Videos for USA offer holders

Hi everybody.

My name is Sarah Smith.

I am a regional manager for University of St Andrews and we're here today to talk about career supports and I am joined by Jonathan Jack.

I will let him introduce himself and then we will talk about careers.

Thank you so much Sarah and thank you for having me along today.

I am Jonathan Jack, North American Opportunities Manager at the University of St Andrews Career Center.

My role is to connect current students from the USA with opportunities back home in the States.

Whether that be graduate roles, internships, softer skills like work shadowing and mentoring, and showcase the full suite of support that we have for US students at St Andrews.

Today, Jonathan is going to take us through a little introduction to the Career Center.

We will talk about the different levels of support, some things you can expect while you're at St Andrews and after you graduate, and a bit about our alumni network.

I represent the university through a number of different governing bodies including NACE, which is the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

The Career Center is also a member of the Institute of Student Employers and AGCAS.

These are the governing bodies which ensure that our services are timely, are of great quality, and are the standard which our students would expect.

The Career Center really has you covered wherever you may be in your thought process about your career.

As you join St Andrews, you might be right at the very beginning of your journey.

You might not have an idea of what your career might bring you, or indeed you know exactly what you want to do.

Our mission is to help students understand themselves and help them find their place in the world.

Our services and advice help to educate you, inspire you, and empower you to make decisions that will give you lifelong career management skills and help you create something meaningful that fulfills your ambitions.

The service is located in a small cottage in the center of town right across from the Students’ Union.

We operate an open-door policy and invite you to come in, book an appointment with one of our advisers, and find out how we can support you.

Our approach is phased into three distinct categories: explore, develop, and make it happen.

If you're at the explore stage, you're looking at understanding yourself, gaining insight, and finding inspiration.

If you're somewhere in the middle, you're at the develop stage where you try things out and go deeper into your passions and interests.

At the make it happen stage, you are getting ready, reviewing, reflecting, and applying for internships or graduate opportunities.

We encourage students not to wait until their fourth year to engage with the Career Center.

There is a 360-degree employability support system in place for students.

This includes information, advice, and guidance from our CV advisers who help turn your academic experience into employability skills.

They provide support on resumes, interviews, applications, and how to present yourself effectively to employers.

We also run a wide program of events including our annual careers fair, employer presentations, skill sessions, and alumni panels.

Employers from across the UK and internationally visit campus to connect with students and share early career opportunities.

Our opportunities team works with employers globally to source graduate jobs, internships, placements, and vacation work.

We ensure students have a pipeline of opportunities to explore while at St Andrews and after graduation.

One of our flagship programs for US students is the Winter Break Trek.

Students visit cities such as New York, Washington DC, the Bay Area, and Los Angeles, meeting organizations including Google, EY, and Bank of New York.

This program allows students to network directly with decision-makers and explore career paths in person.

We also host alumni networking events in major cities so students can connect with St Andrews graduates working in their fields of interest.

All of our resources are hosted on Career Connect, our online hub for appointments, events, vacancies, and employer engagement.

Students can book adviser appointments, register for events, and apply for roles through this platform.

Career Connect features opportunities from global employers, including roles that may be advertised there before going live externally.

At St Andrews, we emphasize graduate attributes that make students employable.

These include being socially responsible, valuing diversity, having an entrepreneurial mindset, demonstrating leadership skills, and maintaining a global outlook.

These attributes align closely with what employers say they are looking for.

According to NACE, top employer priorities include problem-solving, teamwork, communication, initiative, and a strong work ethic.

These are skills developed throughout your time at St Andrews both inside and outside the classroom.

Our alumni network is global and incredibly engaged.

Through Saint Connect, our dedicated alumni platform, students can connect with over 16,000 alumni worldwide.

Students can participate in mentorship programs such as Coffee Connect, where they are matched with alumni mentors based on interests and career goals.

Alumni frequently offer advice, work shadowing, and networking support.

Many graduates go on to work at leading organizations across finance, consulting, technology, the arts, and beyond.

96% of St Andrews graduates are in work or further education 15 months after graduation.

Many US students also take advantage of the Graduate Route visa, allowing them to stay in the UK for up to 18 months after graduation.

Students often gain valuable international work experience in London or elsewhere in the UK before returning to the US.

This global experience enhances their employability and broadens their career opportunities.

Wherever you see yourself in your career journey, the Career Center at St Andrews is here to support you from your first year through graduation and beyond.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out and connect with the team.

We look forward to supporting you when you join St Andrews.

Hello everyone.

Thank you for joining us today to learn more about music at the University of St Andrews.

My name is Sarah Smith and I'm a regional manager in the US.

I am joined by Alistair Wilde, who I will let introduce himself, and then we'll have a little chat about music.

Thanks.

My name is Alistair.

I'm the Regional Manager for the UK here at the university.

Outside of my role in admissions, performing, undertaking, listening to, and being involved in music is probably the thing I did most during my time as a student at St Andrews.

Truth be told, it's possibly the thing I still do most to this day.

Music at St Andrews is based out of the Laidlaw Music Centre.

From this building emanates all of the musical opportunities that you can expect to undertake at St Andrews.

There is a lovely performance space with beautiful acoustics and a completely pneumatic floor that can be remapped depending on who is performing and the kind of acoustics needed to get the most out of the performance.

There is also a recording studio.

There are opportunities to engage in electronic music production.

There are instruments that you can borrow.

If you've always wanted to pick up an instrument for the first time, you can do so with music lessons and even borrow the instrument.

There are a huge number of different groups, both large and small.

There are auditioned groups and non-auditioned groups.

There are choral groups and instrumental groups.

No matter how you like to engage in music, it usually takes place in the Laidlaw Music Centre one way or another.

There are a huge number of ways that you can be engaged.

If someone wanted to take part in a band or an orchestra, how does that work?

How do they find their people and start that process when they begin as a fresher at St Andrews?

The groups come in a number of different guises and have different requirements.

The best way in the first week, during Freshers’ Week, is to attend the music fair.

At the fair, there will be representatives from the Laidlaw Music Centre run by the university.

There will also be representatives from a huge number of other musical groups based in St Andrews.

Some are affiliated with the Music Society, and others are separate music societies based in St Andrews.

You can go along and sign up.

If the group is auditioned, you can select your audition slot.

If it is non-auditioned, you can learn more about the group, the rehearsal schedule, what it involves, and the repertoire you might perform.

Is there anything a student should do prior to coming to St Andrews if they want to be involved?

The Music Centre is very friendly and open to you reaching out if you have questions about specific groups or opportunities.

Even if you don’t want to engage in music formally, there are opportunities to be matched with like-minded individuals.

If you want to form your own rock band, you can reach out ahead of time.

They can see if there’s someone looking for a bassist, guitarist, or singer.

They can also help with navigating how to ship an instrument halfway across the world and advise on what you might need.

Reaching out to the Music Centre ahead of time is always the best thing to do if you have specific questions or concerns.

For someone who doesn’t have musical talent but appreciates music, what options are there to listen to concerts and find music around town?

Music is split into a variety of categories at St Andrews.

A large portion is run by the university through the Music Centre.

They host a huge number of performances day in and day out.

There is a lunchtime concert series that features talented students and staff associated with the university.

Eventually, you might even perform in one of those lunchtime concerts if you wish.

The performances cover almost every genre of music imaginable.

There have been some wonderfully weird, wacky, and beautiful performances as part of that series.

Professionals also come and perform.

St Andrews has an affiliation with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

At least once a semester there will be a Scottish Chamber Orchestra concert that you can attend.

Beyond that, there is a lively music scene in St Andrews that is not directly affiliated with the university.

There are different clubs and music societies not officially connected to the Music Centre.

For example, there is a Folk and Trad Society that hosts traditional folk sessions every Tuesday.

There are jazz nights and open mic nights for jazz that happen regularly.

There are also a number of venues around St Andrews that host local talent and visiting performers.

If you're coming as a fresher, keep an eye out during Freshers’ Week.

There is usually at least one large band invited to perform as part of that week.

From the very first week and throughout the year, there are ample ways to engage with music and listen.

There are also DJs and live performers who appear at events such as the 601 Club at the Students’ Union.

There are a range of themed events, often called “bops,” where guest DJs perform.

In one year, the actor who played Hodor in Game of Thrones, who also works as a DJ, came to perform at one of those events.

That was certainly memorable.

How about musical theatre?

Musical theatre and drama are lively parts of St Andrews.

When you become a student, you are automatically enrolled in the drama society.

There are a number of productions you can get involved in.

You can engage in many ways.

Some students prefer acting on stage.

Others enjoy working behind the scenes on lighting, sound design, or costume design.

There are opportunities whether you want to perform or support production.

There is a Gilbert and Sullivan Society that puts on performances every year.

