University of St Andrews

At a glance

The University of Santiago de Compostela was founded in 1495. USC is situated in the impressive surroundings of Santiago de Compostela, a medieval city with a long tradition as a cultural centre, and Lugo, a city where Roman culture survives in the ancient walls which still stand. The USC belongs to the region of Galicia, in northern Spain, which is known for its scenery and traditions.

The University is made up of around 30-35,000 students and has over 2,200 lecturers.

Established : 1495
Student Population : 30000

Website and links

Website : USC Homepage

Study abroad page : Exchange Student Homepage

Study abroad guide : Erasmus Welcome Guide

Who can go

Students on degree programmes in the following subject areas may apply to study abroad during their Junior Honours year at Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (University of Santiago de Compostela):

• Spanish

Semesters Available

• Second Semester
• Full Year

Note: Joint Honours students may only apply for a full year abroad if BOTH subjects are listed above. Joint Honours students applying for one semester must seek permission from both Schools.

Study abroad coordinator

Each School has a designated Study Abroad Coordinator.

Semester dates

Semester dates are as follows

2023/4
Semester 1 Sep 2023 to Dec 2023
Semester 2 Jan 2024 to May 2024
2024/5
Semester 1 Sep 2024 to Dec 2024
Semester 2 Jan 2025 to May 2025

Your studies abroad

St Andrews academic requirements

• Minimum Credit in Academic year : 48
• Minimum Credit in Semester : 24
• Maximum Credit in Academic year : 60
• Maximum Credit in Semester: 30
• Module Weighting : 3,5,8

Partner Course Catalogue : Courses at the university are taught in both Spanish and Galician - the language of instruction will be decided by the teaching staff. However, most of them will be willing to teach in Spanish if asked.

Please refer to the University's degree programmes for further information.

Evaluation will be based typically both on written examinations and participation in classroom activities.

There is a fee for language courses offered by the Modern Languages Centre (CLM).

See our Credits and modules abroad webpage for information on the number of credits we expect students to take at our partner institutions. St Andrews expects students to attend all classes as part of their programme abroad. Assessment methods may vary across partners and could include class participation, continuous assessment in the form of homework and final exams. All courses must be agreed with your Study Abroad Coordinator. See Academic information for further details, as well as information about credit and grade conversion.

Application and selection

This is a School Abroad programme.

Places available

Places available : 4 semester places.

Places available may vary from year to year depending on the exchange balance. Numbers for the following academic year will be confirmed at the information meeting.

Getting there and getting around

The closest airports are located at Santiago de Compostela (15km from the city) and Vigo.

From Santiago de Compostela airport to the city you can travel:

By taxi

By bus – buses are at half-hour intervals and the journey takes about 20 mins.

The University campuses and city are easily accessed by bus and on foot for shorter distances.

Accommodation

The USC reserves a number of places in University Halls for exchange students.

The SUR (Servicio Universitario de Residencias) maintains a listing of available housing. Student housing is scattered throughout the city of Santiago de Compostela in publicly and privately owned student residences. SUR is made up of three Students’ Halls of Residence (HR) and two University Residences (UR) located in the Santiago de Compostela Campus and one University Residence in the Lugo Campus.

Accommodation is not guaranteed so you should be prepared to seek private accommodation if necessary.

Please note that St Andrews is unable to guarantee housing at any of our partner institutions. Guidance on finding accommodation abroad is available on the Global Office webpage.

Student services and orientation

USC offers a range of student services to support exchange students.

Please be aware that student support services will be different across all of our partner universities.

For any student queries, please contact the International Relations Office.