed in a gorgeous selection of buildings that date back as far as the fifteenth century, the ancient colleges of the university occupy a large proportion of the city centre of St Andrews, with many of the town's cafes and shops and much of its nightlife catering for the student population.

  

Background and History

Founded in 1413, St Andrews is the oldest university in Scotland, and along with Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen is one of Scotland's ancient universities. Although relatively small in terms of student numbers, St Andrews has traditionally been an academic heavyweight, with a research profile that rivals any other UK university. As would be expected from a university that celebrated its 600th birthday in 2013, St Andrews oozes history and very much has the feel of a traditional university. With fewer than 9,000 students, the university also has a much more close-knit atmosphere than most others.

Location and Accessibility

Road: The A91 and the A915 are the two main roads into St Andrews. The town is around ninety minutes' drive from Edinburgh.

Bus: Stagecoach provides coach services to St Andrews from Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Rail: The nearest railway station, Leuchars, is five miles from St Andrew. A regular bus service runs from Leuchars to St Andrews.

The university encourages people with disabilities who are interested in studying at St Andrews to contact their Disability Team ([email protected]) to discuss the facilities that can be made available to them during their period of studies.

What's on Offer

MA, BSc, MMath, BD, MSci, MChem, MPhys, MTheol, MPhil, MLitt, MRes, MSc, EngD, MD, PhD

Entry Requirements

Arts and Humanities Subjects: AAAA-AABB at Highers, AAA-AAB at A Level, 35-38 Points in the IB. Science subjects: AAAA-AABB at Highers, AAA-AAB at A Level, 35-38 Points in the IB.

University Accommodation

Close to three-quarters of the university's students live in university-owned accommodation. University housing comes in a variety of shapes and forms, from basic self-catered, single rooms to en-suites in catered facilities. Prices range to suit all budgets.

Private Accommodation

A minority of students stay in privately-owned shared flats in the town and prices range depending upon the area that you wish to stay.

Faculties and Departments

The University of St Andrews is divided into a large number of academic schools: Art History, Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Computer Science, Divinity, Economics Finance, English, English Language, Teaching, Geography Geosciences, History, International Relations, Management, Mathematics Statistics, Medicine, Modern Languages, Philosophical, Anthropological Film Studies, Physics Astronomy, Psychology and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS).

Academic Strengths and Research Profile

St Andrews was awarded excellent results in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. Chemistry, Computer Science, Film Studies, Philosophy, Psychology and Spanish were amongst the subjects for which a majority of its research was considered world leading or internationally excellent.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees vary depending on the course chosen and whether you wish to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level. Fees are also likely to be considerably higher for international students than for UK/EU students. For a full list of fees it is advisable to contact the university directly or visit their website.

Financial Support

St Andrews has a range of scholarships available to reduce tuition fees. The university also has a limited number of Discretionary Funds awards available for students who encounter financial difficulties during the course of their studies, as well as accommodation bursaries.

Academic Facilities

St Andrews has one of the most substantial university libraries in the UK, holding over 800,000 books. The smaller J F Allen, St. Mary's and King James libraries also offer study spaces for students. There are several twenty-four hour computer rooms located around the university, and wifi is available throughout the university.

Other on-site Amenities

As a fairly small and very traditional university, St Andrews does not have the union facilities that are commonly found at big-city universities. Nevertheless, it does have an entertainment venue that hosts a wide variety of student nights. The union also plays host to many student nights and plays a key role in helping to organise many of St Andrews' idiosyncratic social traditions. Sport also plays a big role in student life, with all students encouraged to be involved in the university's Athletic Union.

Medical and Social Care

The university does not have a medical centre of its own, and students are required to register at a local GP practice. The Student Services department seeks to provide an advice and assistance service for students, and the university also has a chaplaincy. St Andrews also provides all new students with a mother' and father' (final-year students), who are on hand to help their new children' settle in to university life.

What's on in the Area

St. Andrews is nothing short of spectacular in both its architecture and setting. The town is a Mecca for golf lovers. For such a small town St Andrews has a surprisingly lively social and cultural scene, largely as a result of the university. However, with a population of just 18,000, it understandably lacks the range of museums, shops, bars and restaurants available in larger cities. That said, both Edinburgh and Dundee are reasonably close by when a change of scene is required.

Moving On

The university has a Careers Centre, which aims both to offer careers guidance to students and run various schemes to help students acquire professional skills and find work experience opportunities. The university runs the Big Ideas Competition every year, the goal of which is to encourage entrepreneurial students to fulfil their business potential.

Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge met whilst studying at St Andrews. Three of the signatories of the American Declaration of Independence held degrees from St Andrews. One of St Andrews' most cherished traditions is Raisin Weekend, where first-year students are treated to a tea party and a pub crawl by their academic parents.

Is St Andrew's University the place for you?

If you dream of spending your university days immersed in the traditions and heritage of one of the world's oldest universities, then St Andrews would be an ideal destination for you. St Andrews' student population is somewhat homogenous, so if an important part of the university experience for you is meeting people from all walks of life, then you might want to consider a more diverse alternative, such as Manchester or Birmingham.