Direct application

• Application process

  If you wish to submit a direct application to the University, this checklist will help you through the application process.

  1. Take a look at the courses available at the University of St Andrews. 
     
     
  2. Check the entry requirements and any subject-specific prerequisites for your country, area or state. These can be found on the entry requirements page.
     
     
  3. The University of St Andrews offers a wide range of degree options, including joint Honours degrees. Before you start your application, you will need to decide which Faculty you wish to study in. There are four Faculties at the University of St Andrews – Arts, Science, Divinity and Medicine. You can find out more about the structure of the undergraduate degree programme on our degree routes page.
     
     
  4. Once you have decided which course and Faculty are the most appropriate, you can begin to fill in the online direct application form.
     
     
  5. Draft your personal statement carefully so that it reflects your choice of course. You can find more information about what we look for in an application on the how to apply page.
     
     
  6. Pay the required £50 (pounds sterling) fee through the University’s online payment service. Please note the order number given to your purchase on your application form so that we can match the payment to your application.
     
     
  7. Submit your application by the appropriate deadline. The current direct application deadlines can be found below.

• Essential information

  Students who apply to the University of St Andrews through the direct application method must not have applied, or be planning to apply to any other UK university, through any application process – e.g. UCAS or the Common Application. If you do wish to apply to other UK universities, you should choose another application method.

  Your direct application must include the following items:

  • A personal statement detailing why you are applying for the course. You can find out more about what we look for in a personal statement on the how to apply page.
  • An up-to-date transcript showing the subjects you are taking at high school and your achieved and predicted grades. If your school has a school profile, this should also be included.
  • An evaluation of your general character, academic ability and likelihood of success at university level from a teacher or high school counsellor. You should either:
    • attach your referee’s report in the form of a letter on school stationery, dated and signed by your referee.
    • or send the name and details of the person who will provide your reference with your application, and use the referee report form (PDF) . This must be clearly marked with your name. You can attach this form to your application, send it separately or we can email the referee directly if that is more convenient.
  • If you have taken any of the following external tests, then we would like to see the scores: SAT, ACT, APs and SAT subject tests. Unofficial score reports are acceptable when you apply, or if you are contacted and asked to provide more information. If you decide to send official scores the appropriate reference numbers for St Andrews are:
    • 7775 for SAT and AP
    • 5316 for ACT
  • Please do not send anything else. If the University requires any additional information, you will be contacted via email requesting it.

• Deadlines

  The final dates for the receipt of applications to St Andrews to qualify for full and equal consideration are: 

  • Medicine: 6pm (GMT) 16 October 2023 for all applicants applying to study Medicine. 
  • All other undergraduate courses: 6pm (GMT) 31 January 2024 for all other MA or BSc undergraduate applications. 

  Your application, including all supporting information, should be submitted by this date. It is rare that places are available on our programmes after the 31 January deadline. International applicants (Overseas Fee Status) should apply by the 31 January deadline.  

  We will only consider international applications submitted after the 31 January 2024 deadline if there are places still available and will be considered on a subject and course availability basis. 

  International applications received after 31 January 2024 may be placed on a waiting list. 

  Applying for Medicine? 

  The deadline for Medicine for Overseas students is 16 October 2023.

• After you apply

  For information on when you should expect a response to your application, as well as the different kinds of offers the University extends, take a look at our after you apply page.