New and incoming students

• Welcome from Head of School

  Head of School - Professor James Ainge

  Dear Incoming Psychology & Neuroscience Students,

  I would like to extend a very warm welcome to those of you joining the School of Psychology & Neuroscience this year. Whether you are going to be staying with us for one semester or for four years, it is important that you know that you are joining an extended academic family which takes pride in helping you make the most of your time in St Andrews. As the current Head of School, I feel a strong sense of privilege in helping to ensure that you progress, and eventually leave, knowing that you made absolutely the right choice in studying here.

  This can be a daunting time, as you meet new people and familiarise yourselves with new and perhaps very different surroundings. However, I am confident that you will quickly fall in love with both the town and the School and that you will make many new friends. The School has a long tradition of high standards in everything that we do. We adopt the pedagogy of Benjamin Franklin (1759), one of the University’s honorary graduates (1759): “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn”. You will be taught by the very best academic psychologists and neuroscientists in the country. You will also experience cutting edge research in the areas that you find fascinating and will have the opportunity to learn hands-on about the latest techniques.

  You will leave as very different, talented and fulfilled people and with an entirely new perspective on life. However, don’t be surprised if, years from now, when you have successful careers in your chosen field, you still find yourself drawn back to St Andrews. The coming years will fly past so please enjoy every moment and every experience that is on offer!

  All of us in the School, from current students and postgraduate researchers to the amazing academic support team of administrative and technical staff, are here to assist you in getting the most from your studies. You will find that we are all very approachable so please do contact myself or any of my colleagues for help or advice if you need it.

  I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible after you arrive.

  James Ainge

  Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience

• Welcome from the School President

  School President - Maïa Lily 

   

  Welcome to the School of Psychology and Neuroscience.                   

  Hey everyone, and a warm welcome to St Andrews! I’m Maïa, a fourth year Psychology student, and I’ll be your School President this academic year. I know the transition to university can be daunting but everyone truly is in the same boat - you’re all figuring out how you fit into life here, and everyone will be looking to make friends. 

  One of the best ways to find your feet is often to get involved where you can, though it’s worth pacing yourself rather than trying to do everything at once. Freshers’ Week has events organised specifically for first years, and Union events are a good spot to meet new people more generally. Joining societies - subject-specific, culture-related, food-and-drink-centric and beyond - can also be a great way to find people with similar interests or discover new hobbies. If you’re looking to get involved with the School itself, you can run for a representative position, with elections during the first few weeks. That said, you’ll meet new people throughout your time here so if you haven’t quite clicked with anyone yet, please don’t worry - you will soon! 

  My role is to help you get the best out of your time here by making sure your voices shape your experience, bridging communication between staff and students by running and attending meetings throughout the year and managing our team of class representatives. Some of my broad priorities include clear guidance and suitable resources for assessments to ensure everyone can perform to their best ability, trip opportunities earlier in the degree to explore professional environments and support integration, and visibility of work experience opportunities to help us leave feeling prepared for our next steps.

  Beyond the role’s formalities, if you have any ideas, questions, or concerns - even if you’d like to chat about your day or how you’re finding university - you’re always welcome to email or say hi if you see me around. Like you, I’m a student, so please don’t feel intimidated - your contributions are so valuable and, School-related or not, it’s always lovely getting to know you all.

  It’s a big School but everyone is pretty friendly, so feel free to come up and talk to people! Finally, do make sure you give yourself enough time to socialise, relax, and take time for yourself. There’s a lot to make the most of here, both academic and social, just don’t forget to look after yourself too - and don’t worry about making mistakes; I’ve made my fair share and you’ll get into the swing of things soon enough.

  Have fun, and I hope to see you around! 

  All the best,
  Maïa (she/her) 

  School President Email: psychneuropresident@st-andrews.ac.uk
  Personal Email: mc473@st-andrews.ac.uk 
  Instagram: @psychneurosta

• Welcome pack

  The following are files provided to first year students as a welcome pack.

  • Orientation
  • Psychology and Neuroscience Orientation Events Guide 2026-27 (Word)
  • Thoughts and advice from students (PDF)