Application information and guidance
This page provides answers to the most common questions about applying for an undergraduate or postgraduate course at the University of St Andrews.
Before getting in touch, please explore the information below. Alternatively, you can ask Sandy for an immediate response.
Undergraduate study
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Can or should I make multiple applications if I’m interested in more than one subject?
Whilst it is possible for you to submit more than one application to us, we recommend candidates submit only one application. This is because we only accept one personal statement from applicants, and your personal statement needs to clearly focus on the course applied for. If your statement does not address the subject or subjects you are applying for, or it addresses other subjects, then it will make your application less competitive. Additionally, we do not issue more than one offer to successful candidates.
If you are interested in more than one subject, you may be able to combine these two (or three) subjects into one application for a joint honours degree. Please see the joint degrees section below for more information.
With the flexible degree structure, will I always be able to pick whatever other subject I want?
Our flexible degree structure means students take up additional subjects once enrolled, with the exception of Medicine. To take up a particular subject, a student must meet any subject prerequisites of the course, there must be no timetabling conflicts, and there must be space available on the course. Please see more details on our flexible degree structure webpage.
We can only guarantee students a place on a particular course if it is an essential module for a subject they received an offer to study. Where courses are oversubscribed, all other students intending to take it up as one of their elective subjects will be entered into a blind ballot. Whilst it is uncommon for subjects to be oversubscribed, this can happen. Applicants should therefore not rely on being able to take a specific subject unless they have received an offer for a degree programme in that subject area.
Should I apply to a different course that is less competitive?
We are unable to advise whether any course is more or less competitive than other courses. All courses at St Andrews are competitive and we would not recommend applying for a subject because you think it is less competitive. All applications, including personal statements, should be clearly focused on the subject you want to study.
If you are not sure which subject you most want to study, we recommend exploring our range of subjects. There may be subjects that you have not encountered before that are a good fit for your interests. For example, if you are thinking about studying English, explore Comparative Literature which is a related subject taught in our School of Modern Languages, or if you are interested in Conservation, Sustainable Development could be a good fit for you.
We advise candidates to apply to the course they feel most passionate about and can write a compelling personal statement for. Finding the right course will help you write a strong personal statement.
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Should I apply for a joint or single honours degree?
Whether you apply for joint or single honours is up to you. Here are some things to consider to help you make your decision.
If you apply for a joint degree, your whole application will need to speak to both (or all, for triple honours) subjects applied for. If you are applying to different subjects at other universities, this may prove a challenge as we only accept one personal statement. Please see our guidance on writing a personal statement.
New students are only guaranteed access to the subject or subjects named in their offer letter. Whilst students are able to take up additional subjects through the flexible degree structure once enrolled, there is a risk that a subject you hope to add to your timetable might not be available, for example, due to timetabling conflicts or restricted spaces available. Please check the flexible degree structure webpage for more information.
How do I know what joint degree options are available?
To see which subjects are compatible as a joint degree, please consult the Joint Honours Degrees section of the course page, or the tables in the undergraduate prospectus. Not all subjects can be combined with each other due to timetabling restrictions.
I want to apply for a joint degree at St Andrews, but I’m applying for a single honours degree at all my other UCAS choices. Can I submit a second personal statement?
If you are applying for a joint honours degree, your personal statement will need to address both subjects, or all three if you are applying for a triple honours degree. We also encourage you to explore any connections between the subjects and why this combination appeals to you.
We are unable to accept a second personal statement. We will only consider the statement submitted as part of your UCAS application.
I’m applying for a joint degree and the subjects I’m interested in have different requirements. Which requirements do I need to meet?
For degrees combining more than one subject, the subject with the higher entry requirements determines the grades you need. You will also need to meet any further subject-specific entry requirements for each subject.
For example, where candidates are applying with Qualifications Scotland (formerly known as SQA) Highers, the standard entry requirements for International Relations are AAAAB. The standard entry requirements for French are AAAB, including A in French. Candidates applying for a joint degree in International Relations and French, and who are eligible for standard entry requirements, will need AAAAB at Higher, including A in French.
