Advisor of Studies

Each student is allocated to an Advisor of Studies upon arrival at the University. MTheol students are allocated to an Advisor of Studies in the Faculty of Divinity. MA students are allocated to an Advisor of Studies in the Faculty of Arts.

Advisors help you to matriculate at the start of each year, and to sort out academic problems that arise during the course of the year. They also give advice about where you can gain further assistance about various welfare matters. You may book an appointment to meet with an Advisor via the College Office.

Study Skills Classes

The transition from school to university is considerable and students often need help to develop their study skills. At St Mary's we provide all undergraduate students with training in study skills, with the aim of enabling them to achieve their full potential at each stage of their career. (This is in addition to the feedback which students receive on their essays and class presentations, from members of staff who teach them.)

The following study-skills training takes place in the School:

• First-level students. There are four hours of tutorials which cover: how to write an essay; grammar; punctuation; effective reading; note-taking; examination technique; and time-management. All students are given a booklet 'Essay Writing' at registration, and a further handout on 'Exam Techniques' is issued during the course.  
• Second year Divinity students are offered a study skills course that prepares them for going into honours. This normally entails two sessions on matters such as how to cope with the increased demands of more reading, how to manage one's time effectively, and the skills required for writing longer pieces of work.
• Honours students are offered a study-skills course that prepares them for writing a dissertation. There is a session on how to go about planning and writing a major piece of work and also a session in the library on how to make use of on-line resources.

University-wide Support Services

In addition to help available within the School, the University has a wide range of people who can help with academic, financial or bwelfare problems.

SALTIRE

SALTIRE is a  unit within the University of St Andrews. The SALTIRE staff provide guidance and support for students to develop key independent learning skills (study, IT, personal development), through provision of individual consultations, seminars and small group courses, and learning resources (paper and electronic). SALTIRE also offers a wide range of resources and services to staff. 

Student Services

Financial advice is available on everything relating to financial hardship, including Access Funds, loans and general advice on budgeting and financial problems.

Welfare advice is available on counselling, disabilities, overseas students, child-care, legal problems, spiritual matters, accommodation disputes in the private sector, and such like. Student Services

Advice for international students is available on a range of issues relating to families, health, money, food and climate, religion, societies and groups, and such like.

The Students' Association

The Students' Association is an organisation run by students, for students. In addition to organising social events, the Vice President (Representative) is available to help with problems relating to accommodation, courses, and much more. <more...>

Students with Special Needs, Disabilities or Learning Difficulties

The School of Divinity seeks to support students with special needs, disabilities and/or learning difficulties. It seeks to take into account the needs of people with special needs, disabilities and/or learning difficulties and, where appropriate, to accommodate individual requirements. The University Disabilities Adviser is a member of the Student Services Team and her role is to identify services that already exist in the University for students with disabilities, to work as a one-to-one adviser, and to be a mediator between students with disabilities, Schools and the Faculties Office. <more...>

Careers Advice

The University Careers Advisory Service provides a range of services designed to help students make educated and informed decisions about their futures after graduation. The University Careers Advisers are happy to talk with students and graduates about career plans - whether specific or unspecific. Students are invited to 'drop in'. Careers