Part of the charm of studying at the University of St Andrews is residing in the town of St Andrews itself, and living what might be called, ‘the St Andrews experience’. With only three main streets, it is inevitable that students will bump into friends, classmates and teachers on a daily basis, strengthening academic and social connections, creating a real sense of community. For students at St Andrews, their accommodation forms the heart of their social life as a venue for dinner parties, which are typical in this town with no nightclubs. There is no room for anonymity, instead St Andrews students form close friendships and strong social skills in this environment.

While the town’s small size can be empowering, it can also cause significant problems; accommodation costs can be very high. With thousands of students, golfers and tourists, there will always be someone who will want to pay to stay in town. Rent has risen in line with demand, so that now some students are really struggling to pay for accommodation.

Seeking respite from high rent, some students have had to take measures that are far from ideal. By law, Landlords are required to have House in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) licenses in place where three or more unrelated tenants reside in a property. The pressures of high rent have led to some students taking up residence in illegal properties that don’t have HMOs, while others have moved to Dundee where rental prices for HMO properties are more affordable. Both of these forms of accommodation significantly impact on the extent of the ‘St Andrews experience’, which should be about academic and social proximity and inclusiveness, not spending over an hour a day on a bus to attend classes, or living in unsuitable and potentially dangerous conditions.

With demand not showing any signs of abating, and full-scale reform of this area near-impossible, the University, working with the Students’ Association, has established a bursary system to help those most in need. The Accommodation Bursaries project intends to offer £1,000 to 300 students, which must be put towards the cost of housing. The University will enhance the value of the bursaries through internal reinvestment, ensuring that financial savings made by improved efficiency will benefit students directly. 

The bursaries scheme will be administered by Student Services, who have significant experience in the administration of financial aid for students, and a proven track record. While the scheme will not solve the problem, it will ensure that those in the greatest financial hardship are able to make the most of the academic and social benefits of residing in St Andrews for the duration of their studies.

Students' Association President Patrick O'Hare discusses the Accommodation Bursaries project (Video)