Frequently asked questions

• How do I include the University in my will?

  Leaving a legacy gift is an important decision, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are the basic steps: 

  1. State in your will that you would like to leave a gift to the University of St Andrews. We recommend using a solicitor or professional will-writer to make sure your will is legal and valid.
  2. Include our full name, to make sure the money goes to the right place: University of St Andrews (Charity Number: SC013532)
  3. If you would like your gift to go towards a specific area of the University, please contact us to discuss this.
  4. If you have already written us into your will, we’re very grateful and would love it if you could let us know so that we can thank you personally.

• How do I find out more information about leaving a gift in my will to support research, for example, into dementia?

  Our Legacies Manager, Katrina Bell, will be delighted to discuss the broad range of world-leading research being undertaken at the University that would welcome such support. Katrina can be contacted by calling +44 (0)1334 462105 or +44 (0)7565200707 or by email at keb32@st-andrews.ac.uk.

  At present, Professor Frank Gunn-Moore and his colleagues in the School of Biology are leading ground-breaking research in to dementia. Further information on this can be found below:

  • Biomedical Sciences Research Complex
  • Mackenzie Institute for Early Diagnosis
  • Saints Talk: The Neurobiology of Alzheimer’s Disease by Professor Frank Gunn-Moore (YouTube)

  Suggested wording for such a bequest would be along the lines of “I give to the University Court of the University of St Andrews (Scottish Charity Number SCO13532) Fife, Scotland, the sum of [in words, preferably index linked] or a [in words] percentage share of the residue of my estate, to be used for research into dementia.”

• Is there any impact on Inheritance Tax liability by leaving a gift to the University in my will?

  The University of St Andrews is a registered charity, Scottish Charity Number SC013532, and, as such, bequests to the University are exempt from UK Inheritance Tax. Any bequest given as part of your will planning can help to reduce your estate’s Inheritance Tax bill.

  The current nil rate band  is £325,000, with some exemptions, and a residential nil rate band of £175,000 where a home is left to a direct descendant.

  You can cut the Inheritance Tax rate on the rest of your estate from 40% to 36% if you leave at least 10% of your net estate to charity. Lifetime gifts are exempt from Inheritance Tax, and can also have the benefit of gift aid relief resulting in a reduction in personal income tax liability.  

  More information can be found on the UK Government inheritance tax advice page and you may wish to consult your solicitor or tax advisor regarding your own particular circumstances.

• I don’t know how much my estate will be on my passing away, given life’s uncertainties with potential care home fees and other imponderables. Any advice?

  None of us know what lies ahead, and so a way of covering this uncertainty is to leave a percentage share of the residue of your estate, thus whatever your estate may be can go to those you wish, in the proportion you wish.

• Is there a minimum amount for a legacy gift?

  No, there is no minimum amount. A gift of any size is gratefully received and will translate into knowledge, ideas, and potential at the University, for the benefit of us all.

• I received a grant which helped me come to study at St Andrews. This opportunity set me on the road to a fantastic career, for which I am most grateful. Is it possible to leave a gift to support someone following in my footsteps?

  Yes, there are numerous ways to support students in financial need, from providing financial support with living costs to those from less advantaged backgrounds, to providing additional support to those from traditionally under-represented backgrounds, or to students who have experienced disadvantage in their schooling. Our Legacies Manager, Katrina Bell, will be delighted to discuss these options further.

• Can I add a legacy gift to the University without re-doing my will?

  Yes, your solicitor should be able to prepare a codicil adding a gift without the necessity of redrafting your existing will.

  Questions regarding any aspect of gifts in your will or legacies can be made to Katrina Bell, Legacies Manager, by email at keb32@st-andrews.ac.uk, by phone on +44 (0)1334 462105 or +44 (0)7565200707, or by mail to the address below.

  Katrina Bell
  Legacies Manager
  Development
  Crawford Building
  91 North Street
  St Andrews
  KY16 9AJ

• I would like to donate my body

  Please find more information about body donation on the School of Medicine's body donation page.

• Information for Solicitors and Executors

  If you are a solicitor with an enquiry on behalf of a client or dealing with the administration of an estate, the Legacies Team will be happy to answer any questions about gifts to the University and provide any information you require. 

  If you are the executor of an estate, we are also delighted to help. 

  Our charity gift details are: 

  University of St Andrews, charity number SC013532, Development, Crawford Building, 91 North Street, St Andrews, KY16 9AJ.