There is also an Opera Society that stages productions, often in the Byre Theatre.

Despite being a relatively small town and university, there is always something going on.

One of the special aspects of St Andrews is that it is small enough for you to make your mark.

For example, I joined the university big band in my first year.

By my second year, I was running it, conducting it, organising concerts, and choosing the music.

You have the freedom and ability to take on leadership roles quickly.

There are ample opportunities to get involved as much or as little as you like.

If you want to throw yourself into directing, producing, acting, or organising, you can.

Are there groups that perform outside of St Andrews or at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival?

Yes, absolutely.

Many student-run groups find a home at the Fringe every year.

A cappella groups frequently perform there.

Musical theatre and comedy troupes also participate.

Some groups tour locally around Scotland or the UK.

The university’s Chamber Orchestra sometimes tours further afield.

The Chapel Choir often performs internationally, including in North America and Europe.

There are opportunities to see more of the world while engaging in music.

There are also opportunities to perform locally in Dundee, Edinburgh, or Glasgow.

For such a relatively small town, there is an enormous amount going on.

From weekly folk sessions to St Andrews Day celebrations with traditional Scottish music and dance, there is always something happening.

There are DJ sets, rock bands, and traditional music events.

It is a beautiful place to be involved in music.

There are so many good groups you can join.

If you're on the fence about getting involved, you absolutely should give it a go.

All the facilities are here.

Pick up that instrument.

Try singing.

Try recording something.

Why not?

That is a perfect way to end our discussion on music at St Andrews.

Alistair, this was incredibly helpful.

Thank you so much for all the information you provided today.

Thank you all for joining us.

Please reach out if we can be of any further help.

Have a great day.

My name is Thomas Maher.

I'm one of the Assistant Directors of Admissions at the University of St Andrews, and I'm joined today by my colleague Karen Doshi, who is based in the United States.

Would you like to say hi, Karen?

Hi, my name is Karen Doshi, as Thomas said.

It's my fourth year with St Andrews.

I'm based just north of New York City.

Hopefully this will help answer some of your questions today.

Okay.

What we're going to focus on today is two aspects of the university and the town.

We're going to talk in general terms about why you might choose St Andrews and decide to attend now that you've been made an offer.

Then we're going to spend a little bit of time talking about the degree structure and some of the flexibility that's available here if you're studying for a four-year degree.

Just to give you a bit of an overview on some of the numbers that we feel are important in terms of St Andrews, whether you visited or not, there's probably something new for you to learn here.

We want you to remember that the university was founded in 1413.

So we're a 15th-century institution, just over 600 years old.

Right now we've not grown an awful lot from that starting point.

We're still what you might call a mid-size university.

We're about 8,400 undergraduates, with approximately 2,000 graduates on top.

It's just over a 10,000-person community.

The really interesting part is the fact that the town of St Andrews is only about 20,000 people.

So although it's a mid-size university, it's very much a college town.

With so many students dominating the town of St Andrews, you really feel this energy and youthfulness, and approximately half the population are students.

So it's a lovely place to spend time.

The big takeaway for me is always that you can't really be anonymous in St Andrews.

Although 10,000 students sounds like quite a lot, the fact that the town is so small and everybody is so close together means that students see the same faces over and over again and start to get recognised.

It's a place that you're really not going to be anonymous for long.

We hope that you would enjoy that aspect.

It really feels like it's got a warm and welcoming community.

People look out for each other.

It feels very safe.

While you won't know everybody, you'll certainly know a lot more people given the size and compactness of the town than you might in a larger, more spread out institution of the same size.

Right now the rankings like us, and we are consistently in the top echelon of the university rankings in the UK.

We're currently number two in the Guardian rankings for 2026 and number two in the Times and Sunday Times rankings.

We're very proud of the fact that we're an international university.

Over 40% of our students are currently from outside the UK.

The interesting part for North Americans is that about half of those international students are from North America.

We have about 19% from the US and about 2% coming from Canada.

Meaning that almost one in five are from North America in total right now.

Another thing we're really proud of is our high retention rate.

Just over 98% of our students remain at St Andrews and come back for year two after they've completed year one.

At any university, first year is likely to be the riskiest year in terms of things going wrong or you deciding that you don't enjoy it and want to leave.

We're always delighted that the retention rate is so high.

We don't take that for granted.

We do a lot of work to make sure students are prepared before they come to Scotland so there are no surprises.

The support systems and some of the traditions at St Andrews also really help with retention and with students feeling they've made a good decision and that they want to stay with us in Scotland.

A little bit about the fun side of the university.

We have about 180 student societies.

We have over 55 sports available.

We have over 100 competitive teams amongst these sports.

So there's loads to do and loads to get involved with.

It's a really good balance between your academics and the fun to be had outside the classroom, including social life and activities.

Final couple of stats I'll mention are that just over 2,000 of our students currently receive some kind of scholarship funding.

That ranges from full-ride awards, of which we have very small numbers, down to smaller amounts such as accommodation support and lower numerical values, but nevertheless scholarships distributed to our students.

This is a good point to remind you that if you are thinking of coming and you're eligible for scholarships but you haven't yet applied, you're starting to run out of time.

You really need to get your paperwork in soon if you would like to be considered for anything for which you are eligible to apply.

Just to give you a little bit of a heads up about the numbers, about 59% of our students come from the UK.

So we're very much a Scottish university first, and we are a British university overall.

We have about 7% of our students coming from the European Union.

We have about 13% coming from Africa and Asia and Southeast Asia.

We have about 21% coming from the Americas, of which the US and Canada absolutely dominate.

So very global.

If you want to put this in a slightly different way, we have about 130 to 135 nationalities represented every year.

What’s on screen now is some information about travel times to the university.

This might be the first time that you've seen a map with Europe or Scotland at its centre, so our map might look a little bit different from yours.

In terms of travel time, we’ve allowed around about seven hours to travel from the east coast of the United States to the UK.

There are direct flights from Edinburgh available.

If you're travelling from the west coast, it's further and you're not going to be able to travel directly.

You’re looking at between nine and fourteen hours depending on where you stop.

If you're travelling from other parts of the world as far away as Australia, you're looking at about a 22-hour journey.

It is actually quite a short journey for North Americans compared to some of the places other international students come from.

This is also useful to see travel distances in case you're thinking about study abroad.

This is a good point to remind you that you should look at the study abroad information on our website if you're interested in going overseas.

Right now about 15% of our students engage in study abroad at some point, normally in third year for a semester or a year.

Through my experience, a lot of people who talk about study abroad end up not doing it because they feel that being abroad in St Andrews is enough.

A lot of people come to St Andrews with study abroad aspirations and decide to spend the whole of their degree in Scotland.

So you have options there.

But study abroad is competitive and not everybody who wants to go abroad will be able to, because of restrictions on places.

Okay, we're zooming in now a little bit.

If you're watching our slideshow or looking at a map of Europe, we're now showing you some different flight times between main airports around the UK.

If you want to travel around, whether it's a long weekend, a break, skiing, a trip to the continent for nightlife, or exploring the Mediterranean, you can be in about 20 different countries in under four hours.

It's incredibly diverse.

It's an amazing opportunity.

As much as students think about travel, you've got a lot of fun stuff to explore on your doorstep as well.

Don't forget about the Highlands of Scotland.

Don't forget about the hills in Wales.

Don't forget about the lochs and lakes in the north of England.

There are really beautiful things to see in the UK within an easy three- to five-hour drive in many directions.

Hopefully this is something you get to explore while you're with us.

If you’ve got time and budget, your favourite airlines will become Ryanair and easyJet.

You should look into those websites to see opportunities and connectivity available from Edinburgh Airport.

The other thing I would mention is the very good transport links we have between Edinburgh, St Andrews, and parts of the rest of the UK.

If you're British, you tend to moan about bus and rail connections and everything being slow and potentially running late.

But the reality is that we're very fortunate to have a well-connected public transport system.

When I travel to North America and public transport is virtually non-existent in many places, it makes me think of home and the ease with which we can connect to airports and travel throughout the country.

You’ll be able to make use of that.

This is a good time to remind you that we have free bus travel in Scotland as a government policy for everybody under 22 years of age.

That is a card and a ticket you can sort out when you arrive in Scotland.

You'll be able to get that, and it will save you a lot of money depending on how much travel you do.

Okay, last little bit of information from me before I pass you over to Karen.

I want to remind you, when we're talking about the town that St Andrews University occupies, we have an incredibly strong sense of community.

That’s because of how large the student community is as a proportion of the town and how small the town is.

Everybody crisscrosses the same areas over and over again and starts to recognise people soon after joining.

It’s incredibly safe.

It’s very supportive.

It’s extremely diverse.

One random thing I want to mention is the beautiful beaches.

