Dating all the way back to 1413, the University of St Andrews is one of the world's oldest universities. Because of this, it's known throughout the world: it has inspired places of study overseas and attracts thousands of international students. Almost half of its 11,500 students come from abroad. Famous people associated with the uni include Benjamin Franklin and Edward Jenner, inventor of the smallpox vaccine. St Andrews is also where Prince William and Kate Middleton, now the Prince and Princess of Wales, met and started dating.
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4.0Ancient though its roots may be, St Andrews moves with the times and strives to be among the most innovative universities. This makes up for its early years – which, amazingly saw the expulsion of several masters and students in 1470 for attacking the Dean with bows and arrows.
Modern students are much happier – the University of St Andrews routinely tops university league tables for student satisfaction. Without the distractions of big city life, you'll join a tight-knit community. Social events revolve around dinner parties, beach bonfires, and cultural festivals. There's no campus as such – the university is integrated into the town, with most buildings grouped near the rocky headland.
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3.5The University of St Andrews has accommodation for over 4,000 students, with choices to suit all tastes and budgets. Undergraduates are guaranteed accommodation in the first year, as long as you apply before the accommodation deadline. Most new first-years are placed in halls of residence. You can choose between catered and self-catered options, en-suite and shared bathrooms, as well as single or double occupancy rooms. When applying, pick the type of room you want, and the uni will try to match you with a suitable room.
As the town of St Andrews is small, most accommodation options are close to the uni – and close to pretty much everything else, for that matter!
Accommodation costs range from £168 to £239 a week for self-catered halls and £213 to £336 for catered. The cheapest options are in halls with shared bathrooms. Your rent includes utilities (gas and electricity), internet access, and contents insurance. If you're in catered halls, meal costs are included in your fees and aren't optional.
Residential halls have support provided by staff and postgraduate students, who act as mentors and provide out-of-hours support.
The University of St Andrews wants to attract the best students, whatever their financial situation, so it offers several scholarships and bursaries. Many reward academic grades or talent in music or sports. Others aim to help students support themselves during their studies.
St Andrews Access Award offers funding for talented students who might struggle with the cost of going to uni. Particularly if you meet 'widening participation' criteria – such as being a care leaver. As well as funding towards accommodation, it offers a monthly living-cost allowance based on your household income. Other scholarships are for certain subject areas – they may also take your household income into account.
You can apply for scholarships only after you've applied to study at St Andrews. Check the university's website so that you know when the scholarship deadlines are, as they may differ. Also, check the guidelines to make sure you provide all the information required.
St Andrews also has money advisers who can help you budget for the cost of going to university. If you run into particular financial difficulties, hardship funding is available.
St Andrews is one of the top five UK universities in the Complete University Guide rankings, coming close to the top of the table year after year. Around 25 of its subjects also make the top ten of their rankings – which means if you come here, you can expect a quality education. The university stands out for its research in Physics, Earth Sciences, Art History, Anthropology, and Modern Languages. It also has strengths in Chemistry, where it has partnered with the University of Edinburgh. The uni's teaching draws on this research, giving you a head start on key developments in your subject.
Most students apply to study a single honours programme. Joint honours are also available at the university, allowing you to combine two or three subjects in your undergraduate degree. Study options may include a year abroad for some language degrees.
Most degrees take four years, as is common at Scottish unis. You can also study some courses for five years to gain an integrated master's. This is different from the ‘MA' that you'll graduate with if you complete a four-year degree: an MA from St Andrews is equal to a bachelor's degree.
One of St Andrews' selling points is its flexible degree structure. Each degree is gained by passing a certain number of modules. These can include modules in areas outside your subject faculty, as well as within. Due to this flexibility, you can change your main subject area during your first two years of study. You'll have until the end of your second year to decide what your final degree subject or subjects will be.
At the University of St Andrews, teaching focuses on small-group tutorials. These encourage the exchange of ideas and help you delve deeply into your subject. Depending on your course, you'll also have lectures or labs. To help you develop your academic skills, there are regular drop-in study skills sessions and help with exam prep.
As a Scottish university, St Andrews has an earlier start to its academic year than unis in England.
Fees for Scottish students are £1,820 (apply to SAAS to have these paid). For other students from the ‘rest of the UK' or RUK, they are £9,535 for most full-time degrees. The fees for international students will be more and vary by subject.
The small town of St Andrews sits on Scotland's east coast around 55 miles north of Edinburgh. It's a warm community with an international outlook. The university isn't the town's only claim to fame: the Home of Golf (St Andrews Golf Club) is also here. These two iconic institutions make the town of St Andrews a magnet for visitors.
But getting there is more of a challenge. The nearest railway station is 6 miles away at Leuchars, an even smaller town! Thankfully a regular bus service connects the two. The nearest international airports are in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen.
The best way to get a feel for a university is to go to an open day.
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4.0St Andrews careers service provides plenty of support. You can use the service to search for jobs, internships and other graduate opportunities. Employers advertise job opportunities on the careers platform, giving St Andrews' graduates direct access to certain job adverts. You can also access the service for up to three years after you graduate.
As you might expect from a high-ranking university whose name is recognised across the world, job prospects for St Andrews graduates are good.
Regular events include careers fairs, networking events, and employer presentations. These will give you a chance to increase your employability by exploring career options and making connections with potential employers. St Andrews also has a year-round internship scheme, allowing you to gain workplace experience.
The careers service gives plenty of support to help you gain career skills and successfully apply for jobs. You can take part in skills workshops to get guidance on writing good CVs and cover letters. You can also learn how to complete psychometric tests and get ready for assessment centres.
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