Where candidates are applying with A-level qualifications, the standard entry requirements for International Relations are AAA at A-level. The standard entry requirements for French are AAB at A-level including A in French. Candidates applying with A-level qualifications for a joint degree in International Relations and French, and who are eligible for standard entry requirements, will need AAA at A-level including A in French.
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What are we looking for in applications?
We offer places to students who meet our academic requirements and are deemed to have the most potential to benefit from their course whilst contributing to academic life at the University. Your grades – both already gained and predicted – are the first area of consideration, and you should be aware of the entry requirements before you apply. You can find information about any specific grade and subject prerequisites on the individual course pages.
Specially trained staff at the University will review your application and consider the following areas:
- The grades and qualifications that you have already achieved or are predicted to achieve.
- The context in which your qualifications have been or will be achieved — this could include your location, whether any resit exams were taken, and any extenuating factors. Home Funded and Rest of the UK (RUK) fee status applicants may refer to our use of contextual data information for more details.
- Your personal statement.
- Your academic reference.
- Performance at interview, for Medicine, Gateway and Pathway programmes only.
- Relevant work or other experience, where appropriate.
- English language ability, where appropriate.
How can I make my application more competitive?
All our applications are assessed by considering you qualifications, personal statement, and reference. Meeting our academic requirements does not guarantee that an offer will be made. As a competitive institution, your personal statement is also a significant part of our decision-making process. A strong personal statement can have a major impact on the competitiveness of your application. Please see our personal statement guidance for more information.
Similarly, we will look closely at the academic reference submitted for you by a teacher or counsellor. We recommend you talk to your referee about what they write in their statement. If you have had any extenuating circumstances that have affected your academic performance, you should discuss this with them so that they can let us know. See the extenuating circumstances section for more information.
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What do ‘standard’ and ‘minimum’ mean?
The University of St Andrews offers a variety of flexible entry options in order to ensure our doors remain open to all students, regardless of background or personal circumstances.
We offer three levels of entry requirements:
- Standard entry grades: these are the grades you require to be considered. All candidates with an Overseas fee status will need to meet the standard entry grades for the course they applied for. Candidates with an RUK or Home fee status will need to meet the standard entry requirements unless eligible for widening access.
- Minimum entry grades: if you are a widening access student, you will need these grades to be considered.
- Gateway entry grades: if you are a widening access student at school in Scotland, you may also be eligible for a gateway programme and, if so, will need these grades to be considered.
Please use our entry level indicator to check what entry grades you will need to meet. For more information about widening access, please see our academic entry explained.
What grades do I need to meet the entry requirements?
The requirements you will need to meet depend on the qualifications you have and the course you are applying for. To view the entry requirements for a particular course, please consult the course page. For more guidance on entry requirements, please read our entry requirements page.
Please also use our entry level indicator to check whether you will need to meet standard or minimum requirements (Home and RUK candidates only).
What are the 'general entry requirements'?
General entry requirements are different to a course’s (standard or minimum) grade requirements.
'Standard' and 'minimum' entry requirements refer to the grades we need in RQF Level 3/SCQF Level 6 qualifications, such as A-levels, Highers, or the International Baccalaureate, to meet the requirements for a particular course. Please see our entry requirements webpage for all of the qualifications accepted as suitable for meeting these requirements, and the specific course page for the grades required in that qualification.
‘General entry requirements’ refers to RQF Level 2/SCQF Level 5 qualifications, such as GCSEs or National 5 qualifications. These requirements need to be met by all applicants who have undertaken GCSE or National 5 qualifications. The general entry requirements are stated on each course page. Please note, the general entry requirements for Medicine are different to other undergraduate courses.
If you studied outside of the UK, other qualifications equivalent to RQF Level 2/SCQF Level 5 are accepted as alternatives to meet our general entry requirements. These will be considered on a case-by-case basis at the point of application submission.
Where candidates have not taken GCSEs, National 5s, or an equivalent RQF Level 2 or SCQF Level 5 qualification, our general entry requirements can be met through studying the required subjects as part of higher-level qualifications, for example, RQF Level 3 qualifications such as A-levels or the International Baccalaureate.