It might sound strange to highlight, but the beaches in St Andrews, of which there are three, are amongst the best in the UK in terms of cleanliness.

They’re lovely golden sand.

They’re only about a five- to ten-minute walk from the middle of town, and they’re highly accessible.

That means they’re used very frequently by students.

Whether you're into water sports or bird watching or none of the above, the beaches are a very nice facility to have.

They’re a beautiful natural resource on the edge of town.

Finally, if you haven't visited St Andrews, we've mentioned already that it's a small town.

But it’s good to remember that St Andrews, although small, is not small in terms of facilities and opportunities for doing things and meeting people.

It’s best described as a small town with big-town amenities.

The cinema is good.

There’s a driving range.

There are seven golf courses in the town that you can access as a student.

The gym is good.

The natural environment is beautiful and very clean.

There are loads of things going on that you can get involved with within the town itself, even outside university activities.

I would urge you to look into that side as well, because it's easy to paint St Andrews as being small and not fully appreciate how much is going on and the variety of things available.

For those of you watching the slideshow, there’s a picture on screen now which gives you an overview of what the town looks like.

This is a good time to remind you that there isn't a campus for the university within the town.

The town and the university share the same space and intermingle as you move between town and university buildings.

They are right next to each other as you walk down the streets.

In the top left of this photo is the area where many of our newer accommodation buildings are located and where our sports facilities are based.

As you move down into the middle of the photograph, you have Market Street in the middle, North Street on the right, and South Street on the left.

That’s the main business area of the town for bars, restaurants, and shopping facilities.

It’s also where most of the student flats that students rent privately are located.

Within this whole photograph, there are also about eight or nine different housing options hidden away if you know where to look.

In total, there are about 12 different housing options for students which offer over 4,000 rooms across the university for students in years one, two, three, and four.

So you're not just given housing in year one.

You have housing options in later years as well.

For those of you interested in golf, the most famous golf course, the Old Course, is in the top right-hand corner.

You can see the red building Hamilton Hall which overlooks the last green, and just to the right is the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse.

So I can't let this slide pass without mentioning golf.

Karen's laughing at me now.

I'm glad you didn't.

Finally, on the university side, we have over 600 years of tradition.

There are lots of fun and unusual things going on in our community that may not be available at other institutions.

If you want to find out more about traditions, we’ll have sessions about those on another day.

We currently have 10,000 students with over 130 countries and territories represented.

It’s an award-winning student experience in terms of reputation, rankings, and accolades.

Having so many international students means we have an incredibly international group of alumni.

Wherever you are in the world and wherever you might relocate in future for work or study, there will be St Andrews students around you that you can connect with.

That’s helpful for advice, building a social life, and settling into a new place.

It’s a ready-made network you can plug into.

Okay.

I’m going to take a little break there and pass to Karen, who is going to talk you through some aspects of undergraduate study and our flexible degree structure.

Thanks.

Thank you, Thomas.

I'm glad to talk with you about the structure.

In terms of your offer, you've been given an offer within one of our faculties.

Our faculties are Arts, Divinity, Science, and Medicine.

Most of you will fall into the Arts or Science faculty.

There are a few Divinity students and even fewer Medicine students coming from North America.

What that really means is you'll be completing either an MA, a Master of Arts degree, or a BSc, a Bachelor of Science.

Sometimes there's confusion in the American market about the Master of Arts degree.

It really is the equivalent of a bachelor's degree.

It’s just that we're 600 years old and that's what we've always called it.

We won’t be changing that anytime soon.

But rest assured, the Master of Arts is a bachelor's degree.

Some of our subjects are in the Faculty of Arts, and some are cross-faculty, and some are in the Faculty of Science.

If you've been given a Master of Arts offer in one of the cross-faculty subjects, such as economics, geography, management, or psychology, you're able to take courses in the Faculty of Arts.

If you've been given a Bachelor of Science in a cross-faculty subject, you can take courses in the Faculty of Science.

In your first two years, within your faculty, you're able to take courses outside of your subject area.

Cross-faculty subjects allow you to go in both directions depending on whether you're doing an MA or a BSc.

For your degree structure, you have two sub-honours years where you're able to explore subjects outside of your subject area.

Your final two years are called your honours years, where you'll focus on subjects within your subject area, either single honours or joint honours.

We start with breadth and flexibility in the first two years, and we finish with depth and specialism in the final two years.

What that looks like can be different depending on whether you're doing an MA or a BSc.

In an MA, you would take three modules each semester in first year.

For example, as an English single honours student, you might take one English class, one philosophy class, and one art history class.

You can repeat that cycle in second year.

In third and fourth year, if you're doing single honours English, you would focus on English for the final two years.

If you're doing joint honours, you might focus on English and art history.

For a BSc, you have some flexibility in the first two years, slightly less than MA students because you specialise sooner.

In second year, you typically hone in on two subjects for your BSc.

Then the final two years look similar to the MA, focusing on your single honours or joint honours subject(s).

Here’s a visual example for a student studying biology, graduating in single honours Marine Biology.

They might start out taking three modules: biology, chemistry, and statistics.

They decide they like biology and statistics.

In second year, they focus on those two courses.

In the final two years, they focus on Marine Biology.

That’s one way it might look for a single honours BSc student.

For an MA joint honours example, imagine a student offered single honours Ancient History.

Many students switch subjects as they progress.

In this example, the student takes Ancient History, Spanish, and Philosophy in first year.

They repeat that in second year.

In third and fourth year, they decide to focus on Spanish and Philosophy and drop Ancient History.

That’s what they graduate with as a joint honours degree.

That can involve a conversation with your adviser about how to switch your focus.

You generally need to make sure you’ve taken the relevant courses in your first two years.

Our teaching model includes a very small ratio.

We have a 1:12 academic staff-to-student ratio.

There are varied class times per week.

In a module, you might have one lecture a week and maybe two tutorials, which are small-group study sessions.

There’s a lot of focus on independent study and group work outside of class.

You may be in class fewer hours per week than at a US institution, but you’re expected to do more independent study and group work outside of class.

There are continuous assessments and exams at St Andrews.

But there isn't regular weekly homework.

You’ll have chunkier, larger assessments rather than frequent reading checks.

They expect you to do the reading and preparation independently.

We’re also known for research opportunities.

Our Vertically Integrated Projects are a newer opportunity, but there are research opportunities throughout St Andrews across sciences and social sciences.

Sometimes it might involve pairing with a professor you admire.

Or it could be a more formal Vertically Integrated Project.

Thomas, if you want to speak more about research opportunities.

Sure.

Every undergraduate student has to complete a dissertation or project in third or fourth year.

That is typically a significant piece of original research with a write-up usually between 7,500 and 15,000 words, depending on the subject and how the project is designed.

Many students are satisfied with that amount of research.

For those who want more, a great way to access that is through Vertically Integrated Projects, which have been running for the last few years.

Hundreds of students per year now get involved in these projects.

They tend to appeal to students who want more than the minimum research available.

They’re an opportunity for students from semester two of year one through fourth year, as well as graduate and PhD students, to work together on a single project.

Everyone involved contributes to the same project.

There is also a symposium and a conference, because other universities run VIPs too.

There are awards and recognition opportunities for the best projects around the world each year.

It’s an exciting opportunity, though it won’t appeal to absolutely everybody.

I would advise you to look at the Vertically Integrated Projects section of the website.

There’s lots of information about new and upcoming projects, updates on existing ones, and feedback on projects completed in previous years.

If you have questions, there is an email address for VIPs that you can contact for further information.

I think that's the end of our presentation.

Thank you all for listening, and for being here on the slides if you're with us visually as well.

Thank you so much for tuning in today and listening to what we've got to say.

There will be more of these sessions coming along shortly, so please look out for those.

In the meantime, check the website for information sessions you can register for, both virtual and in person.

Please also look out for academic-specific sessions coming up.

We’ve also got visiting days where you can come and see us in St Andrews through March and April.

We look forward to potentially seeing some of you in person then.

Thanks very much and bye for now.

Thanks, Karen.

Thanks, everyone.

Hello, everyone.

Thank you for joining us today.

I am pleased to welcome my colleague
Julian Hunter,

who is going to talk a little bit more
about the visa process.

I know especially for US students,
there are many questions and I can seem a

little daunting,
but Julian is going to take us through it

today and you will learn all you need to
know to make it a much easier process

than you probably think.

So welcome, Julian,
if you don't mind telling us a little bit

more about you and then off you go with
some slides.

Hi Sarah, thank you very much.

Hi everyone.

Now I'm Gillian Hunter,
I'm an international student advisor,

which is part of the university's
international advice team.

We are part of the Student Immigration
Service and we're based in registry.

We offer help and guidance to overseas
students coming to study at Saint Andrews.

And today I'll give you more information
on the student visa process,

including how to apply in the time scales
involved.

