Fees, study costs and living expenses
The levels of fees, eligibility for loans and help with finance are complex matters. For example, they depend on your intended year of entry, your circumstances, and your home country. You also have the option of a chemistry degree lasting three years (2nd year direct entry BSc), four years (1st year entry BSc or 2nd year direct entry MChem) or five years (1st year entry MChem).
The following is a brief summary guide and should not be regarded as definitive. Please consult the websites indicated for detailed information appropriate to your circumstances. We cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in the information given in this brief summary.
Tuition fees
Scottish and other EU country applicants generally do not pay tuition fees at Scottish universities, but must apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to check eligibility. Applicants from the rest of the UK (i.e. England, Wales, Northern Ireland, or RUK, meaning the Rest of the UK, for short) pay tuition fees after graduating (£9000 per annum for 2012 entry per year for science subjects). The large rise in fees for 2012 entry has been precipitated by the recent corresponding rise in fees in English universities. But it is important to remember that most RUK applicants will be eligible to start their St Andrews chemistry degree at second year level, and will therefore complete their BSc degree in 3 years (thus incurring exactly the same total fees as for a degree in an RUK university) or MChem degree in 4 years with a year in industry. The fees are not paid up-front but are paid for by the student loan, repayable after graduating as soon as the graduate starts to earn over £21,000 per year. For those in need who are academically outstanding the fees may be offset by generous St Andrews University scholarships, grants and bursaries. We also have our own Chemistry-only Purdie Scholarships outlined below.
All applicants will also need to take out a loan for maintenance, the maximum loan amount depending on circumstances. UK applicants repay student loans for tuition fees and/or maintenance after graduating, as soon as the graduate starts to earn over £21,000per year. Those earning less than £21,000 pay nothing. The payments start at a low rate which increases as the graduate earns more.
Alternatively, non-repayable tuition and/or maintenance payments or bursaries from the UK/Scottish governments are also available to UK students from low-income households. Please refer to the UK government Department for Education website, the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) and the University's tuition fees webpages for more details.
You can also find out Halls of residence fees information for the current year.
Scholarships
Purdie Scholarships 2012 entry
The School of Chemistry is offering Purdie Scholarships for 2012 entry. These are named after the St Andrews Chemistry Professor, Thomas Purdie, F.R.S (1843-1916) (below right). They have a monetary value of £1000 and, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid. The Scholarships are available to all applicants to all degree courses in chemistry for entry in the year stated above. Purdie Scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis based on three criteria:
- academic potential
- outstanding academic achievement
- the most imaginative answer to the following question which will be supplied directly to applicants with the offer letter. This answer should be a maximum of 1 page of A4.
Applications (CV and 1 page answer) for Purdie Scholarships should be sent to:
Mrs Liz Harris
School of Chemistry (Purdie Scholarships)
University of St Andrews
Purdie Building
North Haugh
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9ST
Benjamin Franklin Chemistry Scholarships for 2012 entry
Applicants from the USA can use exactly the same procedure as for the Purdie Scholarships above to apply for our new Benjamin Franklin Chemistry Scholarships, named after one of the most important Founding Fathers of the United States. Franklin (1706-1790) was a leading scientist and had strong links with the University of St Andrews, having been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws in 1759. A permanent tribute has been unveiled at the University in his honour.
Other Scholarships
A range of scholarships is available to new undergraduate students who would otherwise have difficulty in financing their university studies. For more details and the online application form, please visit the scholarships page.