Candidates will be expected to at least meet the general entry requirements to be eligible for entry to undergraduate study. Depending on the level of competition for the subject applied for, performance in GCSEs or National 5s may also be considered when assessing the competitiveness of applications. If there were any extenuating circumstances which affected your performance in these qualifications, please see the extenuating circumstances section for more information.
I don’t meet the requirements. Can I still apply?
Whilst you will still be able to submit an application, you should be aware that we are a highly competitive institution that receives far more applications that meet or exceed our entry requirements than we have places for. As a result, applicants that do not – or are not predicted to – meet our entry requirements are unlikely to be successful. If you are a UK applicant, please check if you are eligible for standard or minimum (widening access) entry requirements.
If there are any extenuating circumstances which affected your ability to meet the entry requirements, please see the extenuating circumstances section for more information.
I don’t have access to my predicted grades. What should I do?
We understand that the provision of predicted grades may not always be possible. Instead of this, we would request that you provide us with your most recent transcript, including any grades achieved last year and so far this year. We would urge you to submit this as soon as you can. Once you have applied and been assigned a student ID number, you can then upload further supporting documentation to your applicant portal or email it to myapplication@st-andrews.ac.uk with your student ID number.
Do you accept resits?
Resitting exams will typically make an application less competitive than applications which have achieved or exceeded the entry requirements in the first sitting.
If extenuating circumstances affected performance in the first sitting, please see the extenuating circumstances section for guidance. These will be assessed on a case-by-case basis after an application has been submitted.
Applicants for Scottish Graduate Entry Medicine (ScotGEM) can resit Chemistry, Biology or Mathematics qualifications to achieve the required grade or grades, if not achieved at the time of leaving school.
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How do I write a personal statement?
At St Andrews, we focus very heavily on the personal statement submitted by applicants. As a guide, we look for at least 75% of the statement to be academic in focus and geared towards the subject or subjects that you are applying for.
Overall, we are looking for students who are passionate in their chosen field and can demonstrate that through their studies, their reading and their super- and extra-curricular activities. Your personal statement is where we look first for evidence of this passion and interest, such as books you have read and school activities relating to the subject.
Please see our personal statement guidance for more information.
Can I submit multiple personal statements?
We only accept the personal statement submitted with your application. No further personal statements will be considered by our Admissions team.
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Who should I ask to be my academic reference?
If you are at school or college, your Head of Year, University counsellor or another teacher will generally write your reference. If you are on a gap year after achieving your school-level qualifications, the reference should also be provided by your school or college.
If you are not at school or college and unable to provide a reference from a former teacher, you will need to supply a reference from a responsible person who knows you well enough to write about you and your academic capabilities. References from family members or close friends are not normally acceptable.
How do I submit a reference?
If you are applying by:
UCAS: your referee should submit their reference to the UCAS online application process.
Common Application: references should be on headed paper and include a signature.
Direct Application: reference letters can be provided on headed paper with a signature or written in the Direct application referee report (PDF) clearly marked with your name. This can be included with your application, sent separately to myapplication@st-andrews.ac.uk, or we can email the referee directly if you tell us their name and details.
Can I submit multiple references?
We only require one academic reference. This should be uploaded as part of your application.
Can I apply without a reference?
You must submit a reference in support of your application. Any applications submitted without a reference are incomplete.
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Will I be interviewed?
Most students who apply to the University for undergraduate study will not be required to attend an interview. The exceptions to this will be if you are applying for:
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Do I need proof of my English language proficiency?
We do not usually require proof of your English language proficiency if any one or more of the below apply:
- You are a national of the UK or of a country in the United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) list of majority English-speaking countries.
- You have an English medium secondary or high school leaving qualification which was taken at a school with a substantial English language educational environment and includes at least one subject with a substantial component of writing in English, and which you can provide proof of.
- You have completed an International Foundation programme at the University of St Andrews and have achieved the threshold score to be admitted onto an undergraduate degree course.
