Once you arrive
The day you arrive in St Andrews is an exciting and busy time. If you are travelling from abroad, you should first figure out how to get to St Andrews.
As an international exchange or study abroad student, you will need to take some extra steps to make sure you complete all the necessary requirements after you arrive.
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eVisas
All Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) cards expire on 31 December 2024. Create your eVisa account now.
If you are an international student with a Student visa for six months or more, you will need to collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) when you arrive in the United Kingdom. You have ten days from entry into the UK to do this.
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You first step on arrival will be to settle in to your hall of residence (unless you have other living arrangements). You will be met at your hall by a wardennial team who will help you settle in and give you important information about residence life. If you plan to arrive before this date, you will need to arrange private accommodation in St Andrews.
Find out more about:
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You’ll probably want to get connected as soon as possible so that you don’t miss any important emails. Find out how to access the internet.
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Orientation and Matriculation takes place the week before teaching starts at St Andrews, beginning on Friday 24 January 2025 with Advising and Matriculation. This week includes various events and activities dedicated to preparing you for studies at St Andrews, supporting you with your registration at the University, and helping you to meet other new students and have some fun.
In addition to the information below, the University’s Orientation webpages offer further guidance on planning for your arrival and key information to be aware of as you embark on your journey at St Andrews. Please read these pages carefully to ensure you do not miss any Orientation essentials and next steps. Our other top tip is to download the Orientation app which is where you will find all University-wide events – we highly recommend doing one of the library tours and checking out the other activities you can join in with during your Orientation week!
Wednesday 22 January 2025 - Accommodation
Students who have organised University accommodation will be able to pick up their student ID cards at their respective Halls of Residence reception desk.
Please refer to your accommodation contract and look out for emails from the accommodation team for details on when and where to arrive and pick up your keys.
Friday 24 January 2025, from 9am - Advising and Matriculation, Gateway Building
Before teaching begins you must attend Advising and Matriculation in person. Matriculation for exchange and study abroad students will take place at The Gateway Building and attendance is compulsory. During the matriculation event, you will attend a UK Visas and Immigration check. Please remember to bring your passport and visa or biometric residence permit where applicable.
Note: students who do not require a visa to study in the UK will still be required to complete an identity check, so please bring your passport and boarding pass (or other evidence of your entry and departure dates) with you to matriculation.
You will also meet with your academic adviser to discuss module choices and have them approved. Advising meetings will be held between 9am and 2pm in the Gateway Building. We recommended that you bring a copy of your up-to-date transcript to aid the advising process and you must complete pre-advising before attending your in-person appointment
Note for postgraduate taught students: Advising meetings for postgraduate taught students may take place on a different day where they are arranged by appointment and students should contact their advisor of studies as soon as possible once they have been allocated one.
If you are unable to attend matriculation, please inform the Global Office as soon as possible by emailing studyabroad@st-andrews.ac.uk so that we can offer further guidance and support.
Thursday 23 January 2025, 10am to 12pm - Student Wellbeing and Academic Culture Session (location to be confirmed)
This essential information session will be split into two parts and attendance is mandatory.
The first half will cover student wellbeing, with a focus on accessing support and healthcare, while at St Andrews. Taking care of your health and wellbeing during your studies is important and navigating a different health system in a new country can be tricky. This session will give you the information you need to feel confident accessing support and health services while here.
The second half will focus on the academic culture at St Andrews. Teaching and learning styles may be different from what you are used to at your home institution. This session will give you the best chance of settling into our academic culture quickly and help to prepare you for a successful academic journey at St Andrews.
“Welcome to Scotland” Pub Quiz (date, time and location to be confirmed)
Don’t miss the opportunity to show off your Scottish knowledge and meet other study abroad and exchange students in our “Welcome to Scotland” pub quiz. Prepare to answer a wide variety of questions about Scotland from arts and culture to history and geography.
The focus is having a good time, meeting new people, and showing off your Scottish expertise. All are welcome and we hope to see you there!
Global Office Consultation Hours
The Global Office runs student consultation hours, during term time, from 10am to 12noon and 2pm to 4pm on Monday to Friday. We will be holding consultation hours from Orientation week onwards, so do drop-in if you have any questions, need our help with signing documents for your home University, or just to say hello and find out where our office is. Current students can also book an online appointment with a member of the Global Office team.
Please note for the current Orientation schedule that changes to event locations or dates/times may occur at short notice. We recommend checking the Global Office social media platforms for regular updates prior to and during Orientation week.
January 2025 Orientation
Further details about Orientation events for January 2025 entrants will be announced closer to the time. Please check back at a later date for further updates.
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If you are studying under a Student visa, you should register with a doctor. You are encouraged to do this as soon as possible so that you will already be registered in case any medical concerns arise. Find out how to register with a doctor.
Students studying for only one semester will have to register as soon as possible after arrival. Shorter term students can request consultations at one of St Andrews local practices.
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Most banks will provide overseas students with a basic account when they are in the UK. However, if you are here for six months or less, your options may be limited.
A basic bank account will allow you to:
- access cash via a cash machine
- set up direct debits or standing orders.
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You will be supported throughout your time at St Andrews, whether you need advice on academic matters or help with personal issues.
The full range of student support services can be found on the advice and support pages. The following services may be of particular help to study abroad students:
Study abroad consultation hours
Current students can book an appointment with a member of the Global Office team. Most appointments are virtual this semester, but we also have a small number of in-person appointments available at St Katharine’s West. Please note that drop-ins are currently unavailable and all students must book an appointment slot in advance.
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The Advice and Support Centre (ASC)
The ASC is a drop-in service open from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm, and offers help with financial, personal or academic queries.
The Advice and Support Centre
University of St Andrews
79 North Street
St Andrews
KY16 9ALEmail: theasc@st-andrews.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)1334 462020Academic skills support (CEED)
CEED provides a wide range of academic study skills support to help students throughout their university studies. Students can make individual
appointments, attend seminars and utilise online guides and resources among other things. For further information, please visit academic and study skills support. Academic English Service (AES)
The Academic English Service (AES) offers free workshops, tutorials and online materials for all St Andrews students who use English as a second or additional language.
Support for international students
There is a range of support available for international students, whether you need help applying for a visa or advice on travelling to the UK. Please visit support for international students to explore the support available.
Student Health Hub
The Student Health Hub is an office located within the St Andrews Community Hospital operated by University staff who understand how to help you access health advice quickly.
For any health concerns, please contact the Student Health Helpline on +44 (0)1334 465777 or visit the health issues pages for further information.
Wellbeing, counselling and mental health
The University's wellbeing advisers are frontline staff members who will listen and provide advice on a broad range
of issues. To make an appointment, please call +44 (0)1334 462020 or email support.advice@st-andrews.ac.uk. Find out more about how the wellbeing advisers can help. -
All new inbound Study Abroad and Exchange students should take a look at the St Andrews terminology pages so that you can familiarise yourself with the academic terms and policies at the University.
There is also a glossary of useful terms that outlines and defines many terms relating to academic advising.
You should also familiarise yourself with the Module Management System (MMS), an online system used for submitting coursework, returning feedback, and processing exam results, and Moodle, an online system used for providing course materials.