College Gate St Andrews KY16 9AJ, United Kingdom
Career Counselling
The University of St Andrews is the third oldest university in the United Kingdom. Located in Scotland, it was the first university in that country. It is an international institution of learning, with over 130 countries represented in its 2021-22 student population of almost 10,500.
Academic activity at the University is divided into four Faculties (Arts, Divinity, Medicine, Science), each of which is administered by a Dean. All the Schools and Departments of St Andrews fall under one of these.
The research carried out at the U...
| Establishment year | 1413 |
| Total Students | 10,425 |
| International Students | N/A (more than 130 nationalities in student body, 45% of all students in 2017) |
| QS World University Rankings 2024 | =95 |
| Campus Size | N/A |
| Total Number of Campuses | 4 main academic areas / locations |
| University Website | https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/ |
| No. of Schools and Divisions | 4 Faculties (further divided into Schools and Departments) |
| Nobel Prize Winner Alumni | 1 |
| No. of Education Programs | 44 (undergraduate subjects),112 (postgraduate courses) |
| Student to Faculty ratio | 8.5:1 |
The University of St Andrews offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses through 4 Faculties, which are further subdivided into Schools and Departments.
Some subjects may be offered by both the Faculties of Science and Arts. For example, the university might offer both a BSc and an MA degree in Geography, with the content of both degrees being the same.
The level of satisfaction of the student body with the education received is high; the National Student Survey 2022 revealed that nearly 90% of the final year students at the University were very satisfied with the quality of their classroom and research experiences.
Admission to the university is competitive, and three dimensions of a candidate's application are considered: high grades, the personal statement, and academic reference(s). An applicant will need to demonstrate excellence in all these dimensions to be offered a place at St Andrews.
Every Undergraduate course at the University of St Andrews has two specific entry criteria: academic performance and English proficiency. These details can be found on the relevant course webpage. While applying, a candidate should verify that his / her academic performance in A-Levels or equivalent matches the requirement for the course of interest, and that any English proficiency test scores, e.g. IELTS, are available and in order.
Postgraduate eligibility criteria vary according to subject and course; the relevant University webpage has information about each one; it also directs students to the Admissions Committee, who will answer any questions about additional entry requirements (over and above good undergraduate academic performance and two references).
The Admissions Policy of the University provides a comprehensive look at the qualities that the Admissions Committee looks for in any applicant, UG or PG.
The application process at the University of St Andrews is significantly more flexible than that at most other top-ranked universities in the UK.
Undergraduate students have a choice of platforms to apply through. All applicants from the UK (home students) apply through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website, as do most international candidates. However, overseas applicants can also choose to apply through the Common Application, or directly to the university. This is unique; very few other UK universities ranked in the top 100 in the world allow three different UG platforms for application.
Undergraduate applicants should pay careful attention to these points during their application process:
Postgraduate applications are to be submitted (for both Taught and Research programmes) through the University website. After the application is submitted, the University of St Andrews sends offers to selected candidates usually over email. There are typically three kinds of decisions made: unconditional (where the UG grades and English proficiency are above the minimum criteria required for the relevant course, and admission is confirmed), conditional (where certain requirements / grades need to be completed in order for the offer to be confirmed), and rejections.
Undergraduate tuition fees for students from the United Kingdom outside Scotland are capped for 2023 entrants at £9,250 per year; Scottish students pay £1,820 . For overseas students, the annual tuition fees range from £28,190 (for the Faculties of Art, Divinity, and Science; fixed through the duration of study) to £35,920 (for the Faculty of Medicine; fees may increase yearly).
Postgraduate tuition fees vary from course to course. Most students from the UK pay slightly above £10,000 for most courses. Overseas students pay above £20,000 for most courses, with the highest annual tuition fees settling at £27,230.
Living costs, exclusive of tuition fees and applicable to both UG and PG students, are estimated by the university to total up to £15,000 per year. These include residence fees, travel, and personal expenses.
Academic and research activity at the University of St Andrews takes place in four locations: Central St Salvator’s (the main campus, with 17 academic buildings), Central St Mary's, West - North Haugh, and South Gatty. All these areas are located close to each other within the town.
All members of the University community can access the Saints Fitness programme, which coordinates activities like a holistic exercise programme, fitness planning, personal training, gym enrollment, and strength and conditioning help. It also works with the Students' Association to provide wellbeing services, by using the link between physical activity and positive mental health. The Saints Fitness web page includes a timetable of all fitness activities scheduled, including yoga and pilates classes.
The Athletic Union coordinates the activities of all the Sports Clubs at the University. Over 50 clubs are affiliated with this Union, and students can gain basic training or represent St Andrews in Aikido, Hockey, Lacrosse, or Surfing. At the competitive level, the AU is a member of both the British University & College Sport League and the Scottish Student Sport League.
The Students' Association at the University of St. Andrews is well over a century old. All students have automatic membership, and it coordinates the activities of all 150+ Student Clubs, and organises major events on the social calendar like the Graduation Ball and Freshmen's Week.
The Careers Centre at the University coordinates and arranges all student placement related activities. It is responsible for enhancing the employability of students through career advice and skill training. It also organises events like job fairs, networking events, and employer presentations. Finally, it maintains an online repository of available internships and jobs, so that students whose interests and qualifications match can apply through the University.
According to the Graduate Outcomes Survey conducted in 2019, 92% of the graduates of UG programs at the University were in full-time jobs or enrolled in a postgraduate degree. In 2017, the Times Higher Education supplement ranked the University of St Andrews second in the United Kingdom in terms of medium term employment level, with 97.7% of graduates employed within four years of graduation.
The University of St Andrews preserves its high academic reputation by admitting the best students, even when they might not be able to afford to pay the full fee. There are many scholarships and bursaries that help fund courses at the university.
Both UG and PG students can use the comprehensive scholarship portal maintained by the University to search for and apply for scholarships. There are 130 scholarships in total, of which 65 are undergraduate only, 53 are postgraduate only, and the rest are available to all students. Filters can be used to sort scholarships available to each student, according to region / country of origin, and Faculty of study within St Andrews. Most scholarships contain an award that offsets 10-20% of the total overseas tuition fee; some discretionary awards can be made by the University to help students with living costs or digital devices.
Among the most prestigious awards open to international students is the Global Merit award: which can be applied for after a candidate submits an application to study at the University. If the applicant is admitted, and is found eligible for the scholarship on the basis of academic excellence and confidence, he / she will be paid £5,000 annually; this amount can be used to defray the expenses arising from tuition fees. This scholarship is awarded to 21 students.
Postgraduate scholarships are available to both students working towards teaching and research degrees. These can typically be combined with research / teaching assistantships and part time work.