So if you are 16 years or older and
you're coming to study a course that

lasts for over six months at our
university, you will need a student visa.

If you have another visa that allows you
to study here, or a UK or Irish passport,

then this part of the talk would be
relevant to you.

But the majority of international
students on this call will likely need a

student visa.

Now to apply for a student visa,
you first need a cast number.

Now what does that mean?

A cast is a confirmation of acceptance
for studies.

It's a 14 digit number that links to all
your details that we share with the UK

government and it confirms to them that
we support you come here to study on a

specific course for a specific period of
time.

Now you need to have a cast number to
make an application.

Receiving the cast is actually the final
part of the admissions process,

and this process cannot actually even
start until it's after March and your

record meets the requirements.

So until you receive a cast number from
the university,

you're not ready to make a visa
application.

So please don't log in and try now.

I'll go through the cast process so that
you're all aware of what needs to happen

in order to get one O.

To start the cast rocess,
you must have accepted an unconditional

offer.

If you're conditional,
you must meet the conditions of your

offer first.

You must have then aid any required
deposit and you must have submitted all

required documents that have been
requested by the applications team.

So that could mean, for example,
your proof of qualifications,

a criminal records check or even if
you're under 18,

a young student authorisation form.

Now don't worry,
the applications team do e-mail you to

advise what they're still waiting on.

So please keep an eye on your emails and
make sure you respond to their emails as

soon as you can.

Now once you've met all of those
requirements,

you receive an entrant e-mail to your new
university e-mail account.

And 24 hours after this,
your CAST process can begin and your

student record is now with the CAST
issuing team.

So they will e-mail you and request that
you log in online and confirm if you need

a visa.

And if you do need a visa,
what passport will you use in the visa

application?

Now this is an important point.

If you are a dual national, for example,
you must give the passport that you

intend to use.

So you have to apply for a visa using the
same passport that's listed on your cast.

So once we issue the cast under the
passport, we can't change it.

So please make sure you use and upload
the correct details.

So if you're planning to get a new
passport,

please don't request a cast until you
have the new one.

We get a lot of students who get a cast
and then immediately get a new passport

and then say oh, I need a new cast number.

It's best to just wait till you get the
new passport through.

Then you can get a cast from us.

Sorry,
can I interrupt and just ask a quick

question?

So you mentioned at the start,
obviously if you have AUK passport,

this none of us will pertain to them.

But the same is true if you have an Irish
passport, yes.

So if you're an Irish national,
you have rights to come into the UK.

So Irish nationals have free,
free movement basically in and out of the

UK.

OK, perfect.

And then the other question is,
I know that US students sometimes have

trouble moving from applicant to entrance.

If they see that they're not moving from
applicant to entrance,

are there certain things that they need
to check?

Like I know if they've self reported test
scores,

they need to make sure that the issuing
body,

whether it's SAT or ACT is actually sent
the official transcripts over.

Is there anything else that they need to
look out for?

If if they're not seeing that they're
getting that entrant e-mail,

if they've not moved to that part of the
process,

then it usually there is still something
outstanding.

It could be that they've maybe submitted
it and the team haven't yet processed it.

And so if they reach out to the
applications team,

they will be able to clarify if they are
still waiting on something.

A lot of the time people think that
they've maybe submitted everything,

but there's maybe just one outstanding
document or they're maybe not made the

required deposit payment yet or the
deposit payment hasn't cleared yet.

So it it could be something as simple as
that.

And if you reach out,
they'll be able to clarify with you.

Perfect.

Thank you.

No problem at all.

But also, yeah, as I was saying,
if you're a dual national,

but I mean dual national as in with like
an EU country, for example,

we actually recommend that you use your
EU passport to apply for the visa because

the application process is slightly
easier.

And if you use an EU passport to apply
for a visa,

you basically get to use a biometric app
and you don't need to attend a face to

face biometric appointment.

So you do save some time.

You don't need to wait or or try and book
an appointment to to go and give your

biometrics face to face.

So, so yeah,
a lot of US nationals do have dual

nationality with an EU country.

So it's just to give you that little
nugget of information.

If you have an EU dual nationality,
you're better to use the EU passport on

your visa application,
which means you have to give us the EU

passport to get your CAST number and you
need to travel to the UK on your EU

passport.

So yes, again, I can't say this enough.

You,
you have to give us the passport details

that you intend to use in your visa
application.

So yeah,
once all the details have been confirmed,

the cast will be issued within 5 working
days.

The cast is accessible online through a
link,

but the link is only valid for seven days.

Now we always recommend that you apply
for a visa as soon as you receive the

cast because some are,
as some of you could probably guess,

is the busiest time for the UK government
and lots of people come into the UK on

visas to study.

And so the we in to the last minute to
apply can lead to delays.

We appreciate that some people have
commitments during the summer and might

not be able to apply as soon as they
thought.

And so if you go to use the cast and you
realise that you can't click the link and

get into it, it means that it's expired.

And all you need to do is e-mail the cast
issuing team and they will just

reactivate the link for you and you can
re access it and download all the

information.

Now visa applications must be made online
and from the country you have legal

residency in.

The application it can be done in.

But honestly see once you start working
your way through it is relatively

straightforward.

All the questions you should know the
answer to.

It asks for your personal details.

It asks for information from your caste.

So all the details should be on your
caste statement available online.

When you expect to travel.

Here is one of the questions that you
will be asked.

Now I know on that you can arrive up to
one month before your course starts.

So if you're not quite sure when you plan
to arrive,

because the UK government used that date
to issue the the visa and they tend to

use the travel date as the start date of
the visa.

If you're in doubt,
you're better to use the maximum one

month period as the date that you'll
arrive.

Because what you don't want to happen is
you put in quite a conservative date and

then realise you actually want to come
earlier because you can't travel earlier

if they've already issued the visa with a
certain start date.

Now you should also make sure when you're
applying that you're able to pay the full

application fee.

At the moment that stands at 524 lbs.

You also need to pay to pay your full
immigration healthcare surcharge at the

moment.

That is 776 lbs per year of visa that you
will be granted.

So a four year course and you'll actually
be granted a visa that lasts for four

years and up to five extra months.

So that will actually cost you 3492 lbs
in total for a four year course.

You're basically paying for 4 1/2 years
of immigration healthcare.

Now you can't pay the IHS charge in
instalments.

You have to pay it in full.

If you you don't pay it in full,
you won't be able to get past that part

of the application form and your
application won't submit.

As I mentioned earlier,
you have to submit biometrics and usually

that is a face to face appointment unless
you have an EU or EEA passport.

If you do apply using one of those
passports,

you can actually use an app to take your
biometrics that scans your passport and

reads the chip inside it.

Everyone else has to attend a face to
face appointment and sometimes those

appointments charge extra for things like
faster services.

And I know that VFS Global who are the
ones who do all the face to face

appointments.

If you need to pay for a faster service,
you have to do it at the point where

you're booking the appointment.

I'm just some personal experience.

My son went through the visa process
about a year ago,

but it went actually so much faster than
we imagined.

The hardest part for my son was that he's
travelled quite a bit and they ask you

all the dates and places that you've gone
outside of the US.

So that can be, you know,
if you're if you've travelled quite a bit.

He had to go back and look at his photos
on his phone and try and figure out the

dates that he was he was out of the
country.

Yeah,
it's good to to answer as honestly as

possible and as comprehensively as
possible.

Although strangely,
that question can sometimes be a bit of a

glitch because the their own kind of
information on that question says that it

should stop after it asks you for the
last three dates.

And if it goes beyond that,
I think there's obviously just been an

internal problem with the application
because it should stop after three.

OK.

And then the other question is if a
student is coming over on Auk passport,

how will they be instructed to pay the
healthcare surcharge separately or how

does that work?

No, if you're coming on Auk passport,
you're basically just come in as Auk

citizen on your passport.

So if you're flying in with Auk passport,
that's all that matters.

And technically there are rules with the
NHS on if you've not really been living

here.

But with Scotland,
you tend to kind of get access to

healthcare.

They kind of treat you and don't really
ask kind of questions because like in

Saint Andrews especially,
we're like a small town.

So like the doctors will tend to come to
matriculation to sign people up.

And so it's one of those things that they
don't tend to ask when you're seeking

treatment.

And if you've got a UK passport,
although they probably should ask where

have you been living?

They don't tend to because I don't think
it's possible for a UK citizen to pay IHS.

So yeah,
it's it's not something that I would be

concerned about.

If you've got auk passport and you're
coming here as a student visa holder and

registering for a doctor using the normal
process that all student visa holders

kind of do,
you just kind of turn up at the GP

surgery and say can I register and you'll
be giving them your details.

Perfect, thank you.

So yes,
at the end of the application you also

have to submit an upload supporting
documents and it's important that you

check with the support and document
checklist which comes up at the end of

the application what you need to upload.

