Once you arrive
The day you arrive in St Andrews is an exciting and busy time. If you are travelling from abroad, you should first figure out how to get to St Andrews.
As an international exchange or study abroad student, you will need to take some extra steps to make sure you complete all the necessary requirements after you arrive.
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If you are an international student with a Student visa for six months or more, you will need to collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) when you arrive in the United Kingdom. You have ten days from entry into the UK to do this.
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Wednesday 11 January 2023
You first step on arrival will be to settle in to your hall of residence (unless you have other living arrangements). You will be met at your hall by a wardennial team who will help you settle in and give you important information about residence life.
The University’s halls of residence will be open from 11 January 2023. You should aim to arrive in St Andrews on this day.
Find out about when you can move in and residential support.
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You’ll probably want to get connected as soon as possible so that you don’t miss any important emails. Find out how to access the internet.
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Before teaching begins, you must attend Orientation and Matriculation. This involves a series of events dedicated to preparing you for your first classes and will allow you to register at the University. In addition to the following information, the University has put together dedicated webpages about all necessary steps on the Orientation website. Please read these pages carefully as they will include essential information for your journey to St Andrews, Orientation essentials and next steps.
Friday 13 January 2023 - Advising and Matriculation
Matriculation for exchange and study abroad students will take place on Friday 13 January 2023 at The Gateway Building, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9RJ and attendance is compulsory. During the matriculation event, you will meet with your academic adviser to discuss module choices and have them approved.
You will also attend a UK Visas and Immigration check.
International students must bring the following items to matriculation:
- passport
- visa or biometric card
For further information about visas, please check the visas pages.
If you are unable to attend matriculation, please inform the Global Office as soon as possible: studyabroad@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Monday 16 January 2023 - Academic Culture Session, 4-5pm
The teaching and learning styles at St Andrews may be very different from what you are used to at your home institution. Give yourself the best chance of settling into our academic culture quickly, and to prepare for a successful academic journey at St Andrews by attending this session. This event takes place at the Buchanan Lecture Theatre, Buchanan Building, North Street, St Andrews, KY16 9PH.
Tuesday 17 January 2023 - St Andrews Guided Tour, 3-4pm
Why not explore the University and its surroundings in our guided tour for visiting students? Subjects covered include the University’s traditions, history, and what life is like here as a student. This tour takes approximately one hour. It takes place outdoors, and you should be prepared for the Scottish climate. Meeting point is St Salvator's Quadrangle, North Street, St Andrews, KY16 9AL.
Wednesday 18 January 2023 - Official Welcome Reception, 3-5pm
Join the Global Office team and University of St Andrews representatives for an official welcome reception hosted by the Acting Director of the Global Office, Dr Christian Harding, and the Student Mobility Officer, Tobias Patrick Wolf. This event takes place at The Stage and Club 601 at the Students' Association, St Mary's Place, St Andrews, KY16 9UZ.
Thursday 19 January 2023 - International Pub Quiz, from 6pm
Join your fellow study abroad and exchange students in our legendary International Pub Quiz, hosted by our Global Opportunities Representative, Eilidh Henderson. Don’t miss the chance to show off your knowledge of Scotland and the world whilst enjoying a local beer or a real Scottish ale on tap. The Pub Quiz will take place in Sandy's Bar at the Students' Association, St Mary's Place, St Andrews, KY16 9UZ.
Friday 20 January 2023 - Global Office drop-in, coffee & games session, 3-5pm
An opportunity to find out where the Global Office is located and enjoy a relaxed afternoon of board games, hot drinks, and socialising with other exchange students. This event will be hosted by the Global Office Summer Schools Coordinator, and our resident ‘Games Master’, Conor Keir. Come along for an afternoon of literal fun and games! This event takes place in the Global Office, Room A11, Bute Building, Westburn Lane, St Andrews, KY16 9TS.
In addition to this page, please check your email inboxes for further information about the above events. This will be announced closer to the time.
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If you are studying under a Student visa, you should register with a doctor. You are encouraged to do this as soon as possible so that you will already be registered in case any medical concerns arise. Find out how to register with a doctor.
Students studying for only one semester will not be able to register with a doctor, but can request consultations at one of St Andrews local practices.
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Most banks will provide overseas students with a basic account when they are in the UK. However, if you are here for six months or less, your options may be limited.
A basic bank account will allow you to:
- access cash via a cash machine
- set up direct debits or standing orders.
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You will be supported throughout your time at St Andrews, whether you need advice on academic matters or help with personal issues.
The full range of student support services can be found on the advice and support pages. The following services may be of particular help to study abroad students:
Study abroad consultation hours
Current students can book an appointment with a member of the Global Office team. Most appointments are virtual this semester, but we also have a small number of in-person appointments available at St Katharine’s West. Please note that drop-ins are currently unavailable and all students must book an appointment slot in advance.
The Advice and Support Centre (ASC)
The ASC is a drop-in service open from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm, and offers help with financial, personal or academic queries.
The Advice and Support Centre
University of St Andrews
79 North Street
St Andrews
KY16 9ALEmail: theasc@st-andrews.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)1334 462020Academic skills support (CEED)
CEED provides a wide range of academic study skills support to help students throughout their university studies. Students can make individual
appointments, attend seminars and utilise online guides and resources among other things. For further information, please visit academic and study skills support. Academic English Service (AES)
The Academic English Service (AES) offers free workshops, tutorials and online materials for all St Andrews students who use English as a second or additional language.
Support for international students
There is a range of support available for international students, whether you need help applying for a visa or advice on travelling to the UK. Please visit support for international students to explore the support available.
Student Health Hub
The Student Health Hub is an office located within the St Andrews Community Hospital operated by University staff who understand how to help you access health advice quickly.
For any health concerns, please contact the Student Health Helpline on +44 (0)1334 465777 or visit the health issues pages for further information.
Wellbeing, counselling and mental health
The University's wellbeing advisers are frontline staff members who will listen and provide advice on a broad range
of issues. To make an appointment, please call +44 (0)1334 462020 or email support.advice@st-andrews.ac.uk. Find out more about how the wellbeing advisers can help. -
All new inbound Study Abroad and Exchange students should take a look at the St Andrews terminology pages so that you can familiarise yourself with the academic terms and policies at the University.
There is also a glossary of useful terms which outlines and defines a number of terms relating to academic advising.
You should also familiarise yourself with the Module Management System (MMS), an online system used for submitting coursework, returning feedback, and processing exam results, and Moodle, an online system used for providing course materials.