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 marvellous 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 10 universities, St Andrews has
around 7,700 students, 6,000 of which are undergraduates. One-third of our students are from overseas,
from over 120 countries, and we pride ourselves on our cosmopolitan feel. The population of the town of St Andrews is around 18,000
including the students, so we are a very close-knit community. The town of St Andrews is approximately three
miles long 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
ranked us first in the National Student Satisfaction Survey of UK universities
for the past five years.
'Despite being one of Europe's leading
research institutions, the third oldest in the English speaking world and, of
course, far and away the best university in the world, St Andrews still has
that uncanny knack of feeling like home'.
HRH Prince William,
Duke of Cambridge, University of St Andrews Graduate, 2005.
Academics
Semester dates:
- Semester 1 - mid-September to mid-December
- Semester 2 - late January/early February to end 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 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 ten 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 130 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 cafées 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
You should also view photographs and profiles on our Student Experience web page as part of your research. Money
Programme Fee:
All students accepted to the International Study Abroad
Programme are liable to pay the programme fee as follows:
- Semester - £6,750 (2011-12)
- Year - £13,500 (2011-12)
Accommodation Fees:
Range between:
- Semester - £1,173 - £3,351 (2011-12)
- Year - £ 2,346 - £6,701 (2011-12)
** Please check with your Institution's study abroad office to determine the fees paid directly to St Andrews, if any.
Living Expenses:
(As stipulated by the UK Border Agency)
- £600 per month or £5,400 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.
- Applicants with a GPA of between 3.0 and 3.2
will also be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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 Collaborations
& Study Abroad web page.
**Please check with your institution's study abroad office to
check their application procedures.
Deadlines:
15 April – First semester and Academic Year entry
31 October – Second Semester entry
Visas
International students who are studying in the UK for longer
than six months will require a Tier 4 General 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 Student Visitor.
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!
The Student Travel Centre in the Students' Union can help
you to find and book the latest cheap travel and hotel deals.
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 early February for
second semester will be invited to join in with a specific Study Abroad
Orientation over two days. 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
Collaborations & Study Abroad Office at St Andrews.
Email: studyabroad@st-andrews.ac.uk