Students who cannot provide any of the evidence above will need to submit a valid English language test score. Please consult our English language requirements for undergraduate students to view accepted tests. Online versions of approved English language tests are not accepted for undergraduate applicants.
Do I need to provide proof when I apply or can I provide it later?
Proof of English language proficiency does not need to be provided with your application. If, when reviewing your application, we determine evidence of your proficiency is required, we can contact you after your application has been submitted. If we decide to make an offer of study, this can be made conditional on you providing accepted evidence of your English language proficiency.
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What will my fee status be?
Admissions are unable to advise any individual what their fee status will be.
Information about how undergraduate fee status is determined can be found on our undergraduate fee status page. Applicants for undergraduate study will only compete with other applicants of the same fee status.
If you are unsure what fee status you will have, please contact our Fees and Funding team by emailing fees@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Can I apply for a scholarship?
Please refer to our scholarships catalogue for a full list of our funding opportunities. Scholarships can only be applied for once an application for study is submitted. We encourage students to apply early for scholarships, as soon as you have submitted your application for study. Please do not wait until you have received an outcome of your application for study as many scholarships have early deadlines and may, by that point, be closed.
What is the Access Award?
The Access Award was established to provide financial assistance with the cost of undergraduate study at the University of St Andrews. Access Awards are based on financial need. You should demonstrate a below-average household income and a need for funding in your application. If you have a household income of less than £34,000, you can apply once to be considered for various awards, including a monthly maintenance allowance, a contribution towards university or private accommodation, and sports membership discount. Please see more details on the Access Award webpage.
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I want to take a gap year. Should I apply this year or next year?
We expect that you will apply to University in the academic year immediately before you intend to start your studies. For example, if you plan to take a gap year before starting university, we recommend you apply during the gap year.
If you have taken a gap year, ensure you clearly outline the motivation behind it and any experiences and skills gained from the gap year that are relevant to your chosen subject or subjects.
If you choose to apply before your gap year for deferred entry for the subsequent year, please make sure you talk about your plans in your personal statement. You should provide us with a full picture of why you wish to defer, what you will be doing during this time, and how these activities will strengthen your application to your chosen subject or subjects.
Can I defer my place after I’ve got an offer?
If you wish to change the start date of your course after receiving an offer, you can submit a formal request to defer your admission to myapplication@st-andrews.ac.uk. Deferral requests are considered on a case-by-case basis following the guidance outlined in the Admissions policy.
More information can be found in our deferred entry guide.
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How do you consider extenuating circumstances?
We operate a contextual admissions process, which means we look at each application holistically and take into account all the information submitted as part of the application, including details of extenuating circumstances. More information can be found within our Admissions Policy.
If you experienced any extenuating circumstances that affected your academic performance, please provide all relevant information as part of your application so this can be assessed by our Admissions team. Such assessments are made on a case-by-case basis after an application has been submitted.
Please note, all candidates will still be expected to meet the entry requirements for their course, and extenuating circumstances do not affect whether you are eligible for standard or minimum entry.
Please see our policy on extenuating circumstances for more information, including examples of extenuating circumstances.
Where should I explain extenuating circumstances?
We strongly recommend asking your academic referee to include details about relevant extenuating circumstances in their reference. You do not need to tell us about them in your personal statement.
If you do not feel comfortable discussing these circumstances with your referee, you may send information to us at myapplication@st-andrews.ac.uk as soon as possible after submitting your application.
Where such circumstances relate to your school, for example, timetabling conflicts or curriculum availability, this information will need to be provided by a school representative.
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How should I apply for undergraduate study?
Your fee status will determine your options for how to apply for undergraduate study. Please read our information about fees if you have any questions about your own fee status.
- Home (Scotland) applicants must apply through UCAS, unless applying to the BA International Honours programme.
- UK (England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland) applicants must apply through UCAS, unless applying to the BA International Honours programme.
- Islands (Channel Islands and Isle of Man) applicants must apply through UCAS, unless applying to the BA International Honours programme.
