St Andrews Summer Study

Applications are now open!
Our 3-week and 4-week course applications are now open!
The 2-week Blue Carbon course will open soon.

Experience a transformative summer at the University of St Andrews through our undergraduate-level Summer Study programme, where academic excellence meets rich cultural immersion.

Study for credit while fully experiencing the intellectual and cultural life of one of the UK’s most historic universities. Learn from expert academics, deepen your knowledge, develop critical thinking skills, and connect with a vibrant international community. Your learning extends beyond the classroom through immersive field trips, cultural experiences, and real-world case studies that bring your studies to life in Scotland’s unique environment.

Alongside all courses, the programme offers a variety of cultural, social, and extra-curricular activities throughout the summer, allowing you to experience Scotland’s heritage, cities, and landscapes. Whether it’s a pub quiz with your peers, a weekend day trip exploring other Scottish cities, or attending uniquely Scottish experiences such as the Highland Games—a lively festival of traditional music, dancing, and athletic competitions—you’ll get a real taste of local culture.

You’ll also have opportunities to explore St Andrews and the surrounding region independently, giving you the freedom to discover Scotland on your own terms.

Explore our courses and select the one that best fits your summer to experience a unique combination of learning, cultural immersion, adventure, and personal discovery at St Andrews.

St Andrews Summer Study provided a semester’s worth of experiences in just three weeks. Being immersed in real-life locations while learning was an increasingly rare, yet enriching opportunity. You won’t find this mix of academic experience and access to Scottish culture anywhere else.

Kate - Scotland's History: Kingdom, Nation, People

Read more from students who have shared their St Andrews Summer Study experiences on our blog!

Course dates: June - July 2026

2-week courses: Saturday 6 June - Saturday 20 June 2026

3-week courses: Saturday 6 June - Sunday 28 June 2026

4-week courses: Saturday 6 June - Saturday 4 July 2026

Course fees:

The course fees for 2026 entry are as follows:
2-week courses: £3,050
3-week courses: £4,250
4-week courses: £5,700

Course fees are inclusive of tuition, accommodation, meal plan, extra-curricular activities and more. See 'course fees' details below for the extensive list of what is included.

While course fees include university accommodation and a meal plan, we recognise that participants may have varying needs and preferences. If you do not require accommodation and meals, or have alternative arrangements, please contact us at shortcourses@st-andrews.ac.uk to discuss non-residential options.

2-week courses (6 June - 20 June 2026)

Find out more about each course below

Blue Carbon Science and Policy

Dive into the science and policy of Blue Carbon through hands-on fieldwork, lab analysis, and real-world data to uncover how coastal ecosystems combat climate change.

3-week courses (6 June - 28 June 2026)

Find out more about each course below

Scotland's History: Kingdom, Nation, People

Explore Scotland’s rich history and identity through immersive learning and real-world discovery that connect you with the places and people who shaped a nation.

Leadership Beyond Sports

An intensive, interactive programme developing leadership skills through real-life opportunities, with a focus on social innovation and sport, for students aspiring to lead in their graduate careers.

4-week courses (6 June - 4 July 2026)

Find out more about each course below

students looking over fieldsite with instruction from lead archaeologist

Monastic Scotland: History and Archaeology

Experience medieval Scotland through archaeological excavation and discovery at Lindores Abbey, uncovering the sites, landscapes, and stories that shaped the past.

The course fees for 2026 entry are as follows:
2-week courses: £3,050
3-week courses: £4,250
4-week courses: £5,700

St Andrews Summer Study course fees are inclusive of the following:
- Tuition fee
- Accommodation in our residences, en-suite in shared five-person apartments (sharing with other Summer School students)
- A programme of excursions, cultural and social activities
- A number of catered meals including:
  - Breakfast 7 days a week (Monday – Sunday)
  - Lunch 5 days a week (Monday – Friday)
  - Dinner 5 days a week (Monday – Friday)
- Access to Sports Centre for the duration of the summer school
- Access to University services as a registered student of St Andrews, including the Library, IT Services, Student Services
The Fee does not include airfare or getting to St Andrews, personal expenditure (snacks and laundry) or access to St Andrews Academic Documents (academic transcript).

While course fees include university accommodation and a meal plan, we recognise that participants may have varying needs and preferences. If you do not require accommodation and meals, or have alternative arrangements, please contact us at shortcourses@st-andrews.ac.uk to discuss non-residential options.
The University of St Andrews is fully accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority and recognised in the United States as a Title IV institution. Summer Study students earn credit under the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF).

2-week courses are granted at 10 SCQF credits (equivalent to 2.5 US or 5 ECTS credits)
3-week courses are granted at 12 SCQF credits (equivalent to 3 US or 6 ECTS credits).
4-week courses are granted at 16 SCQF credits (equivalent to 4 US or 8 ECTS credits).

Each SCQF credit is rated 10 hours of work (roughly 1/3 contact hours and 2/3 self-directed study). You will complete work for graded assessment and receive a University of St Andrews transcript.

Please check with your home institution about credit transfer arrangements.

