After receiving an offer for postgraduate study
We are delighted you have taken this key step towards joining Scotland's first university. Receiving an offer to join our postgraduate programme is a remarkable achievement and an exciting next step on your educational journey.
There are a few important steps you will need to follow to secure your place at the University of St Andrews. We're here to guide you through each one, ensuring a smooth transition into our community.
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You will have received one of the following types of offer.
An unconditional offer
This means that you have already achieved the required grades or qualifications to study your selected course, and your offer has been confirmed.
A conditional offer
This means your offer is conditional on you achieving certain grades or qualifications. Please check your offer letter for your specific offer conditions.
How to respond
Follow the instructions on your offer email. Your application cannot proceed until you have:
- firmly accepted the offer
- fulfilled any conditions listed in the offer
- paid a pre-payment
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Step 1 - Accept your offer
Your offer letter will contain a date by which you have to accept your offer.
Step 2 - Make your pre-payment
Your offer letter will tell you when you have to accept your offer and when the pre-payment has to be paid to secure your place.
Overseas
If you are an applicant who meets the following criteria, you are required to pay a pre-payment fee of £4,000 GBP against the balance of your tuition fee:
- you have applied to a postgraduate programme
- you have a fees status of Overseas in your offer letter
For applicants who require a student visa, the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) will display the total amount paid to date, including any pre-payments made, where applicable.
Home (UK and Islands)
If you are an applicant who meets the following criteria, you are required to pay a pre-payment fee of £500 GBP against the balance of your tuition fee:
- you have applied to a postgraduate programme
- you have a fees status of Home (UK and Islands) in your offer letter
Conditional offer
- All the conditions stated in your offer must be satisfied before your admission can be finalised.
An offer becomes unconditional when:
- you have accepted your offer
- you have paid your pre-payment (or provided a financial guarantee letter from your sponsor)
- you have met all the conditions of your offer
Unconditional offer
- When you firmly accept your unconditional offer, you are required to make a pre-payment at that point.
- Your letter will tell you the date by which you have to accept your offer and the pre-payment has to be paid to secure your place.
Deferring an offer
- You may request deferment until the following academic year by emailing the School and explaining why you want to defer. You must have accepted your offer of study and made your pre-payment before an offer can be deferred.
If a pre-payment remains unpaid, this will be taken as an indication that you no longer wish to take up the offer of a place at St Andrews.
You will not receive your entrant email and the CAS process, if applicable, will not commence until pre-payment has been made.
How to make a pre-payment
- Pay by international bank transfer (preferred method of payment)
- Pay by credit or debit card
After you have accepted your offer and made the pre-payment
- You have a 14-day statutory cancellation period during which you can change your mind about accepting an offer to study at the University.
- After accepting your place and making the pre-payment, your offer will become a binding agreement with the University of St Andrews. The terms and conditions of this agreement will remain in force for the duration of your studies at the University. Should the University require to make changes that materially affect your programme, the University will inform you.
Pre-payment refunds
Pre-payments will only be refunded under the following circumstances:
- Medical reasons for withdrawal evidenced by supporting documentation.
- You are not successful in securing a UK student visa.
- It is within the 14-day statutory cancellation period during which you can change your mind about accepting an offer to study at the University.
Pre-payments are not refunded under any other circumstances. To request a refund, you will need to complete the Pre-payment refund form. The request must be submitted along with any evidence to pgt.application@st-andrews.ac.uk within 30 days of the official start date of your programme which is listed on your offer letter.
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If you have received a conditional offer you will need to provide evidence to show that you meet the conditions of your offer.
This evidence might be one or more of the following:
- examination grades or other qualifications
- an English Language Test
- satisfactory performance at interview
- a reference letter
Any requested documents should be translated into English (where applicable). Translated copies need to have verification of the translation by a qualified individual or organisation. The full name and contact information of the individual or organisation who did the translation should also be submitted. We would also ask that you include the original copy of the document in your application.
Please submit your evidence as soon as it becomes available by uploading it to your applicant portal. To log in, you will need the username and password you created for your application.
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You can apply for accommodation 48 hours after accepting an offer of a place at the University of St Andrews, regardless of whether your offer is conditional or unconditional.
- You may be eligible for the Overseas Postgraduate Taught Student Guarantee for University accommodation. Please check the criteria to see if you are eligible for the guarantee and the conditions you need to meet.
- Find further guidance on applying for University accommodation.
- Many of our postgraduate students also consider private accommodation within St Andrews and the surrounding areas.
- Our Students’ Association has created a helpful guide for renting private accommodation in Scotland.
Key dates
Applications open
- 1 March 2025
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If you are an international, EU, EEA or Swiss student studying in the UK for more than six months you will probably require a visa to study in the UK.
You can only begin your visa application once your offer changes from conditional to unconditional.
- You can start the visa application process if you have accepted an unconditional offer and have received your CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies) number. If you have accepted a conditional offer, you will be able to apply for the student visa if you meet the conditions of your offer and your place is confirmed, and you have subsequently received your CAS number.
An offer becomes unconditional when:
- you have accepted your offer
- you have paid your pre-payment (or provided a financial guarantee letter from your sponsor)
- you have met all the conditions of your offer
Find out more about applying for a visa to study in the UK.
Please contact our international advisers if you have questions about the student visa application process at advint@st-andrews.ac.uk.
