Academic support

Students at St Andrews have the opportunity to build on their study skills as part of a programme of academic support and development. This can be particularly helpful for students who are transitioning from school to university, as well as for students who are new to the St Andrews system.

Whether you are an undergraduate or postgraduate student, you are welcome to attend workshops, courses and programmes based on your needs and experience. These could include practical study skills or a subject-specific skills course.

Undergraduate academic support

As an incoming undergraduate student, you are welcome to attend both drop-in sessions with an academic skills tutor and one-on-one sessions.

The University’s Centre for Educational Enhancement and Development (CEED) offers academic support through individual appointments, drop-in sessions, seminars and online resources. CEED is able to offer guidance on a wide range of topics, including:

  • academic and study skills (e.g. planning and writing essays, note-taking, citing and referencing, managing time)
  • mathematics and statistics support (for modules not based in the School of Mathematics and Statistics)
  • IT skills.

CEED and Careers also deliver two awards, the Saints Skills Builder Award and the Saints Spotlight Award, known collectively as the Saints Skills Awards. Each award will help to enhance your employability, either by developing a range of skills or by learning how best to articulate these skills. These skills are highly valued by employers and are a good addition to your CV. 

A number of academic Schools have their own programmes of academic skills workshops in place, led by experienced postgraduates.

Postgraduate academic support

There are a number of specific skills courses on offer for postgraduate students. If you are an incoming postgraduate student studying a taught course, you have the opportunity to engage with the M-Skills programme, an extra-curricular programme of workshops, lectures, online resources, and mentoring schemes designed to equip you with a range of useful skills and experiences for your studies at St Andrews and beyond. The programme includes networking events, academic and study skills, and professional skills.

If you’re planning on coming to St Andrews for a postgraduate research programme, you may wish to take the GRADskills programme, a suite of workshops, networking events and activities designed to improve your research capabilities and widen your employability both inside and outside academia.

For the academic year 2020-21 M-Skills and GRADskills will be accessed through St Leonard's College.