If you're from the US specifically,
there's other nationalities as well.

You only need to upload certain documents.

US nationals, for example,
do not need to upload evidence of

finances.

You should still meet the requirements,
but you don't actually have to submit

evidence with your application form.

It is important that you don't upload
information just because you want to be

thorough you.

You can slow the application process down
in that way and you can risk not

uploading the correct format of documents
because the UKVI don't need them,

they don't need to see them.

So if you're not sure then please get in
touch with us and we can advise on what

documents.

We can ask you to send the document
checklist to us and we can confirm what

that requires.

And so yeah, just e-mail if you're unsure,
if you're unsure of any application

questions or whether you need upload
documents and just contact us.

And I've popped our e-mail address here
on the slide.

And there's also that QR code takes you
to our advice pages on the Saint Andrews

web page.

And we have a guide format for like
before you arrive, while you're here,

and after you study.

And so you could kind of read through
those to see if they answer any of your

questions.

Now, once you've applied,
you have to wait to receive the decision

before coming to the UK to study.

We recommend and so do the UK government
not to book any flights until you have

the decision.

I appreciate that some people wait with
prices they,

they want to book flights 1st.

And so if you are booking flights before
you get your visa,

at least make sure they're refundable or
changeable.

And because if you do book non refundable
flights or non like changeable flights

and then something happens with a
decision or it's delayed or you,

you receive a date that's later than you
thought to come into the country.

And you you will then have flights that
you can't really use because we don't

advise you to come here until you
actually have the visa and it's valid.

Now it can take 15 working days to
receive a decision from the date that you

give your biometrics.

If there is a delay,
the UK government always write to you to

advise of that.

And once you receive the decision,
it's important that you read the full

e-mail that they send.

And because in that e-mail they'll
explain how to set up your E visa and

also what visa you've received and the
dates that it's valid from.

And to you have to create the evisa
online before you travel.

So you'll need to follow the link in the
the letter that they give you.

And if you don't set up the evisa,
you might have issues when you try to

comment the country at the border.

And because they scan your passport and
are expecting to see the evisa using your

passport.

And if you've not set up and it might
just cause some issues and they might

have to actually speak to you,
which will slow down your entry.

So there's some important points that we
just would like you to remember.

And so part of the visa requirements is
that everyone,

regardless of your nationality,
meet the UKVI financial requirements,

unless of course,
you're already in the UK on a valid visa.

And then that's different.

But the majority of you will be coming
from outside the country.

So you will need to meet the financial
requirements.

You need to have enough money for one
year's tuition fees,

minus any that you've already paid to the
university, and 10,

539 lbs in living costs.

So this needs to be in an appropriate
bank account.

It can be yours,
your parents or legal guardians,

and it needs to be there for 28 days
before the date of your application.

Or if you're sponsored or you have an
educational loan, that's fine.

You just need to make sure that you kind
of can access the proof of that.

So even though everyone needs to meet the
requirements, only certain nationalities,

which I mentioned before,
need to provide evidence with an

application.

So it's best to check on the support and
document checklist what they need you to

upload.

If you're a low risk country like the US,
Australia, New Zealand,

countries like that, EU countries,
they do not need to upload any financial

evidence or educational certificates with
their application.

If you're unsure, e-mail us and ask.

So don't submit documents unless they're
needed.

It's also important to read your decision
e-mail in full and follow all the

instructions before you arrive.

And I would always recommend once you've
created your E visa,

if you generate a share code and that is
the the code that you give to like the

university, if you generate one of those,
it means that if anybody asks you to

prove that you've got an E visa,
you can give them that share code and

they can use that to,
to verify that you have an E visa and

permission to enter the UK.

Yeah,
if there's any parents listening that may

have had gone through this with a
previous child,

I think the key is that you no longer
have to send your passport in with your

visa application,
even though you have to do that maybe a

couple years back or you no longer have
to send away your passport.

That's, that's great.

The the introduction of all the E visas
mean that that part of the process has

changed.

And particularly for US nationals,
you used to have to send in your passport.

Now you get to keep it.

And although I will reiterate the the
advice is do not travel to the UK until

you have a valid student visa because the
problem is at least before you had to

hand in your passport and you didn't have
it and you didn't get it back until you

had the visa.

And now that people get to keep their
passport,

a lot of people do think that it means
that they can just come to the UK to

start their studies,
even if their visa hasn't been granted.

And unfortunately,
we have to tell people that that's not

possible.

So yes, please,
just although you get to keep your

passport, it's great,
but make sure you don't fly to the UK

until your student visa is valid and you
can come and start your studies at that

point.

One thing I do want to point out is if
you have a student visa,

you do not need an ETA,
an electronic travel authorization.

This is a new thing that's coming out for
coming into the UK and it's only for

people who don't have a visa.

So if you've got a visa,
you have permission to enter the UK and

you don't need to worry about an ETA.

So if parents are coming along,
they will need an ETA Yes,

but the students do not have to be the
same.

Yes,
if you're if you're from a country that

can just pop into the UK and stay for six
months just using your passport and like

if AUS parent come in with their child
into the UK and their child will have a

student visa, but the parent won't.

So you will need an ETA it.

16 lbs and you can apply for it online
and it just gives permission to come into

the country.

Now I do need to to make you aware
because we had a meeting with the UK

government this morning and they were
just telling us all that.

And because it was a six month roll out
and as of February and they will now be

really enforcing the ETA.

So if you are coming with your child to
drop them off and you're visiting the UK

with them and make sure that you do have
your ETA in place before travelling.

The airline should be checking everyone
has one before they they even get on the

flight.

And apparently if you don't have one,
you shouldn't be getting on the flight.

So you really don't want to end up at the
airport and have to try and apply and get

a decision really quickly.

And it can take up to three days to get
an ETA granted.

And so it's important that you apply for
one before you you travel to the UK.

It's valid for two years and you only
need a new one if you get a new passport

in that time period.

So yeah,
it's worthwhile looking in the

requirements for any visitors that are
coming with their children to drop them

off at university.

Now,
what I've done is you'll see a couple of

QR codes here,
and I've put more information just on the

CAST process because I know that that's
an important thing that people do wonder

about,
especially at this point of the year.

And so there's more information on our
web pages about the CAST process.

And the QR code there is on the left hand
side and on the right is the link to the

UKVI student visa web page.

And this web page is really informative.

It's got a lot of information includes
all the costs and also the link on how to

apply to the student visa.

So if you please scan that visit the UKVI
student visa web page,

you'll find all the information there.

And again,
our e-mail address is listed there.

So if you do need to contact us and
please do so,

we're more than happy to answer anyone's
questions.

Thank you this was so helpful.

Just before we leave, are there,
is there a timeline that you would throw

out there to students and parents,
you know,

if they haven't received their cast
number by April,

is that something they should be
wondering about?

There's nothing obviously they can do
prior to that to be within six months,

is that right?

Yeah, that's correct.

If you applied before six months,
your visa would be refused.

So we don't issue classes until at least
six months before the core start date.

But also it has to kind of meet when our
systems kind of can be put into the right

stage and to, to start issuing cases.

So that is round about the end of April.

And I wouldn't recommend contacting us,
contacting the, the,

the applications team if you haven't
received your,

the entrant e-mail is always the thing
that you'll get before you'll get the

cast.

So if you haven't received the entrant
e-mail,

and I do appreciate that some parents
apply on behalf of their children for the

visa,
they might not be aware if their children

have received entrant e-mail.

So you really do need to be getting your
children to,

to the student themselves to be checking
their emails regularly.

And because they are the ones that will
be communicated with and they are the

ones that will receive the emails asking
for documents.

And there is some cases where, you know,
the parents have just been completely

unaware that we've been asking the
student themselves for information that

haven't, hasn't been sent in.

So it's important that you get your,
your child to,

to double check that emails all the time
while they're going through this process.

So yes,
I would suggest if you have not received

the e-mail, the entrant e-mail and,
and you know that you've submitted all

the documents that you've been asked for,
you know that you've paid the deposit and

you know that you have an unconditional
offer and it's after April, then yes,

please get in touch to say where's my
cast.

But if you get in touch with us and you
know that you don't have an unconditional

offer,
you know that you've not paid the deposit,

then that's the problem because those
things need to happen before you can

actually receive the cast.

And so if as long as you've done all
those steps and it's after March or early

April,
you should be able to go into the cast

process that that's really helpful.

I think especially for,
for US students and, and their families,

they're very eager to,
to get the process going.

So it really helps to know that, you know,
at least wait until the end of March,

mid-april is when you should be seeing
some, some action here.

There is and, and there's also, I mean,
some people as well are concern because

they might,
their results might not come out until

quite late in the summer.

