Financial assistance for undergraduate students
The University of St Andrews offers many scholarships and bursaries each year. There are also resources available to undergraduates seeking funding, including options outside the University. However, please be aware that the offer of a University place does not carry with it a guarantee of financial support.
The University always aims to provide financial advice and assistance to students who are struggling with money worries. Students looking for information about financial assistance may find the money matters section of the website useful.
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You can find the current information about the University’s tuition fees on the tuition fees web page.
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If you are looking for financial support from a government body, you should apply to the awarding body in the country where you usually live.
Scotland
Financial support is provided to students ordinarily residing in Scotland through the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).
England
Details on how to apply for tuition and maintenance loans are available from Student Finance England (SFE).
Wales
Details on how to apply for tuition and maintenance support are available from Student Finance Wales (SFW).
Northern Ireland
Details on how to apply for tuition and maintenance support are available from Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI).
European Union (non-UK) countries
Residents should contact the relevant education authority in their home country to find out what support may be available. The local British Council may also be able to provide guidance.
Non-European Union countries
International students should contact the relevant authority in their home country to find out what financial support may be available to assist with tuition fees and living costs. There are a number of organisations including the British Council and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office that offer scholarships to qualified overseas applicants.
Students from the USA
For information on loans for students who are US citizens, see the US funding page.
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The University offers a number of scholarships for undergraduate students and other financial awards which may cover or partially cover tuition fees, maintenance (living costs including accommodation) or both. These may be held in addition to external funding or awards from a government body. The scholarships team (ugscholarships@st-andrews.ac.uk) recommends reading the terms of award carefully and applying to a range of funding sources.
Scholarships are available based on academic merit and financial need, and there are a variety of scholarships available for home and overseas fee status.
Applicants with refugee status, humanitarian protection, discretionary leave and asylum seeker status can apply for scholarships. The correct tuition fee status will determine which scholarships are available to you. If you have any queries about your fee status, please contact the fees team (fees@st-andrews.ac.uk) for more advice.
Companies, foundations and other external bodies also provide financial help to students studying at home or overseas. Applicants who are resident overseas can usually obtain information on scholarships from their local government, Ministry of Education, an appropriate inter-university organisation, or from the British Council.
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Governmental Discretionary Funds are provided to support UK students. All students encountering unforeseen financial difficulties may be eligible to apply to the University for limited assistance. More information can be found on the Discretionary Fund page.
Students funded by the Students Awards Agency for Scotland who have registered childcare may be eligible to apply to the Childcare Fund via Student Services.
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Some Schools offer vacation grants for the following purposes:
- courses of study at home or abroad during vacations
- courses of study away from the University during term
- practical placements during term at home or abroad.
Further information is available on the School web pages.
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The following terms and conditions apply to all University of St Andrews scholarships, prizes, bursaries and awards (collectively "Awards"). Please note that individual Awards may have additional terms and conditions; if so these specific terms and conditions will be clearly stated within Award information and highlighted to the Award applicant as part of the application process.
Collection and use of personal data
The University will collect and process your personal data to manage Award applications and to manage funds where an Award is made. This could include the passing of personal data to Award sponsors or their equivalent, only for the purposes of managing and monitoring an Award as required by the conditions of funding. The University will also monitor Award applications to comply with financial regulation and may carry out assessments for equality purposes.
To be awarded, a student must:
- Meet all conditions attached to their academic offer, plus any other conditions attached to the Award.
- Matriculate/register on their academic programme by the official start date. Awards cannot not be deferred to a later date without prior written agreement.
- Provide any necessary documentary evidence in the format required upon application.
- Accept the terms and conditions of the individual Award.
To receive and continue to receive payments, a student must:
- Be fully matriculated at the University of St Andrews.
- Meet and continue to meet the required eligibility criteria of the Award.
- Provide and maintain up to date bank details for maintenance payments, if the Award includes maintenance.
- Set a good academic example, e.g. strive for best results, attend classes, finish the course on time and continue to demonstrate the exemplary student attributes/grades by which he/she originally received the Award. If the student fails to do this, the Award may be withdrawn.
It is the Award recipient's responsibility to:
- Inform the Scholarships Team (scholarshipsandfunding@st-andrews.ac.uk) immediately of any academic changes in circumstances including leave of absence, withdrawal or change in conditions stipulated in the Award letter. Failure to do so or delay in doing so may lead to the requirement to repay part or all of any Award already received. Changes in circumstances that mean a student no longer meets the eligibility criteria for an Award may result in the termination of the Award.
- Inform the Scholarships Team (scholarshipsandfunding@st-andrews.ac.uk) immediately of any change in their personal circumstances such as changes in financial status, which may result in them no longer being eligible for this Award.
- Inform the Scholarships Team (scholarshipsandfunding@st-andrews.ac.uk) immediately if they are awarded any other external Awards or external funding.
- Be aware of the University of St Andrews terms and conditions as well as any relevant external body terms and conditions. The University can provide guidance where any conflict may occur.
An Award may be withdrawn for any of the following reasons:
- Where a student has breached the terms of his/her tuition fee payment agreement or Award.
- Where the student has an outstanding debt to the University.
- Where a student becomes subject to disciplinary process.
- If the University becomes aware of any additional information not provided at the time of application affecting eligibility, the Award may be withdrawn and there may be a requirement to repay part or all of any Award already received.
- If a student in receipt of an Award ceases to be fully matriculated and registered.
- When scholarship eligibility has been affected by a change of programme e.g. if a student decides to switch from one academic subject to another during the course of their degree programme and the Award does not apply to the new programme. Similarly, other changes of circumstances (e.g. placements, fieldwork and leaves of absence) may affect eligibility. Advice should be sought prior to a change in circumstance.
- If a student does not meet the University conditions on satisfactory attendance, engagement or academic progress. In this case Awards may be terminated. Read the full terms and conditions of study. There may be a requirement to repay part or all of any Award already received
- If after all reasonable steps have been taken and bank details have not been received from the student or are inaccurate, the student's eligibility is rescinded for that bursary and/or scholarship Award for that academic year.
Limitation of Liability
- Nothing in these terms and conditions shall limit or exclude the University's or the Award applicant's liability for:
- death or personal injury caused by its negligence, or the negligence of its personnel, agents or subcontractors;
- fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
- any other liability which cannot be limited or excluded by applicable law.
Subject to the above bullet point wording, neither the University nor the Award applicant shall have any liability to the other party, whether in contract, delict (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, for any indirect or consequential loss arising under or in connection with these terms and conditions, including (but not limited to) any loss arising from the withdrawal of an Award.
There is an annual cut-off date for unpaid/unclaimed Awards for the preceding academic year — this is currently set at 30 October. After this date, save for the case of exceptional circumstances,* student eligibility for an Award for the preceding academic year will be rescinded.
Information on tuition fees can be found in the fees and funding web pages.
Guidance from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on scholarship income can be found on the HMRC website.
*Exceptional circumstance claims must be made in writing by the student to the Academic Registrar, explaining the circumstances which have led to the student failing to carry out the required action that has prevented the University from calculating and/or paying the Award. The final deadline each year for the submission of claims for such exceptional circumstances is 31 January.