HI1801 - Scotland's History: Kingdom, Nation, People
Summer Study 2027: We’re currently updating our webpages, with applications expected to open in November. Sign up to our mailing list to be notified when applications open.
5 June - 27 June 2027
Step into Scotland’s history and culture this summer, and experience a land where heritage, tradition, and identity come alive.
What does it take for a nation to leave a lasting mark on history? Scotland, small in size but rich in heritage, tells a compelling story of identity, resilience, and transformation. From its emergence as a distinct kingdom in medieval Europe to its evolving role within the United Kingdom, Scotland’s past is both complex and dynamic. This course offers an in-depth exploration of the pivotal moments and themes that have shaped Scotland’s national identity. Students will gain a vivid understanding of how Scotland's identity, cultural narratives, and political power have been built, contested, and transformed across centuries.
Beyond the classroom, students will embark on a series of immersive experiences, exploring castles, museums, and historic landscapes that bring Scotland’s history to life. You’ll encounter artefacts, architecture, and archives that tell the story of the nation, while also engaging with its living culture through traditions and local stories that have shaped Scottish identity.
In previous years, fieldtrips have included Dunnottar Castle (pictured), Falkland Palace, Lindores Abbey, the Black Watch Museum and Perth Museum (current home of the Stone of Destiny) in Perth, and the National Museum in Edinburgh.
This course is ideal for students interested in Scotland’s history, cultural identity, and global context, and perfect for those seeking a culturally immersive program that fosters a deep connection with the country’s heritage, traditions, and stories. Whether you're fascinated by the past or eager to experience Scottish life firsthand, you'll combine learning, adventure, and cultural discovery in an unforgettable summer.
My favourite part was the cultural immersion as the programme made every effort to introduce us to the beauty of Scotland. Dunnottar Castle was one of the most breathtaking places I’ve been to and definitely the highlight of my trip.
Titus - Scotland's History: Kingdom, Nation, People
Read more from students who have shared their St Andrews Summer Study experiences on our blog!
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The course will be split into 4 main sections.
- Scotland’s emerging national identity
This section will be devoted to exploring key elements of an emerging sense of national identity in Scotland, initially through tensions in the structural organisation of the church within the British Isles in the 11th and 12th centuries. This will focus especially on the role of St Andrews and the relationship with a succession of kings of Scots. The topic will finish with an examination of the circumstances leading to the foundation of Scotland’s first university in 1413.
- Scotland and Her neighbours in the Middle Ages
Medieval Scots were deeply conscious of their place amongst the nations of Europe. Though their land lay at ‘the ends of the Earth’, they were keen to play an active role in European politics and to find fortune beyond the kingdom. Of course, the key relationship was that with the English kingdom and people and this week will examine the changing attitudes towards England during the period 1200-1500. This will involve looking at the wars in which William Wallace and Robert Bruce defended Scotland’s status as an independent realm.
- Renaissance Scotland: power, propaganda and print
In this section you will explore how Scotland’s royal house asserted its position not only alongside its neighbours but over its subjects in the century before the Union of the Crowns with England in 1603. Every monarch in the century before this had to negotiate this proximity to the English crown, along with the pressure to participate in an ever more extravagant European inspired court culture, and the need to negotiate for the first-time religious divisions between Catholics and Protestants. You will see how these pressures created a culture of political spin, propaganda and performance which could be used either to serve a monarch or, in the dramatic case of Mary, Queen of Scots, to cast them down.
- The Scottish soldier: image and identity
The kilted Scottish soldier is an instantly recognisable figure synonymous with Empire and Britain’s military achievements. This week we will explore the origins of Scotland’s martial tradition and Scottish soldiers’ role in Britain’s imperial project, focusing on their contribution to the various colonial campaigns of the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the First World War. Using a range of contemporary reports published in books, magazines and period newspapers, and considering the many visual representations of the Scottish soldier (portraits, advertising, statues, war memorials etc.), you will consider how the Scottish soldier has been represented in popular culture and whether this iconic figure was more image than reality.
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The course fee for 2026: £4,250
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.
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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).
This course is granted at 12 SCQF credits (equivalent to 3 US or 6 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 and certificate.
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 Academic Documents. 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.
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Students will be assessed by submitting work during their course. Coursework may be multiple-choice questions, essays, and presentations and will be graded by University of St Andrews academics.
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General entry requirements
Applicants to St Andrews Summer Study must meet the following requirements:
- Be aged 18 or over at the time of arrival in St Andrews.