Unfortunately,
if we do need to have certain

certificates before we can make your
offer unconditional,

then the cast will not be able to be
issued until your offer is unconditional.

And unfortunately for some people that
does mean applying quite late.

And,
and if that is just when your results

come out there,
there isn't really anything that you can

do about that.

Yeah,
it seems like there's a kind of a long

hurry up and wait.

Here, but that's very normal.

And obviously we have great support with
Jillian and her team.

So thank you so much for walking us
through that.

That was incredibly helpful.

And thank you for sharing the QR codes
and the emails,

just in case anyone needs to be in touch.

Thank you.

Not a problem at all, Sarah.

Thank you.

Have a great day.

Bye, bye.

Bye bye.

Hi, everyone.

Thank you for joining us to learn more about accommodation at the University of St Andrews.

My name is Sarah Smith.

I am one of the regional managers, and I have two guests with me today to talk through some of the key points about housing at St Andrews.

John, would you like to introduce yourself next?

And then our special guest is Lawrence Skinner.

Absolutely.

So as Sarah mentioned, my name is John Wells, and I am one of the regional managers based on the East Coast in the US.

So Sarah and I are the people you can go to with any of your questions about your experience at St Andrews.

And we're really happy today to have Lawrence Skinner joining us.

Lawrence, if you want to introduce yourself and talk a little bit about accommodation at St Andrews.

Thank you so much for having me, guys.

So it's lovely to meet you.

I'm Lawrence Skinner.

I work in the admissions team based in Scotland in St Andrews, and I've been working at the university for about two and a half to three years now.

And yeah, I'm really looking forward to giving you guys some information on accommodation.

So here we have a couple of slides on accommodation at St Andrews, and you can see some examples here.

In the top left-hand corner is a single bedroom at John Burnett Hall, one of the halls of residence here.

And the one in the bottom left is one of the common rooms, that kind of social space in Saint Salvator’s, or Sally’s Hall, at the university.

So accommodation at St Andrews is guaranteed for anyone in their first year.

So anyone coming in to study at St Andrews is guaranteed a space in one of our halls of residence, as we call them.

And there are a few different halls of residence dotted around the town of St Andrews, all within walking distance of the various university buildings and facilities.

When you apply for accommodation, which you would do once you've accepted an offer to the university, you apply not to a specific hall of residence, but to accommodation in general.

On that accommodation application, you include information about what kind of style of accommodation you'd be most interested in.

The three main choices you have are a single room or a shared bedroom.

Bathrooms.

Would you prefer an en suite bathroom, or would you be comfortable sharing the bathroom with other students?

Catered.

Would you like your meals provided for you by the university catering team, or would you prefer self-catered accommodation where you have a shared kitchen and can provide your own meals and get experimental in the kitchen?

These three choices are ranked on your accommodation application, and our accommodation team will do their best to match you with your preferences.

About 92% of students get their first or second choice of accommodation style at the university.

The accommodation form also includes some additional questions, including any disability or additional requirements that a student might need.

There is also space where students can reflect upon their interests and a little bit about the university course they're coming in to study.

And very importantly, especially where a student might be opting in for shared bedrooms, what time they wake up and what time they go to bed.

That's a really good way of making sure students have roughly similar lifestyle patterns and can have a comfortable working relationship with the person they're sharing with.

Excellent.

So I think one of the other things that is worth considering is that even though St Andrews is quite small, there are a wide range of accommodations that may be a little further out.

For instance, David Russell Apartments is about a 20 to 25 minute walk into town, whereas Sally’s is right there in the middle of town, but some of those are mostly shared rooms.

Is that right?

Yeah.

So it's important to have an idea of what kind of style of accommodation you'd be applying for and where that might be, and what facilities might be included as well.

Some of the accommodation buildings more in the centre of town, like Sally’s and Mackintosh, are often in older-style buildings.

They’re very pretty from the outside, but very often they’re also shared bedrooms and usually catered as well in most instances.

It’s where most of the older university buildings are, where many of the arts-based subjects are taught.

That would probably be only a five-minute walk to some of the arts classes.

But if you were studying a science-based class, it might be 20 minutes into the science area of town instead.

If you are more interested in a modern single bedroom, possibly with an en suite facility, you're quite likely to be allocated somewhere like David Russell Apartments or Fife Park.

These are a little further out of the historic part of St Andrews, but still maybe a 20-minute walk from most of the science buildings.

It might be a 30-minute walk into the centre of town for humanities subjects.

Fife Park and David Russell Apartments are the newest set of accommodation buildings.

They have some wonderful facilities.

When you're walking into classes in the morning, you'll find you're walking with lots of people you recognize.

There is also a bus.

There are also fantastic cycling lanes going into the centre of town.

So your preferences might change what style of accommodation building you're allocated, but also where within St Andrews you'll be placed.

Lawrence, are there any single gender halls, or are they all co-ed?

Yeah, fantastic question, John.

Whilst there's no single hall of residence that is single gender, students can opt for single gender or mixed gender arrangements depending on their preference.

If they're in a single gender space, all of their shared facilities, bathrooms, and kitchens will be shared with those of the same gender within their accommodation hall.

Some halls, like University Hall, are broken up into wings which generally correspond to a certain gender.

Most of our students probably stay in mixed gender halls.

Where a student is sharing a bedroom, they would never be expected to share with anyone of a different gender or gender identity.

I think another really important thing to note is that if you have a specific need, you should reach out to our accommodation team.

For instance, if you have food allergies, we do have halls that accommodate students with severe food allergies.

That’s a good segue into talking about food, because we’ve discussed catered and self-catered options.

The University of St Andrews is unique compared to many UK universities.

Most UK universities do not have many shared rooms, if any, and they also don’t often offer a catered plan.

St Andrews is a little more like a US university in that respect, because you can have a meal plan.

It is not like a US university where you get a card and swipe it all over town.

You eat in your hall.

Lawrence, do you mind talking a little more about what that might look like and what kind of options there are?

Yeah, absolutely.

It’s a very unique position within the UK university sector.

That comes from being an older university with a more traditional approach to many of the buildings and facilities.

The food options are really, really good at St Andrews.

Scotland may not always be famous for its gastronomy, but there is often an enormous amount of choice when you go to breakfast, lunch, and dinner in your hall of residence.

You’ll be expected to be in your hall wherever you’re staying, and meals will be provided Monday at breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the working week, often on Saturdays as well.

Usually it’s breakfast and lunch on Sunday.

That means just one or two meals per week that you’d be expected to provide yourself.

There’s always a small kitchenette in all of our catered accommodations, so you still have somewhere to store food and prepare simple meals.

If you have any specific needs or additional requirements, it’s really important to declare them on your accommodation application form or reach out to the accommodation team.

We do have a special hall for those who might have allergies.

When thinking about vegetarian or vegan options, there is always an option available for those dietary requirements.

That means even if you don’t have specific requirements, there is still plenty of choice available.

So the key there is that US students are not going to be forced to eat haggis and black pudding if they don’t want to.

Absolutely.

Sarah and I have stayed in the halls as well, and they do an excellent job of labelling what foods are in each dish.

For those with allergies, it really is well done.

Another point to consider when thinking about what sort of hall you want is what type of person you are.

Halls are a really great way to get to know people, especially when you’re coming in from far away and thinking about meeting new people.

Although the thought of a single room might suit you more, keep in mind that if you're in a single room and making your own food, you may have fewer opportunities to engage with people in your hall.

That’s fine if you need that space.

But if you’re not super outgoing and might not put yourself out there, keep that in mind.

You want to give yourself the best opportunity to meet people and get comfortable when you come to St Andrews.

Anything to add to that, John or Lawrence?

What I would add is that for those looking at budgets and costs, there is a difference in the cost of different types of accommodation.

Sharing a room with a bathroom down the hall is going to be less expensive than having your own room with an en suite bathroom.

Those costs are clearly labelled on the website.

Take a look at that and discuss it with your parents as you consider what might be the best fit for you.

Great.

Thank you, John.

And thank you, Lawrence, for joining me today to talk about accommodation and residential halls.

Please reach out if we can be of any further help, and join us for some of our other short recordings on a variety of topics.

Thanks for joining us.

Bye-bye.

Welcome everybody.

My name is John Wells and we are here today to speak a little bit about student life in St Andrews.

I'm joined by my US-based colleague, Sarah Smith, and our Scotland-based colleague, Lawrence Skinner.

Sarah, if you want to introduce yourself and then we'll move on to Lawrence.

Sure.

Hi, everybody.

My name is Sarah Smith.

I'm one of the US regional managers.

I'm based in Colorado.

I'm happy to be here with you today because this is one of the topics that makes life at St Andrews so incredibly unique and fun.

I'm really happy to be here with Lawrence Skinner, who will take us through some of the slides.

Hi, guys.

Thank you so much for having me.

