University of St Andrews

St Andrews - Ask A Current Student Thread

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Reply 4280

samantha_1112

New Hall was v. similar, earlier lunches but otherwise much the same.

University of St Andrews

Reply 4281

ImperceptibleNinja

I think smaller halls run their mealtimes for shorter periods, whereas bigger halls have meals going longer to get everyone served. They are usually centrer around a similar time, though.

Reply 4282

juss

Anyone have recommendations for classes they enjoyed from their first year for my third module after the beginning maths and philosophy courses? I'm looking for something interesting and well-taught, but which won't end up stealing the majority of my study time.

Reply 4283

Luser

Linguistics was interesting.

Reply 4284

Ignatius

I'm doing management simply because it should help with my future employability.

I know that wasn't one of your criteria though.

Reply 4285

fg08

Does somebody know if it is more likely to get a single room in one of the catered halls like Sallys and Regs if you are an international student?
My second question is if they are pairing international students from the same countries, because I dont want to end up with a flatmate from the same country as I would speak to much in my native tongue then.

Reply 4286

Murphyen

fg08

If you're a first year then you are highly unlikely to get a single room in an old catered hall. Single rooms are generally kept for returning students.

They don't seem to pair international students with others of the same country as a rule. That said, my girlfriend was paired with another American last year so there doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule. If you've had your accommodation offer it may be worthwhile emailing accommodation services and asking them to send your email on to your future room mate - that way you can get chatting before the semester begins?

Reply 4287

Ombre_Rouge

I am an American international student who was made an unconditional offer to read English (which is, of course, part of the Arts Faculty). I am considering pursuing a joint course, perhaps with psychology (which can lead to a BSc or an MA) as one of my subjects. More recently, I've toyed with the idea of trying a biology module first semester; I received the highest score possible - a 5 - on the AP Biology test and am interested in evolution, genetics, and animal behaviour.

Is it possible for a first-year Arts student to take a module in a science and then switch over to the Science Faculty after year two? Or must the Arts and Sciences students remain exclusively within their respective faculties?

If it is possible, I plan to choose between English and biology after my second year; if English wins, my psychology degree would be an Arts degree, and if biology wins, my psychology would be a Sciences degree.

Thanks for the help!

Reply 4288

Murphyen

Ombre_Rouge

It's incredibly tricky to change faculty. My flatmate this year was accepted for Biology with French (BSc) but found he was more interested in studying French. I know he spoke to his advisors about the possibility of changing to Arts in order to study an MA in French and leaving Biology behind but he was never allowed. I think you're likely to encounter similar difficulties.

You can, however, take a module from outside of your faculty. I'm almost certain you'd not be permitted to take two modules from science if you're an arts student.

As with most things you'll need to speak to your advisor when you get here!

Reply 4289

Ombre_Rouge

Murphyen

Thanks so much for the info! I'll speak to my advisor about it when I arrive for freshers week. In the meantime, I'll do a bit of research on which biology modules are offered...

Reply 4290

sophie_c

Murphyen

Was this Mr Richardson by any chance?

He couldn't change, yet stay in the same year as the French for Science that we study is different to the "normal" French module in which you study literature etc, so we haven't the requisits for the 2nd year literature french modules. However, another French for Science student in our class (who is on TSR somewhere too) has decided to quit, and purely study French in the arts faculty, BUT he is having to start again from 1st year in Sept.

Yep, best to discuss with your adviser, and see what the best plan of action is :smile:

good luck!

Reply 4291

sophie_c

Ombre_Rouge

Thanks so much for the info! I'll speak to my advisor about it when I arrive for freshers week. In the meantime, I'll do a bit of research on which biology modules are offered...

In 1st semester there is "Cell Biology and Genetics" (BL1001), and in 2nd semester there is Molecular Biology (BL1201) and Biology of Organisms (BL1002). Cell Bio and Genetics and Mol Bio are the only ones that are compulsary if you want to continue bio in 2nd year.

If you have any qus about any of these, please ask, I did them all :smile:

Reply 4292

Beanybob

I'm starting at St Andrews in September this year, but so far I have done NOTHING to get ready and I'm starting to fret a bit. :o:

What should I have done by this stage?? Like should I have found reading lists and bought books and whatnot, and what happens about tution fees? I've applied to saas, so do they just sort that all out? And how and when do I pay for my accomodation?

Basically I'm clueless.... :frown:

Reply 4293

sophie_c

Beanybob

I'm starting at St Andrews in September this year, but so far I have done NOTHING to get ready and I'm starting to fret a bit. :o:

Haha, don't worry! You're probs a lot more organised than I was at this stage last year!

Reading lists I think depend on your subject (for example, I'm studying Biology and we never seem to get reading lists), and books you don't really need to worry about, if you get a list before uni, then of course you could start buying a few, but it doesn't matter too much as there's a uni bookshop in the student union that sells all the books...most books may be cheaper on amazon, but there are some that they package together and do deals on (ie Biology). And if you do get here and find Amazon is the cheapest way to buy them, they'll be delivered in a few days, in which you're unlikely to need them, or if you do could get them out the library!

And SAAS, if you ticked the box when applying (i think on the same list asking if you're wanting healthcare funding and income-based support etc, they'll sort out the tuition fees for you. When coming to uni, you'll just have to bring a letter that saas will give you to matriculation (but then matriculation is changing to online this year, so I don't know quite what's going to happen, but don't worry I'm sure all will be explained when the time comes!).

Accommodation, you'll get sent info on setting up an account with the Old Union, and you'll have a choice of ways to pay, the easiest is probs the direct debit and they'll just take the money from your account on the set dates (it's usually 2 payments).

So yeh, think you're fine! Only thing you may have to think about if you haven't already, is module choices!

:smile:

Reply 4294

leemkule

How lenient are St Andrews with the use of the network in halls to download? :ninja:

Reply 4295

Oogamy

That's my sort of question: something useful to the nerds among us.

Reply 4296

Oxy

leemkule

How lenient are St Andrews with the use of the network in halls to download? :ninja:

I bet there is some kind of fair usage policy in force and if they detect your hogging the bandwidth they throttle your speeds. Something along those lines?

Reply 4297

M_E_X

leemkule

How lenient are St Andrews with the use of the network in halls to download? :ninja:

Oxy

I bet there is some kind of fair usage policy in force and if they detect your hogging the bandwidth they throttle your speeds. Something along those lines?

You won't be able to torrent/P2P because all the relevent ports are blocked.

I've never heard of a fair usage policy here, and I don't know anyone who has had one. Basically I think you can do as much as you like of what's allowed.