Summer Academic Experience Courses

• Courses on offer

  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:

  • Arts and Social Sciences
  • Biological and Earth Sciences
  • Creative Writing
  • Management, Economics and Entrepreneurship
  • Medicine
  • Moral Philosophy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
  • Physical Science, Mathematics and Computer Science
  • Psychology and Neuroscience
  • Making Scotland: Many Stories, One Nation
  • Sustainable Development
  • World Literature

• Application information

  Applications for SAEC 2020 courses are now open.

  Apply now

  The Summer Academic Experience Courses 2020 entry fee is £4,100.

  This all-inclusive fee 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.

  Entry requirements

  An academic transcript with strong GCSE grades, A grades, or a minimum 3.2 GPA or equivalent, and a positive academic reference on headed paper.

  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. The visa application fee is £97 for 2019-2020. For more information, please see our Visas webpage.

  We recommend that you do not fly to the UK via Dublin, Ireland, as this causes problems with immigration into the UK. If you enter the UK via this route you will be required to leave the country after two weeks and return again to complete the appropriate immigration checks.

  eGates

  The UK Border Force has recently extended the list of nationalities who may use the eGates on arrival in the UK. As well as EU and EEA students, international students from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States of America may now use the eGates. Any students from these international destinations who are coming to study in the UK for less than six months will still need to see an officer and get a stamp in their passport unless they have applied for entry clearance before travel.
  If you are from one of the newly added international countries and are coming to study in the UK for less than six months you should not use the eGates. If you do so, you will have to leave the UK and re-enter within one month to obtain a stamp, which is a concession from the Home Office within the current rules.

• How to pay your fees

  Students can pay their deposit and the balance of their fees through bank transfer or by credit card. See more on how to make a payment.

• The University and town

  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.

• Getting to St Andrews

  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.

• Accommodation

  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.

• Typical day

  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

• Social and cultural activities

  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.

• Scholarships

  Applications for scholarships are now closed

  If you have a question about your SAEC scholarship application please contact summerstudy@st-andrews.ac.uk.

  The University of St Andrews aims to be a beacon for diversity and social responsibility, and to pursue the most effective ways to make a St Andrews education accessible to all who may benefit from it. In support of this strategy, the Summer Academic Experience Courses is delighted to offer a number of scholarships in 2020.

  The Worldwide Scholarship

  The University offers one fully funded place on the Summer Academic Experience Courses (SAEC) in 2020. This scholarship covers the entire all-inclusive fee of £4,100 for the duration of the SAEC but does not cover pocket money or the cost of travel. The Worldwide Scholarship is awarded to a deserving student who is academically excellent and who can show financial need for the award. 

  Eligibility

  • Geographical criteria: none
  • Year of course: 2020
  • Academic criteria: excellent academic grades in high school (e.g. strong GCSE grades, A grades, or a minimum 3.6 GPA or equivalent). 
  • Other criteria: selection is also based on financial need. 

  The Europe Scholarships, major and minor

  The University offers two part-funded places on the Summer Academic Experience Courses (SAEC) in 2020 for students from high schools in Europe. These two scholarships cover 50% and 25%, respectively, of the all-inclusive fee of £4,100 for the duration of the SAEC but do not cover pocket money or the cost of travel. The Europe Scholarships are awarded to two deserving students who have shown themselves to be of commendable academic merit.

  Eligibility

  • Geographical criteria: High school in Europe (including Russia)
  • Year of course: 2020
  • Academic criteria: commendable academic grades in high school (e.g. strong GCSE grades, A or B grades, or a minimum 3.2 GPA or equivalent).

  The Africa and Middle East Scholarships, major and minor

  The University offers two part- funded places on The Summer Academic Experience Courses (SAEC) in 2020 for students from high schools in Africa or the Middle East. These two scholarships cover 50% and 25%, respectively, of the all-inclusive fee of £4,100 for the duration of the SAEC but do not cover pocket money or the cost of travel. The Africa and Middle East Scholarships are awarded to two deserving students who have shown themselves to be of commendable academic merit.

  Eligibility

  • Geographical criteria: High school in Africa or in the Middle East
  • Year of course: 2020
  • Academic criteria: excellent academic grades in high school (e.g. strong GCSE grades, A grades, or a minimum 3.2 GPA or equivalent).
  • Other criteria: selection is also based on financial need.

  The Asia and Australasia Scholarships, major and minor

  The University offers four part-funded places on the Summer Academic Experience Courses (SAEC) in 2020 for students from high schools in Asia or Australasia. These four scholarships cover 50% (two scholarships) and 25% (two scholarships), respectively, of the all-inclusive fee of £4,100 for the duration of the SAEC but do not cover pocket money or the cost of travel. The Asia and Australasia Scholarships are awarded to two deserving students who have shown themselves to be of commendable academic merit.

  Eligibility

  • Geographical criteria: High school in Asia or Australasia (including Turkey, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia)
  • Year of course: 2020
  • Academic criteria: commendable academic grades in high school (e.g. strong GCSE grades, A or B grades, or a minimum 3.2 GPA or equivalent)
  • Proof of English language proficiency may be requested where appropriate.

  The Americas Scholarships, major and minor

  The University offers two part-funded places on the Summer Academic Experience Courses (SAEC) in 2020 for students from high schools in North, Central or South America (including Hawaii). These two scholarships cover 50% and 25%, respectively, of the all-inclusive fee of £4,100 for the duration of the SAEC but do not cover pocket money or the cost of travel. The Americas Scholarships are awarded to two deserving students who have shown themselves to be of commendable academic merit. 

  Eligibility

  • Geographical criteria: High school in North, Central or South America
  • Year of course: 2020
  • Academic criteria: commendable academic grades in high school (e.g. strong GCSE grades, A or B grades, or a minimum 3.2 GPA or equivalent).

• 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.

• Terms and conditions

  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.