St Andrews - Ask A Current Student Thread

I only know a couple people who'd go to Edinburgh for a night out. It's a bit of a long journey to have a good night out! Students are more likely to go to Dundee which is much closer and has decent clubs and a superb Student Union.

Freshers at St Andrews depends on what you like to do! I found mine very busy and hectic which came from me trying to have a go at everything. There's an event every day of Freshers week in 601(The Student Union "Club") I think they differ year by year but usually, one of the big ones is "Clan Warfare" which is basically all the Halls of Residences competing against each other. You dress up in your hall colours and head along to 601! I really enjoyed Freshers week and I met some of my closest friends from it.

There are a tonne of traditions in St Andrews, most stem from history and have been modified for the 21st century.

One of the iconic ones are the red academic gowns; perhaps the most recognisable way to spot a student from St Andrews. You wear them during the weekly pier walk, formal dinners, the weekly public debate, etc.

The major tradition in St Andrews is academic families. In your 1st year, you will get adopted by a3rd year. Families differ person by person but I got mine through a society I am involved in. Other people get adopted on nights out, in hall, randomly, etc

These academic families are there to give new students some form of support when they come in. I've met some good friends through my academic families!

The next big tradition that stems from academic families is Raisin weekend. It has an infamous reputation because of the booze culture surrounding it. (Although there is no pressure to drink!

You start on Sunday with a "tea party" with your academic mum. This involves drinking games, fun things, and a lot of alcohol. You then go on a pub crawl/attend house parties/go out. I was woken up at 6 am to get to my academic mum's house and didn't go to bed at 2 am the next day.

If drinking isn't your thing then there is no pressure to participate. One person in our academic family didn't drink but they still participated.

The day after raisin Sunday is raisin Monday. Your academic parents will have some form of costume for you and you have a huge foam fight. I'm super disappointed you only get to be 1st year once as raisin weekend was unforgettable and I'd love to do it again!

If you have any further questiosn or want me to expand on anything let me know.

Do you know what the churches in St. Andrews are like? I currently go to a more modern Hilsongs type church and was just wondering if there was anything like that in/near St Andrews?

Also I’m hoping to apply for Computer Science at St Andrews next year and have been to the open day, but I just wanted to hear from a students perspective, what’s the CS course here really like?

1. Are there people from south america??
2. Do you know anything about the psychology department??
3. How is the food if you choose catered??

Hi, I have a few questions:

1. I understand that you study three subjects in the first year, if the subject you applied for has a requirement of, say, AAB and you want to study a subject that had an application requirement of AAA are you allowed to do this, or not?

2. What is the night life like? I'm sure this has been answered elsewhere lol

3. I know this can't really be quantified, but broadly speaking how does St Andrews lean politically?

1. Your A level grades only matter for your degree subject. So you need the AAB or whatever to start your history degree, but you don't need any specific grade to take a classical studies module.

@SaintsGrad

@CollectiveSoul

Do we get a summer reading list, and if so when?

Also, is there an annual ski trip (I’ve heard there is but am not 100% sure)

Despite being neither of those people you tagged...

You can check out reading lists here http://resourcelists.st-andrews.ac.uk/index.html

Snowsports club do a ski trip in January, here's the page for last year http://www.standrewssnowsports.com/trip

Thank you!! Are you a current St Andrews student? Ive applied and put it as my firm and I can’t wait to start in September!!!

I'm not a student any more (graduated a few years ago now), but I work here

Hi, could anyone who is studying the MLitt in International Security studies what degree class most people get in with?

It says that the minimum is a "strong 2:1". For context, the political violence and terrorism MLitt requires a "good 2:1".

Hi! With the undergraduate UCAS deadline in 5 days, I have still yet to firm my offers. I'm currently in a dilemma between St. Andrews and Edinburgh, need help in choosing between the two! I've applied for Arabic and Middle East Studies in St. A but Middle Eastern Studies in Edinburgh. I kind of prefer the St. A course, though what's putting me off is people telling me how 'cut off' the location is and how there's not much to do there? Any thoughts?

wasn't the UCAS deadline a few weeks ago?!

i was worried about the potential isolation too before i arrived (i firmed without even visiting), but i can honestly tell you it's quite the opposite. it's a bustling student town and if you feel isolated there is literally no reason why you can't take a trip to edinburgh every 2-3 weeks which is literally just 1.5 hours away, shorter than many Londoners commutes! st andrews itself has like 2 high streets and 2 half high streets, several supermarkets, A list celebs on the old golf course and loads of society stuff

i've said before i suspect going to a London uni would feel much more isolating as you're the small % of students in a city with 9 million people, few of whom will be fellow students in all the bars and pubs etc.