- Overseas applicants can apply through UCAS, the Common Application, or Direct Application. If you are applying to Medicine, you must use either UCAS or Direct Application.
As long as you use the correct application method according to your fee status and the course you are applying for, how you apply will not impact the outcome of your application.
All applicants should note that the maximum number of applications permitted to UK universities in one year is five.
What is the equal consideration deadline?
All applications submitted before the equal consideration deadline will receive full and equal consideration. We therefore encourage all applicants to apply before this deadline where possible. We will continue to consider international applications where places remain available after this date. Applications received after the equal consideration deadline will be assessed based on subject and course availability.
When is the equal consideration deadline?
The final date for the receipt of applications to St Andrews to qualify for full and equal consideration for undergraduate study is:
- Medicine: 6pm (GMT) on Thursday 15 October 2026 for all applicants applying to study Medicine.
- All other undergraduate MA and BSc courses: 6pm (GMT) on Wednesday 13 January 2027 for all other MA or BSc undergraduate applications.
- BA International Honours: 6pm (GMT) on 1 May 2027 for all applicants applying to study on the BA International Honours programme – our joint degree with William & Mary.
Can I apply after the equal consideration deadline?
Whilst you may still be able to apply after the equal consideration deadline, your application will no longer qualify for full and equal consideration and will be subject to availability on the course applied to.
Applicants for undergraduate study only compete with other applicants with the same fee status, and there are a fixed number of places available per fee status per course each year. Typically, there are no places remaining for Home or RUK applicants after the equal consideration deadline. We will continue to consider international applications where places remain available after this date.
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For information about undergraduate offer holder events, visas and CAS process, making pre-payments, and planning your arrival to St Andrews, please see our dedicated page for undergraduate offer holders.
Please also regularly check your emails for information regarding events specific to you.
Postgraduate study
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How do I apply for a postgraduate taught degree?
Applications for postgraduate taught courses should be made through the St Andrews Direct application form. To access this form, please visit the page for the specific course you are interested in, and click the Apply button at the top of the page.
More information, including what documents we will require as part of your application, can be found on the page for the course you are interested in applying to.
When should I apply for a postgraduate taught course?
Deadlines are course-specific and are published annually online by course. Applications for most postgraduate courses open in September each year and close at varying points through the academic year depending on the course. Application deadlines will be published on each individual course webpage.
For most of our postgraduate taught courses we make admissions decisions on a rolling basis. We therefore suggest applying as soon as possible. Please note that decisions for the following courses will typically be made after the application closing date:
- MSc Psychology (Conversion)
- MSc Animal Behaviour
- MRes Neuroscience
- MSc Marine Mammal Science
When do postgradaute taught courses start?
The majority of taught postgraduate courses start in September each year, with the exception of some online courses and the following programmes which have additional entry points:
- MSc Artificial Intelligence
- MSc Computer Science
- MSc Software Engineering
- MSc/PGDip/PGCert Teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL)
- MSc/PGDip/PGCert International Education
- MSc/PGDip/PGCert Digital Education
Please see our semester dates for when teaching will start each September.
Can I apply to more than one postgraduate taught course?
You are welcome to apply for multiple courses and you may be offered more than one course if we decide that you would be suited to the courses. However, you will only be able to accept an offer for one course and you will not be able to register any course preferences in your application.
How do I apply for a postgraduate research degree?
As a prospective PhD student, you will apply to work with an individual supervisor or supervisory team within a School or Institute, and not a specific course. It is therefore important that you look at staff research interests within the University and ensure that your project matches an existing area of research.
Prospective students should contact the relevant School in the first instance to discuss their proposed area of research. Most Schools have a ‘Prospective students’ section on their School homepage where you can find information specifically for postgraduate research students, including the areas of research they cover and any vacancies they are currently advertising.
It is your own responsibility to find a supervisor who may be interested in working with you before you apply for a research degree. You can search for a researcher or academic by keywords using the St Andrews research portal. You should contact a researcher directly by email explaining your background and what you would like to research.