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When your offer status changes to unconditional, you will receive an entrant email from the University, starting from April onwards. This is not an automatic process and it may take a few working days to receive this email after your offer status changes.
At this point, you are no longer an applicant, but an entrant student. The email we send you includes information on how to activate your University computer account and email account. You should begin using your St Andrews email account as soon as you can, so that you do not miss any communications from us.
Once your computer and email accounts are ready, you will have access to your student portal, known as MySaint, which is where you can access services and information relevant to you, including your personal details, course information, events, library and wellbeing updates and more.
Don't forget to update us if your email changes from the one used on your application. You can make the change via your Applicant portal.
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The University of St Andrews hosts many events both in person and online to give you the opportunity to ask questions and learn more studying at St Andrews.
Ask a current student questions you have about studying at the University and life in St Andrews.
Join an event in person or online.
If you decide to visit St Andrews you may find our Getting to St Andrews webpage helpful when planning your transportation.
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We invite you to connect with us on social media to keep up with everything going on at St Andrews.
Whether you're eager to learn more about our traditions, stay updated on University events, or simply want to get a glimpse of student life, our social media channels are your gateway to everything St Andrews offers.
By following us, you will not only stay informed but also become part of our online community.
If you have any questions and you are not sure who to ask, you can reach out to the Admissions team. You can also call the team on +44 (0)1334 46 2150.
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At St Andrews you have the opportunity to join societies, sports clubs, fitness classes and more, to become involved in the broader University community and take part in activities that you are passionate about.
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To make your transition as smooth as possible, we've created a comprehensive Moving to the UK resource page, tailored specifically for our international students.
On this page, you will find a wealth of essential information and practical tips to help you prepare for your move to the UK.
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Meet us
We are hosting a series of in-person and online events for our Chinese offer holders. These events will allow you to connect with current students and staff to further explore living and studying in St Andrews.
Meet us at an in-person or online event.
If you are unable to attend an event near you, you can still arrange to meet with us in person or call us for a one-to-one chat by emailing us at china@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Connect with us
Join our WeChat group (2024年圣安新生群). Stay connected with us in our offer holder group where you can meet with fellow students, stay updated on University news, and engage with our vibrant community.
You can also connect with us on:
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Meet us
We are hosting a series of online events for our European offer holders. These events will allow you to connect with current students and staff to further explore living and studying in St Andrews.
Check the dates for these events and sign up here.
If you are unable to attend an event near you, you can still arrange to meet with us in person or call us for a one-to-one chat.
Get in touch with Keerit Singh by emailing keerit.singh@st-andrews.ac.uk and Laurence Skinner at Laurence.skinner@st-andrews.ac.uk.
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Meet us
We are hosting online events for our Indian offer holders. These events will allow you to connect with current students and staff to further explore living and studying in St Andrews.
Check the dates for these events and sign up here.
If you are unable to attend an event near you, you can still arrange to meet with us in person or call us for a one-to-one chat. Contact Candice Aldrich by emailing candice.aldrich@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Connect with us
Join our WhatsApp group. This is a forum for any queries or concerns you may have, and an opportunity for you to engage directly with other students from India who will be starting at the same time.
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Meet us
We are hosting online events for our Middle Eastern offer holders. These events will allow you to connect with current students and staff to further explore living and studying in St Andrews.
Check the dates for these events and sign up here.
If you are unable to attend an event near you, you can still arrange to meet with us in person or call us for a one-to-one chat. Contact Candice Aldrich by emailing candice.aldrich@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Connect with us
Join our WhatsApp group. This is a forum for any queries or concerns you may have, and an opportunity for you to engage directly with other students from the Middle East who will be starting at the same time.
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Meet us
We are hosting online events for our South African offer holders. These events will allow you to connect with current students and staff to further explore living and studying in St Andrews.
Check the dates for these events and sign up here.
If you are unable to attend an event near you, you can still arrange to meet with us in person or call us for a one-to-one chat. Get in touch with Candice Aldrich by emailing candice.aldrich@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Connect with us
Join our WhatsApp group. This is a forum for any queries or concerns you may have, and an opportunity for you to engage directly with other students from South Africa who will be starting at the same time.
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Meet us
We are hosting online events for our UK offer holders. These events will allow you to connect with current students and staff to further explore living and studying in St Andrews.
Check the dates for these events and sign up here.
If you are unable to attend an event near you, you can still arrange to meet with us in person or call us for a one-to-one chat. Get in touch with Alasdair Wilde, Regional Manager (UK), by emailing alasdair.wilde@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Connect with us
Join our WhatsApp group. This is a forum for any queries or concerns you may have, and an opportunity for you to engage directly with other students from the UK who will be starting at the same time.
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Meet us
You can reach out to our Admissions Representatives located in the USA if you have any questions or just want to chat with us about studying at St Andrews.
Meet with a representative for the USA.
Apply for financial aid
Most students applying for standard, degree-granting courses can apply for US federal aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students studying at a university outside of the USA, including St Andrews, are only eligible for US federal loans, which is borrowing which must be repaid.
Please email usloan@st-andrews.ac.uk if you have any questions.
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Meet us
You can reach out to the Admissions team or sign up for one of our online question and answer sessions if you have any questions or just want to chat with us about studying at St Andrews.