Summer Academic Experience Courses
We are ready for a new Summer Academic Experience!
We are very grateful to all of you for your support during these past few months. That is why we are more determined than ever to make the programme a great success and give you an unforgettable experience.
Applications opening soon
Applications will open on Thursday 01 October 2020. If you have any questions, please email summerstudy@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Course dates
Start date: Saturday 10 July 2021
End date: Saturday 31 July 2021
Course fee
The course fee for 2021 entry is £4,100. This is an all-inclusive fee.
A deposit of £250 must be paid within two weeks of you receiving your conditional offer for the course, or by 05 April 2021, whichever is sooner.
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All of the courses on offer feature teaching from current academic staff (faculty) from the University and offer students the opportunity to experience academic life in one of the UK’s oldest and highest-ranking institutions.
Academic courses:
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Age group
If you are between 16 and 18 years old, on arrival, you can submit an application for a Summer Academic Experience course.
When submitting your application, you must include:
- An academic transcript with strong GCSE grades, A grades, or a minimum 3.2 GPA or equivalent.
- A positive academic reference on headed paper.
English language requirements
The courses are designed for students who have a good level of English. If English is not your first language and you are uncertain as to what this means, please refer to the global CEFR scale – on this scale we would be looking for applicants to be at B2 level. You may also wish to refer to this self-evaluation PDF to help you understand if you are indeed at B2 level.
Visas
Students from outside the EU who will study in the United Kingdom (UK) for less than six months will be issued with a letter of support from the University of St Andrews which you should use to enter the UK as a short-term visiting student. The University will issue a letter of support to you once you have accepted your offer of a place. International students who are ‘visa nationals’ may be required to apply for a short-term student visa prior to entering the UK. For more information, please see our Visas webpage.
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The all-inclusive course fee of £4,100 covers:
- tuition and instruction
- reading material
- lab equipment and sports equipment
- accommodation
- breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
- transportation to and from the airport on arrival and departure
- the extracurricular programme including guest presentations
- field trips
- all cultural and social activities organised
- Sports Centre membership.
It does not include airfare or personal expenditure such as snacks and laundry.
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The University of St Andrews was founded in 1413 and has established a reputation as one of the world’s leading research and teaching centres: an environment which nurtures inquisitive minds and a culture of shared learning. Our consistently high rankings in both global and national league tables place us within the top 100 of world universities and the top three in the UK.
The town of St Andrews provides a unique and picturesque location for our very special university. Situated on the east coast of Scotland, it is about an hour north of Edinburgh.
Wherever you walk, you are reminded of St Andrews' rich and colourful history, with buildings both ancient and modern. The town’s population is approximately 20,000 people, including a diverse mix of locals, students, University staff and tourists. The town also boasts beautiful sandy beaches for a contemplative stroll or beach sports, as well as a vibrant centre home to cafés and independent boutique shops.
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St Andrews is approximately one hour from the capital city, Edinburgh. It is easy to access by both road and rail, with the nearest train station – Leuchars – approximately 10 minutes from the town. There are regular direct buses and trains from central Edinburgh and Glasgow to St Andrews. Many airlines operate direct flights from international destinations to Edinburgh or Glasgow, or a connection to Edinburgh from another major city such as London or New York.
Students arriving at Edinburgh or Glasgow international airports are met on arrival by our staff and transported to St Andrews – this service is included in the programme fee.Find out more about getting to St Andrews.
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SAEC students will be staying at Andrew Melville Hall or Agnes Blackadder Hall.
All SAEC students have guaranteed accommodation, however, en-suite rooms are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Agnes Blackadder Hall, named after the first female graduate of the University, is a four-storey building situated on North Haugh near the various science buildings. It is also located near to the sports centre and is only a 15-minute walk from the centre of town. Agnes Blackadder offers en-suite accommodation.
Andrew Melville Hall is also situated on the North Haugh. Easily recognisable for its ship-like appearance. Every room looks out over surrounding parkland as well as towards the renowned West Sands beach. Students staying at Andrew Melville Hall will have their own room and shared bathrooms.
Boys and girls are grouped, usually on separate floors within the building. Dedicated staff are on duty day and night to provide pastoral care and emergency first aid response, and to ensure students’ safety and well-being. All meals are provided by the University catering team, with breakfast and dinner in the hall and a packed lunch daily so that students may choose to be flexible at lunchtime.
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Breakfast: 7.30 to 9.00
Lectures or tutorials: 9.30 to 12.00
Lunch: 12.00 to 13.30
Lectures or tutorials: 14.00 to 17.00
Dinner: 18.30 to 19.45
Evening activities: from 20.00
Check in and roll call: 22.00
Students in their own rooms: by 23.00
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All courses are complemented by a vast array of extracurricular activities. Students can participate in a number of cultural excursions to places of historic importance or scientific interest, including a full day trip to the city of Edinburgh. Other optional excursions may include, but are not limited to:
- castle visits (Glamis, Stirling, Falkland)
- the Cupar Deer Centre
- various art galleries
- Dundee and the famous RRS Discovery
- Byre Theatre evenings.
There is also an ongoing programme of informal activities provided in the evening and on weekends:
- a talent show
- quiz nights
- movie nights
- slam poetry evening
- readings by famous Scottish poets
- ceilidh (traditional Scottish dancing)
- disco.
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In general, we expect students to behave appropriately and have consideration for others. St Andrews is a small and safe town. Our staff are well trained and will make every effort to ensure students’ well-being; however, students are expected to follow the rules, the directions of staff and take sensible precautions. Students are also obliged to adhere to the University’s code of conduct and the SAEC Mutual Responsibilities Agreement (PDF) which accepted students and their parent or guardian will be asked to sign before attending. Please see the SAEC terms and conditions that relate to the application process.
Any behaviour deemed unacceptable, that puts any person at risk, or any direct violation of explicit rules in the University’s code of conduct or the SAEC MRA will result in a student being sent home and the cost will be borne by the student’s parent or guardian.