If you are unable to identify a possible supervisor, please contact the School directly, who will be happy to advise you of the most appropriate academic for your chosen research area. They would also be able to discuss with you the potential of a part-time programme.
Postgraduate research applications should be made through the St Andrews Direct application form. If you require an alternative arrangement, you should contact the University directly at pgr.application@st-andrews.ac.uk.
More information can be found on our how to apply for research study page.
Once I’ve submitted my application, how long will it take for me to hear back?
Typically, candidates will receive a decision on their application within three weeks, once we have received a fully completed application, including references. However, it can take a little longer depending on a number of factors, for example, the subject and course applied to.
For some of our courses, we operate a gathered field approach, meaning we do not make admissions decisions until the deadline has passed. Please note that decisions for the following programmes will typically be made after the application closing date:
- MSc Psychology (Conversion)
- MSc Animal Behaviour
- MRes Neuroscience
- MSc Marine Mammal Science
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What are the academic requirements for postgraduate taught courses?
Admission to a postgraduate taught course is normally on the basis of a first degree with Honours, typically a minimum of an upper second-class (2.1) honours degree from a UK university or equivalent.
If you did not attend a university in the UK, please see our entry requirements webpages for more information on qualifications we accept from your country. You can also use the entry requirements tool on the course page.
As part of your application, please provide your most up-to-date transcript along with an explanation of the grading scale and honours classification at the awarding institution.
Do I need professional experience to apply for a postgraduate taught course?
Some of our postgraduate courses require professional experience in the subject applied to, or a related field. Where this is required, it will be specified on the course page.
What are the academic requirements for PhD applicants?
Admission to research study within the Faculties of Arts and Divinity is normally on the basis of a good Masters degree which must be related to your area of research.
Research applicants within the Faculty of Science require a good first degree with Honours at 2.1 (UK). If you did not attend a university in the UK, please see our entry requirements webpages for more information on qualifications we accept from your country.
Can I apply for postgraduate study before I have finished my undergraduate degree?
Every year, many students apply whilst in the final year of their undergraduate degree, before they have achieved the final degree outcome or grade. In such cases, any offers made are conditional on the degree outcome.
If you are currently completing a degree, you will need to provide an up-to-date academic transcript with your current grade average. This should be calculated based on the grades you have already obtained, not the grades that you have been predicted.
Do I have to provide my qualifications translated into English?
If your previous degree was not completed in English, you will need to provide a translated copy of your qualifications. The translated copy needs to have verification of the translation being certified by a qualified individual and or organisation and should include the full name and contact details of the individual and or organisation who completed the translation. Original documents should also be included in your application.
Can I still apply if I don’t meet the requirements?
Applications that do not meet the entry requirements are less likely to be competitive. However, we consider applications on a case-by-case basis taking into account all information provided to us, not just the grades.
Do all degree courses require previous experience of the subject?
Not all degree courses require previous experience of the subject.
If a postgraduate degree does require you to have a relevant undergraduate degree, this is clearly outlined on the course page in the entry requirements section.
Do you require admissions tests?
We do not require the GMAT or the GRE.
To apply for graduate-entry Medicine, all candidates will need to take the GAMSAT.
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What will be accepted as a writing sample?
Your writing sample must be a piece of academic writing written in English. For example, it could be an extract from a previous project, essay, or part of an undergraduate dissertation. It does not need to have been published.
The work must be single-authored by you. If you wish to submit a dual-authored piece of work, only include the section that you have written.
Does the word limit for the writing sample include references?
No, the word limit for the writing sample does not include references, footnotes or bibliography.
Can my sample of academic writing be longer than 2,000 words?
Please keep to the 2,000-word limit as much as possible. The writing sample is used to assess an applicant’s writing style. If you feel that your writing sample would not make sense without you going into the wider context of the extract, you can use a few words to give a brief introduction to your submission.
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Can I submit my references later?
Yes, when completing your application, you can choose to upload your reference straight away, or you may input your referee’s details if you plan to upload the reference later.
