Blue Carbon Science and Policy

• Course fee

  The course fee for 2026: £3,050

  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 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.

• Course content

  Blue Carbon Science & Policy

  

  The course will offer a mix of morning lectures and afternoon practical classes that cover the following topics. 

  Week 1
  Day 1 – Introduction, sampling design
  Introduction to the theories and concepts of Blue Carbon
  Introduction to sampling design and sampling techniques
  
  Day 2 – Fieldtrip (River Forth)
  The students in groups will undertake their sampling plans and collect samples to be analysed during the week. 

  Day 3 – Ecosystems, sediments and stratigraphy
  Introduction to common sedimentological approaches and descriptive methods
  Creation of stratigraphic understanding of the intertidal environment.

  Day 4 – Carbon in coastal environments
  Introduction to the standard methodologies for the quantification of organic matter and carbon in coastal soils and sediments.
  Tour of analytical laboratories. 
  Quantify organic matter and carbon in the sub-samples collected from the cores and vegetation in the field.
  Sample processing and elemental analysis. 

  Day 5 – Blue Carbon stocks
  Students will be introduced to a range of approaches used to determine the quantity of carbon held within a natural environment. 

  
  Week 2
  Day 6 – Blue Carbon and Data Methods
  Advanced analytical approaches discussed including stable isotopes and radiocarbon.
  Thermogravimetric and ramped thermal methods 

  Day 7 – Blue Carbon Stocks and Burial Calculators
  Introduction to analytical methods used to date and a create age-depth models for sediments. 
  Radiometric dating approaches and radiocarbon
  Organic carbon accumulation rates 
  Using age depth models. 

  
  Day 8 – Blue Carbon Policy I and Data Lab
  Introduction to policy frameworks and levers
  Introduction to best practices for presenting data

  
  Day 9 – Blue Carbon Policy II and Data Visualization
  Examples of blue carbon projects, policy interventions and introduction to blue carbon financing; 
  Work on final assessment 

  
  Day 10 – Final Preparation and Assessed Presentations
  Work on their final assessment (group presentation and policy summary). 
  Presentation of approach, findings and results from the Blue Carbon assessment

• Academic credit

  The University of St Andrews is fully accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority and recognised in the United States as a Title IV institution. Blue Carbon 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)
  

  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.

• Assessments

  Students will be assessed by submitting work during their course. Coursework will include an individual policy report and group presentation which will take place on the final day and be graded by University of St Andrews academics.

• Entry requirements

  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 

  f 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 (select the Faculty of Science and 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.

• Scholarships

  In partnership with the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) there are TWO fully funded scholarships for 2026 that are open to Blue Carbon applicants. We particularly welcome and encourage applicants from the Global South for these scholarships.

  More details on what these scholarships cover and how to apply will be available soon.

• Accommodation

  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.

• Extra-curricular activities

  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

  Full details will be announced in the lead up to the start of the programme. 

  N.B. Due to different course lengths, participants will not be able to attend all excursions and activities but can expect to attend welcome events and social activities held in the first two weeks including at least one weekend day trip.

• Travel, visa and health information

  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. 

• Support

  Any queries prior to the summer school should be directed to shortcourses@st-andrews.ac.uk. 

• Terms and conditions

  Depending on demand, certain courses may not be available in 2026. If this happens, we will clearly communicate this to offer holders by mid-May.

  Students taking part in the Blue Carbon summer programme will be registered as “summer visiting students”.  All students are obliged to adhere to the University’s code of conduct. 

  Admission and registration is governed by the policy on the admission and registration of exchange and study abroad students.  

• How to apply

  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.

  Once applications open, you will be able to complete the online application form. 

  Note that for the application, we will require: 

  Personal Statement

  Please provide a brief letter of motivation outlining your qualifications (including level of English language and IT competency) and what you hope to gain from attending the course.

  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.

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  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).