My name is Lawrence.

I'm an admissions officer based in St Andrews in Scotland.

We're going to talk a little bit about student life.

You can see on my first slide the wonderful scenes of Gaudie and the famous red gowns of St Andrews, which are also on Sarah's background.

This is just one of a number of unique features that make St Andrews a really wonderful and very community-orientated place to study.

St Andrews is home to about 10,000 students, of which 8,000 are undergraduates.

The town itself has roughly 22,000 to 24,000 people, depending on how you count.

That means it’s really the epitome of a university town.

When you walk around town as a student, you are constantly bumping into friends you recognise from your classes, people from your halls of residence, and quite often your teachers as well.

It has a really nice, intimate atmosphere.

Because it’s such a university-focused town, students really engage with all of the social activities the university has to offer.

A wonderful example of that is our huge range of clubs and societies.

We often say around 150, although it varies between 100 and 200.

There is an enormous and ever-changing number of societies and clubs available at St Andrews.

Societies are non-exclusive and focused around specific topics, interests, or sports.

They welcome students from across the university who are interested in pursuing those interests, learning more, or simply making new friends.

Topics range from academic coding societies, ancient history societies, classics, fintech and investment societies, to more niche and interest-based groups.

We have book clubs and the oldest university debating society in the world, with records dating back to the 1700s.

There are also more unusual groups like the Medieval Re-enactment Society, where students don armour, recreate feasts, and take part in historical activities.

There is famously the Hole Digging Society at St Andrews, where students go to the beach, such as West Sands, and dig holes for an afternoon before filling them back in.

There are also societies focused on employability, networking, and developing academic skills while socialising at the same time.

There are various clubs with long traditions of hosting fashion shows and parades throughout the town.

These events add colour to student life.

They tie into varsity events in the sporting calendar, such as our ice hockey and rugby varsity matches against the University of Edinburgh.

There is also a huge range of musical performances throughout the year.

Our Music Society members contribute regularly.

We also host visiting professional performers.

While your favourite pop star might not visit St Andrews, your favourite author or academic might.

We frequently welcome wonderful guest speakers and host engaging seminars on campus.

There are layers of support available for students at St Andrews.

The most important support network is the student community itself.

When you arrive in halls, you’ll find many students experiencing culture shock, surrounded by different accents and backgrounds.

Everyone in those first few weeks is trying to find their group, make new friends, and try new things.

That’s part of the university experience anywhere.

There are also institutional layers of support.

Academics hold office hours and can be contacted with questions.

One of the first things you do at St Andrews is have an advising meeting with an academic to establish your academic pathway and select subjects.

We also have a wonderful Student Services team delivered through the Advice and Support Centre, known as the ASK.

That’s where you can go with questions about healthcare, studies, leaves of absence, accommodation, and general enquiries.

They help you get the most out of your student life and academic experience.

This includes counselling support and mental health provision.

They also guide you in accessing other facilities and services across the university.

Finally, what really makes St Andrews unique are the traditions.

Gaudie takes place on the 30th of April each year.

Students don their red gowns, which is optional but highly encouraged.

They light flaming torches and take part in the traditional pier walk.

The pier extends into the North Sea just next to St Andrews.

This commemorates a student who lost their life at sea a few hundred years ago.

It also begins the festivities leading up to May Dip the following morning.

At dawn, students line up on the beach and run into the sea to cleanse any academic sins from the year.

It’s a wonderful community experience.

It’s not very warm at that time of year, but it’s memorable.

If you’re hesitant about the cold, you can stay behind and watch over people’s belongings.

Another tradition is Academic Families.

When you arrive, older students adopt you as your academic mother and father, or sometimes multiple parents.

These are usually third- and fourth-year students who understand the town and university life.

They provide guidance and support.

They help you navigate lectures, town life, and even grocery shopping.

It’s a wonderful way to build connections between year groups.

You may end up with a large academic family tree by the time you graduate.

This connects to Raisin Weekend, another major tradition at St Andrews.

Raisin began as a way to thank your academic parents.

Traditionally, students would give them a pound of raisins.

Over the weekend in October, first-year students complete fun challenges set by their academic families.

These might include running around buildings or completing themed tasks.

It culminates in a foam fight on Raisin Monday.

Students often dress in creative costumes such as dragons or samurai.

They throw shaving foam at one another within their academic families.

It’s an induction into the university and a wonderful way to join the community at St Andrews.

There is a lot to engage in.

Some of it may sound quirky, but it’s a fantastic way to connect with students from over 130 countries.

It makes for great memories and photos.

The traditions are incredibly fun.

This list is only partial.

Even when we think we understand all the traditions, we see something new happening in town.

We are over 600 years old, so there is a lot of history.

We take pride in keeping that history alive.

Another favourite among US students is the range of formal events.

Unlike US universities, these are not tied to fraternities or sororities.

At any time, you may see students walking through town in formal wear.

One example is the Welly Ball.

Each formal event is usually attached to a society or academic school.

At the Welly Ball, students wear formal attire on top and Wellington boots on the bottom.

Other events may involve hiking boots paired with formal clothing.

These traditions are part of the shared experience of being at St Andrews.

They contribute to the strong and engaged alumni community.

At alumni events, people will ask about your academic family, pier walks, or Raisin.

These shared experiences create a strong sense of community that makes St Andrews unique.

Some US students wonder what they might be giving up by not attending a US university.

They may think about Greek life or big American football games and tailgates.

While we don’t have those in the same way, St Andrews traditions and student life more than make up for it.

We do have sports rivalries, such as rugby against the University of Edinburgh early in the fall.

Academic Families are inclusive and relaxed.

Everyone is invited to join families.

You don’t need to worry about being selected.

It’s very inclusive and you can choose a family that suits your personality.

Whether you enjoy lively traditions or quieter dinners and trivia nights, there is something for everyone.

Thank you very much, Lawrence.

This was a great overview of traditions.

It’s only part of what makes St Andrews unique, but it’s certainly a special part of the experience.

We will have other sessions available on career support, student support, sport, and music at St Andrews.

This was a broader overview of student life and traditions.

Thank you so much, Lawrence.

Do have a look at our website for more videos and photos of these traditions.

Welcome everybody.

We're here today to talk with Penny Turnbull, our Assistant Director for Student Success.

For those who haven't met me yet, I'm John Wells.

I am one of the regional managers based in the US on the admissions team.

Karen, can I have you introduce yourself?

Hi everyone.

I'm Karen Doshi.

I work alongside John and Sarah in the US.

I'm here to help answer all of your questions as you're thinking about your next steps towards St Andrews.

And we will hand it over to Penny Turnbull.

Penny, I'm too used to the US structure where we like to talk about student success and not services, but it's all the same thing.

Absolutely, it's all the same thing.

And we're very much about supporting students with our services to be successful.

So for the next few minutes and a few slides, I'm going to talk about student support at St Andrews and also healthcare in Scotland more generally.

Student Services is a big team.

We offer a variety of services, including general advice and guidance on what it means to be a student in St Andrews and in Scotland.

We also offer more specific support for students who might be suffering with poor mental health.

We support students who need help with budgeting and managing their money.

We have a great disability team, and I've got lots more information about them shortly, who provide advice and support to students who declare a disability to the university.

That includes support plans for their academic schools as well.

We have a great team of staff in our halls of residence who help with community building and provide general pastoral care and wellbeing support for students living in halls.

We have a Health Hub team as well, who can provide guidance on how you access healthcare in the UK and make sure students are pointed in the right direction when they're looking for help.

I think it's really important to say that we're not here to solve students' problems for them, but we are definitely here to help them solve problems.

So we're with them along the way.

We really want students to develop a sense of personal responsibility for all aspects of their wellbeing.

As the slide says, we promote individuality, open-mindedness, and critical thinking.

We have a wonderful, diverse community here, and that is very important to us.

I mentioned our disability team.

More than 20% of our students have disclosed a disability to the university, or a long-term health condition that may affect their studies.

Our disability advisers work with each student individually to assess their support needs and liaise with their academic schools to make sure the right support plan is in place for teaching and exam arrangements as well.

We also work with our colleagues in the accommodation team and the timetabling team to make sure our living and teaching spaces are appropriate.

I would add that we are a very old university in a very old town, and there are some limitations in terms of what we can do in some circumstances.

It’s also important to note that there may be differences in the academic adjustments you might be used to in your country or your school compared to what is standard in the UK.

The best thing to do is to get in touch really early and chat with one of the disability advisers so you understand what can be put in place and what support we provide.

There’s a link to an online inquiry form to fill in, and one of the team will be back in touch to chat with you.

Again, the earlier the better.

Moving on to our general student life advice.

We recognize that being a student isn't always easy, and students will come up against challenges during their time in St Andrews.

We have an Advice and Support Centre that we call “The ASK.”