If you indicate in your application that we can contact your referee, the University will email them to request a reference. They may upload their reference directly using our online system or they can email the reference from their own email address to the following:
- pgt.application@st-andrews.ac.uk, for postgraduate taught applications
- pgr.application@st-andrews.ac.uk, for postgraduate research applications
Please note, no decision will be made on your application until the required reference or references have been received.
It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that their references have been submitted.
How many references do I need to provide?
All postgraduate courses require one reference only.
I don’t have an academic reference. Can I provide a professional reference instead?
Whilst we prefer references to be academic, so that they can comment on your suitability for the course, we appreciate that this is not always possible, predominantly in cases where applicants completed their previous degree several years ago. In such cases, we may accept a professional reference instead of an academic reference. Please email us with details of why you are unable to provide an academic reference so that this can be considered:
- pgt.application@st-andrews.ac.uk, for postgraduate taught applications
- pgr.application@st-andrews.ac.uk, for postgraduate research applications
My referee doesn’t have a letterhead – is this a problem?
References are normally requested by email directly to your referees when you submit your application. If the email address provided is an institutional email address, then a lack of letterhead may not be a problem.
A professional referee may use the letterhead at their current place of work.
The reference must include your full name and proposed programme of study, your referee’s contact details and their signature.
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What will my fee status be?
Admissions are unable to advise any individual on what their fee status will be.
Information about how postgraduate fee status is determined can be found on our postgraduate fees and funding page.
If you are unsure what fee status you will have, please contact our Fees and Funding team by emailing fees@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Can I apply for a scholarship?
Please refer to our scholarships catalogue for a full list of our funding opportunities. Scholarships can only be applied for once an application is submitted. Please note, most scholarships are partial, rather than high-value awards or 'full-ride' equivalents.
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Do I need to provide proof of English language proficiency?
You can find details of our English language requirements for postgraduate students on our website. Please consult the webpage for detailed information about who does and doesn’t need to provide an English language test, as there are some specific stipulations. Online versions of approved English language tests are accepted for postgraduate applicants.
Do I need proof of my English language proficiency before I apply?
You do not need to have completed an English language test before applying. We will determine whether evidence of English language proficiency is required once a full application has been submitted. If you do not yet meet the English language requirements, any offer we may make would be conditional on you achieving the required scores in an English language test.
You may also be eligible to attend pre-sessional English language courses.
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Can I apply for deferred entry to postgraduate courses?
Postgraduate taught applicants who wish to request deferred entry after receiving an offer should send their request in writing to pgt.application@st-andrews.ac.uk as early as possible. In such circumstances, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide as much detail as possible to explain their request. All such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Director of Postgraduate Studies within the relevant academic School.
It is important to note that there is no guarantee that a request to defer entry will be granted, and applicants may be required to withdraw their application and reapply in the admissions cycle that is relevant for their year of entry. Granting of deferred entry may have implications for an applicant’s offer of accommodation or any University scholarships awarded. Applicants should also be aware that tuition fees are updated annually, and so deferring an application is expected to increase the tuition and other attendance costs. Applicants should consult the policies on scholarships and accommodation for further information.
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How do you consider extenuating circumstances?
We operate a contextual admissions process, which means we look at each application holistically and take into account all the information submitted as part of the application, including details of extenuating circumstances. If you experienced any extenuating circumstances that affected your academic performance, please provide all relevant information as part of your application so this can be assessed by our Admissions team. Such assessments are made on a case-by-case basis.
Where candidates have been affected by extenuating circumstances, they would still be expected to meet the entry requirements.
Where should I explain extenuating circumstances?
If you feel comfortable discussing these circumstances with your referee, you can ask them to provide details in their reference.
Alternatively, applicants for postgraduate taught programmes may send information to us at pgt.application@st-andrews.ac.uk. Please do so as soon as possible after submitting your application.
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For information about postgraduate offer holder events, visas and CAS process, making pre-payments, and planning your arrival to St Andrews, please see our dedicated page for postgraduate offer holders.
Still have questions? Get in touch
- Ask Sandy for an immediate response
- Make an enquiry to our Admissions team
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