- Meet the university's English language requirements, where applicable.
Applicants who have undertaken university study must have achieved a minimum average grade of 3.2 (on a USA 4.0 GPA scale) or equivalent.
Academic requirements
Level 1000 courses
- Current university offer holders who have not yet started their university studies must provide proof of their university offer letter.
- Applicants currently or previously enrolled at university must have completed at least one year of university study (at least two semesters of full-time higher education) or equivalent, and provide an official academic transcript.
Level 3000 courses
- Applicants must have completed at least one year of university study (at least two semesters of full-time higher education) or equivalent, and provide an official academic transcript.
- Please check individual course pages for any additional academic requirements.
English Language Requirements
If you are a national of the UK or you are a national of a country in the United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) list of majority English-speaking countries you will not normally need to provide an English language test.
If you are from another 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 Undergraduate English Language requirements.
- Under '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.
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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.
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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.
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It felt like St Andrews Summer Study provided a semester’s worth of experiences in just three weeks. Throughout the three weeks, different specialist professors from the University of St Andrews History department took our class through the timeline of Scotland’s history. While engaging on its own, this classroom material was then reinforced with real-life academic excursions, allowing for the study of history at the locations it actually occurred. Having the opportunity to ask questions and visit historical sites to view the world around me on a deeper basis provided a unique real-life learning context. 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, St Andrews Summer Study (Read more from Kate on our blog)
The reason I chose to apply for St Andrews Summer Study is because I am contemplating returning to the UK for graduate school. These three weeks in Scotland were my opportunity to experience the culture, meet with professors, and really think about my academic future. Looking back on it now, my time at St Andrews has solidified my desire to comeback and further my education here. My favourite part was the cultural immersion as the programme made every effort to introduce us to the beauty of Scotland. We went to places like Dunnottar Castle and Falkland Palace which really helped me visualize what we were learning during the lectures. Dunnottar Castle was one of the most breathtaking places I’ve been to and definitely the highlight of my trip. I would absolutely recommend a summer at St Andrews. It was fun, exciting, informative, and memorable. It does force you to break out of your comfort zone a little, which can be intimidating, but the rewards are well worth it.
Titus, St Andrews Summer Study (Read more from Titus on our blog)
St Andrews was an absolute dream. As a small-town kid leaving my home country for the first time, I couldn’t have chosen a better place to travel to, or a better university to do it with! The town itself felt like a little slice of coastal paradise and as an added bonus contained a wealth of history. The course was so unique both in the way we learned and the physical places it took us, but also in the way it brought a group of total strangers to live, learn, and explore the world together in a way that fostered friendships and cultivated a whole new experience that travelling alone or even with friends couldn’t have achieved.
Logan, St Andrews Summer Study (Read more from Logan on our blog)
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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
Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) have now been introduced worldwide for visitors to the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays, or who do not already have a UK immigration status (e.g. Student route visa) prior to travelling.
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 an ETA or 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.
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Students who successfully complete a St Andrews Summer Study course are eligible for the following:
Study Abroad discount
Receive a 10% discount on your tuition fees for our year-long or semester-long Study Abroad programmes.
Please ensure that you have read our exchange and study abroad policy to make sure you are eligible for our Study Abroad programmes.
Graduate discount
Receive a 15% discount on your tuition fees when applying to postgraduate degree programmes at the University. For full terms and conditions, please read the policy on the graduate discount (PDF).
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Any queries prior to the summer school should be directed to shortcourses@st-andrews.ac.uk.
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Depending on demand, certain courses may not be available in 2027. If this happens, we will clearly communicate this to offer holders by early April.
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.
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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.
The application deadline for all courses will be announced when applications open (usually late March/early April)
Required supporting documents
You will need to provide the following supporting documents as part of your Summer Study application.
You can provide supporting documents when completing your application or upload them after you have submitted your application via the My application portal. All supporting documents must be received before an unconditional offer can be issued.
Personal statement
This should tell us why you wish to study on your selected course and at St Andrews.
Official university offer letter (current university offer holders only)
Current university offer holders who have not yet started their university studies must provide proof of their official university offer letter.
Applicants who have undertaken university study will need to provide an official university transcript (see below).
Official academic university 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. Please submit original documents but where they are not in English, you will need to provide an official translated copy as well.
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.
It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that your referee submits an academic reference. We strongly recommend that you contact your chosen referee to confirm that they are aware they have been cited.
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).
See the 'After you apply' page for further information.