They are currently based on North Street and are open Monday to Friday for drop-in inquiries.

That is for the public and for families as well.

Anyone can drop in and ask a question.

We also have some specialized teams.

I talked already about the Money team.

They can provide advice on opening a bank account in the UK, budgeting and payment options.

They also have access to a number of different funds and short-term loans as well.

Students who get into difficulties can make an application to the university.

It’s means tested, and where necessary there is financial support available for short-term issues.

Our Health team provide general health information and information about accessing healthcare.

I’ve got some more slides on that coming up shortly.

And then our Wellbeing team, our wonderful Wellbeing team, work with students on a wide variety of general student issues.

Imposter syndrome is common.

That need to feel that you've got to do everything perfectly when you get here.

Homesickness is a common issue for many students.

Struggling with time management.

And general stress, stress and anxiety as well from living away from home, being far away from family, being in a strange country and a strange place.

Penny, one of the questions I often get from students is about culture shock and how American students are concerned about how they will adapt.

I often explain that our services are available to all students.

Are the services the same for all students, beyond support for visas?

Our services are available to any student.

It doesn't matter what course they're doing, their background, or their age.

We are open to everyone.

Interestingly, I’ve been involved in the orientation programme for the university for many years.

There used to be separate events just for international students, but international students told us they just want to be treated as a student and not be singled out.

That’s not to say we don’t recognize that international students can have particular issues they might be struggling with, homesickness and culture shock being one of them.

And it’s not just Scottish culture, it could also be the Scottish weather.

For students coming from warm and sunny places with lots of daylight, a Scottish winter can be a huge culture shock.

I say that as someone who came from England, and it’s not that far.

Our services are open to everyone, and we really encourage students to get in touch early.

As soon as they’re feeling a little bit of disquiet or discomfort, come and have a chat.

It’s better to talk it out early and know what support is available than wait until things feel overwhelming.

The earlier the better, and to know they’re not alone.

It’s very common to have those kinds of challenges and feelings about being here.

Now, talking more generally about support from our Wellbeing, Counselling, and Mental Health teams.

They are three separate teams, but they work very closely together.

Our counselling and mental health support is not clinical.

We rely on the National Health Service for clinical care.

We have trained professional counsellors and mental health specialists who work with students.

Support is generally short-term.

Most of the time we’re trying to help a student get through an issue they’re dealing with.

Our Wellbeing team will chat with students experiencing mild, low-level difficulties.

They offer time to talk things through and explore solutions.

We offer coaching to students who want help with a particular issue.

We run popular positive psychology and wellbeing workshops as well.

Those workshops cover topics like how not to be a perfectionist, how not to procrastinate, anxiety, and more.

They offer practical ideas for how to deal with these challenges.

Workshops can be helpful because students sit with other students and realize they’re not alone.

Where a student is experiencing something more significant, such as bereavement or a health issue, we refer the student into counselling.

We offer a range of therapeutic approaches and interventions, such as cognitive behavioural therapy.

This support is provided in a safe, supportive, and non-judgemental space.

This may be one-to-one sessions, and sometimes workshops are also relevant and helpful.

Finally, our Mental Health team supports students who have a mental health diagnosis.

The team helps coordinate care with the National Health Service and other related services.

They also work with students on distress tolerance and coping strategies so they can make the most of their time in St Andrews.

We also provide crisis support, recognizing that there are times when everything gets a little bit too much.

Before I move on, going back to your comment about international students, we recognize that particularly for first-year students there is what we call the W curve.

Students arrive and everything is exciting and new, and they’ve been waiting for this for ages.

Then it starts to feel more real, and homesickness may set in.

They may feel overwhelmed by the amount of work and the high standards.

They may feel like everyone else is doing really well, even though that’s not always true.

Then they go home at Christmas at the end of first semester and feel like they made it.

Then they come back and may feel unsettled again, wondering where they belong.

By the end of the second semester, the end of the first academic year, things start to feel comfortable and normal.

We recognize that pattern in our services, and it’s to reassure everyone that those feelings are completely normal.

I appreciate that it’s gone from a U to a W because it’s not one smooth path through, but ups and downs.

Yes, absolutely.

Especially for international students who go home at Christmas, those transitions can be quite consequential.

That segues nicely into talking about Halls life.

Most first-years, the vast majority, live in a university hall of residence.

Student Services has teams in each residence led by a Warden.

We have anywhere between three and twelve Assistant Wardens who live in the residence with students.

They help create a friendly, welcoming, family-feel hall community.

Each hall also has elected student representatives who run much of the social side.

Wardens also put on lovely events, usually involving hot chocolate and sometimes puppies.

They are also there for drop-in chats.

They have office hours every evening where you can pop in and talk about anything.

They help with roommate issues and anything happening in the hall, including kitchen issues or other concerns.

They are on call at night for health emergencies and during the day on weekends as well.

If you’re a student in a residence and you’ve got a problem, there will be someone at the end of the phone.

That could be for wellbeing support or a problem with the room.

The Halls Life team do a wonderful job.

For students who don’t go home over breaks, including international students who stay at Christmas, there are events every day of the Christmas break, including Christmas lunch and a New Year’s Eve party.

That care is always there.

Now I’m going to talk a little bit about healthcare in Scotland.

Healthcare in the UK is provided by the National Health Service, known as the NHS.

You cannot access a specialist without a referral from your primary care doctor.

In the UK we call primary care doctors GPs, meaning General Practitioners.

You register with a GP, and if you need specialist care, your GP makes the referral.

For non-urgent care, it can involve waiting to see a medical professional.

Doctors’ practices often do triage in the morning to assess whether you need an immediate appointment or can wait a few days.

There is private healthcare in the UK, but not necessarily for all specialties.

You should check your health insurance or private provider at home to see if you’re covered overseas.

Access to NHS mental health services is generally based on urgency.

Seeing a psychiatrist or psychologist may involve a waiting list unless something is urgent.

We ask all new students to be vaccinated before they arrive.

This includes measles, mumps and rubella, and meningitis vaccines.

Bringing lots of young people together at the start of the year can be challenging from a health perspective.

Freshers’ flu is something people in the UK are familiar with.

We want to make sure it’s nothing more serious.

Please get vaccinated before you come.

We ask every student arriving in St Andrews to register with one of our primary care practices.

In St Andrews there are two practices, both based at our community hospital.

You register according to your last name, as the student population is split between practices for processing.

You can move from one to the other if needed.

We also ask all students to have a UK SIM card in their phone.

Without a UK number, it can be difficult to access local services, and emergency services may not be able to call you back.

It’s important to get a UK SIM as soon as you arrive.

Our community hospital is open during the day and has a minor injury service.

Overnight there is a telephone service you can call for advice.

If necessary, they can refer you to an emergency care department for immediate treatment.

Local pharmacies provide advice for minor ailments.

You can speak to a pharmacist without going to the doctor, and they may be able to provide medication depending on the issue.

For minor injuries and illnesses, a pharmacist can be the quickest and easiest way to access care.

Specialist and emergency care hospitals are in Dundee, about 12 miles away, or in Kirkcaldy, about 26 miles away.

Most students would go to the Dundee hospital if needed.

If you have a chronic health condition, check what treatment is available in the UK before you come.

You can contact our Health team for guidance.

We do have a local private GP practice, which is uncommon in the UK.

There is also a private hospital in Edinburgh if needed.

Finally, medication.

If you take prescribed medication, check in advance whether the same medication is available in the UK.

The UK formulary can be quite different.

There may be an alternative, but it’s important to check.

If you plan to bring medication with you, check the UK government website to confirm what is permitted.

Some controlled substances cannot be brought into the UK.

Medical evidence confirming your diagnosis from your physician is very important.

When you see a UK doctor, sharing that evidence helps them understand what you’ve been taking and why.

Not having that can delay getting a prescription.

In the UK, prescribed medication must come from a UK doctor, or sometimes a pharmacist.

Please don’t mail medication from overseas into the UK, as it may be confiscated by customs.

You can travel with it yourself, then speak to your GP here to set up NHS prescriptions.

That was all my information about student support and healthcare.

Any other questions, John or Karen?

That was great.

I feel like it covered a lot of the questions we get, especially about medication.

Having a plan to cover the first semester and then refilling over Christmas break is really helpful.

St Andrews is very proud of the services you and your team provide.

We talk a lot about 97% of our first-year students returning for second year, and the supports available are one reason so many students come back.

We lose so few because students find what they need at St Andrews to succeed.

Thank you, John.

I’m very lucky to work with a tremendous team of people committed to making the experience of being in St Andrews the best for every student, while recognizing there will always be ups and downs.

We help students navigate those ups and downs, and in doing so they gain skills they’ll use in life more generally after they leave St Andrews.

Thank you very much, Penny.