How to access your academic transcript

After St Andrews Summer Study has finished, you will be notified via email when your transcript is available to access via the University's new digital system: St Andrews Documents Online. Please note there is a one time fee to access your documents. For more details, see the University's guide on how to access your official documents.
You must meet the following criteria for St Andrews Summer Study:
- must be aged 18 or over at the time of arrival in St Andrews.
- have completed your first year of university study (at least two semesters in full-time higher education) or equivalent at the point of arrival in St Andrews.
- a minimum average grade of 3.2 (on a USA 4.0 GPA scale) or equivalent
English Language Requirements

If you are from a non-English speaking country or use English as an additional language, you must provide evidence that you can use English well enough to study effectively at St Andrews. You should include information about your English language proficiency with your application. The University accepts a wide range of language tests and qualifications as proof of English language proficiency.

For information on whether you are required to submit an English Language test score alongside the list of language tests and qualifications which the University accepts, see the following:
- Undergraduate English Language requirements:
  - Under the heading 'Which English language test score should I provide', select the Faculty of Arts and Profile 3-D (If you are applying to Blue Carbon, please follow the Faculty of Science Profile 7-D) and follow the information for undergraduate entry.
English Language test scores are only normally accepted if obtained within two years of the programme start date.
You will be housed in one of our student residences, David Russell Apartments (DRA). They are located on the western edge of town, about a 20-minute walk to the centre of town and local amenities, and a ten-minute walk from the Sports Centre. There are regular bus routes between DRA and the town centre.

You will have a private bedroom with a double bed (four foot six inches wide), individual climate control and an en-suite shower room. There are five bedrooms per apartment, which includes a kitchen with a soft seating area, breakfast bar, oven, microwave, fridge freezer, tv and a dishwasher. There is basic cooking equipment and kitchenware, and an iron and ironing board. Wifi is free and available throughout the residence.
Alongside all courses, there are a range of excursions, cultural and social activities held throughout the programme. Excursions and activities differ each year but previous years have included but are not limited to:
- Welcome events
- Pub Quiz
- Day trip to Edinburgh
- Day trip to Glasgow's West End
- Edinburgh Castle
- Local whiskey distillery
- East Neuk of Fife
- Highland Games
Full details will be announced in the lead up to the start of the programme.
Getting to St Andrews

The closest international airports to St Andrews are Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow Airport. If flying to London, you also have the option of taking the Caledonian Sleeper service, an overnight train (London Euston to Leuchars). Leuchars is the closest railway station to St Andrews, situated approx. 6 miles outside the town. From Leuchars, St Andrews is easily reached by bus or taxi.

See more details on how to get to St Andrews.

Visas

If you are coming to the UK for study for fewer than six months this means you are visiting the UK as a Standard Visitor. Check on the UK government visa pages whether you need a Standard Visitor Visa, and what you will need to show at the border. Please refer to the information provided about visas and travelling to the UK on the University webpages for international students.

Healthcare

Students are strongly advised to ensure they have the adequate medical and travel insurance for the duration of their stay in the UK to insulate themselves from costs that they may otherwise be responsible for paying. If students have health insurance coverage, they must check if their health insurance covers the costs beforehand.

For more information, please see our Healthcare webpage. Please be aware that the University does not provide travel insurance of any kind.

The National Health Service (NHS) is the primary medical service in the UK. Information about the NHS is available on the NHS inform website. Arrangements for international students are dependent on your visa status and any reciprocal health arrangements which the UK has in place with your country. Some NHS services are free of charge for everyone, these include:
- accident and emergency services
- family planning services
- diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections
- diagnosis and treatment of certain infectious diseases
- compulsory psychiatric treatment.
Using your phone abroad

All international students will need to change to a UK SIM card for their mobile phone while studying in St Andrews to access NHS services, including urgent medical care. Find out more about mobile phones.
Depending on demand, certain courses may not be available in 2026. If this happens, we will clearly communicate this to offer holders by late March.

Students taking part in the St Andrews Summer Study will be registered as “summer visiting students”. All students are obliged to adhere to the University’s code of conduct and have read the Terms and Conditions of Study.

Please make sure that you have also read the St Andrews Summer Study Terms and Conditions.

Admission and registration is governed by the policy on the admission and registration of exchange and study abroad students.
We recommend that you first check the entry requirements and discuss your application with your home institution, in particular if you want to transfer back credit from this summer school. Please note the Terms and Conditions in the section above.

Submit an application to St Andrews Summer Study by completing the relevant online application form:

2-week courses: Opening soon!

3-week course application form

4-week course application form

The application deadline for all courses is Tuesday 31 March 2026

Note that for the application, we will require:

Personal Statement

This should tell us why you wish to study on your selected course and at St Andrews.

Official Academic Transcript

The transcript must be official and up-to-date, and you should include transcripts for time spent at other universities if relevant. Transcripts cannot be accepted that are marked as unofficial. Upload your official transcripts directly to your application, or ask your home institution to email it to shortcourses@st-andrews.ac.uk.

Academic reference

Your reference must be written by an academic member of staff at your current home institution. It must be signed and written on official headed letter paper and can be submitted by the referee after you submit your application and the deadline.

English Language Certificate - if applicable

If your first language is not English, you will need to provide an English language certificate showing you meet the university's proficiency standards. You can find more information on our language requirements in the 'Entry Requirements' section above.

After submitting your application

Applications are considered continually on a rolling basis from the application opening date until the application deadline therefore we'd recommend you submit your application as soon as possible before places fill up. Applicants will usually receive an answer within two weeks of submitting a complete application, though review may take longer depending on module choice and other circumstances (such as holiday closures).

St Andrews Summer Study