Course type: International Year One

This is the University’s own pre-degree programme which prepares international students for undergraduate study in the UK and at the University of St Andrews in particular. Upon successful completion, students progress to the second year of an eligible undergraduate degree at the University.

Course dates

The schedule for this programme differs slightly from the standard University semester dates. From the programme start date to end date there will be teaching, in-class revision or assessment weeks, and independent learning weeks. There will also be winter vacation and inter-semester weeks, and a Spring vacation week in Semester 2. Detailed information is provided in programme handbook, and may be subject to change.

Who is this course for?

International students who are academically able, but whose high school qualification is not recognised for application to an undergraduate degree at the University of St Andrews.

Who can apply

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

See typical academic requirements for this programme. If your qualification is not shown, email ifp@st-andrews.ac.uk about the grades needed from your high school system.

You can demonstrate that you have met the academic requirements with a high school transcript from your final year at school. Any high school qualification you use as evidence of your academic ability should be from the last year you attended high school and dated within the previous three years.

You should apply before your final results are available, as the University can make you a conditional offer based on your past exam performance and predicted grades.

English language requirement

All International Foundation applicants must submit a Secure English Test (SELT) as evidence of their English language ability, unless they do not require a student visa to study in the UK.

See a list of approved English language tests and required scores for this programme.

You do not need to have your result when you apply, as this can be a condition of an offer made by the University.

Do I need to have studied this subject before?

You need to have studied sciences at school. Strong grades in biology, mathematics or integrated sciences would make your application more competitive.

Application requirements

The University will ask you to provide the following documents as part of your application:

your most recent high school transcript
a personal statement
an academic reference from your high school on their letterhead or from a school email
your official English language test result

Application deadline

The deadline for applications is Monday 14 July 2025. You only need to provide your high school transcript and personal statement when you submit your application. You can provide your academic reference and your English language evidence later.

How to apply

Course details

This programme is designed to help international students succeed as undergraduates in the School of Biology, with a focus on molecular biology, at the University of St Andrews.

The course aims to ensure that you develop the analytical, communication, and research skills, as well as the study techniques, needed for your degree. The structure of the programme will provide you with dedicated support in the first semester when it is most needed, but progressively encourages you to work independently and collaboratively.

The programme's modules will prepare you for your future degree subject and train you to research and communicate your ideas effectively.

Students on this programme will:

look at different academic texts, including research papers, textbooks, webpages and essays, and you will be asked to write some of these too
consider how convincing arguments in science are constructed and will discuss the ethical issues involved, including the use of artificial intelligence
learn how to present and discuss ideas with other students to improve your confidence in academic tutorials and seminars

Foundation Inorganic and Physical Chemistry: develops your existing knowledge and understanding of inorganic and physical chemistry. This module mirrors the organic and physical content of the first-year Chemistry degree course at the University of St Andrews.

Biology 1: introduces you to molecular and cellular biology. This module covers cell diversity and the origins of life, cellular structures and fundamental processes. The central dogma of molecular biology is investigated through the examination of the structure and function of DNA, RNA and proteins, and how this knowledge led to modern developments in biotechnology. You’ll study molecular and population genetics with an emphasis on the process of evolution.

Communicating in Academic Contexts 1: helps you to develop and practise productive and receptive academic spoken communication skills to use within the International Foundation programme and in your undergraduate programme.

Research and Writing for Science A: explores a range of academic functions, including features of academic style and organisation, academic grammar and vocabulary. You will learn how to evaluate the reliability of a variety of published texts and develop your own academic voice. The aim is to improve your overall academic literacy but with a focus on the texts you need to write for science.

The modules listed here are indicative, and there is no guarantee they will run for 2025 entry. Module content is subject to change. Take a look at the most up-to-date modules in the module catalogue.

Foundation Physiology 1: explores the physiological systems in the human body. This module includes the study of cell structure, cell function and cell membranes, homeostasis, temperature regulation, metabolism and enzymes, the endocrine system, the nervous system and circulatory, respiratory and digestive systems.

Organic and Biological Chemistry 1: includes the structure, stereochemistry and nomenclature of simple organic compounds, fundamental organic reaction mechanisms, organic functional groups and their reactions, introductory bioorganic chemistry, and organic spectroscopy.

Communicating in Academic Contexts 2: helps you to further develop and practise productive and receptive academic oral communication skills that you will need in your degree programme.

Research and Writing for Science B: further develops the skills introduced in Research and Writing Skills for Science A in Semester 1. You will be working more specifically on more extended research skills using references and using them to support arguments in science.

The modules listed here are indicative, and there is no guarantee they will run for 2025 entry. Module content is subject to change. Take a look at the most up-to-date modules in the module catalogue.

Teaching

Classes take place Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm. You will spend approximately 16 hours per week on focused learning activities. These may be live lectures, laboratory practicals, seminars or tutorials. Seminar classes are typically scheduled in groups of no more than 16 students.

As well as your timetabled classes, you will be expected to complete approximately 20 to 25 hours of independent study each week. As a fully matriculated student, you have access to the University’s libraries and study areas, but you will also work with the University's online learning tools (Moodle and Microsoft Teams).

Students are expected to do the following to prepare for classes and consolidate their learning:

read and take notes from online or hard copy textbooks, articles, and other online sources as required
undertake additional research and self-study through the University library and online
complete a range of homework tasks, individually and in groups
engage with feedback on both formative and summative assessments

There are assessments as part of each module. These may include:

academic essays
end-of-module examinations (in-person or online)
tests
speaking and listening exam
integrated skills exams (which include reading and writing on a topic)
leading and participating in seminars
a presentation
research projects
lab/practical or field trip reports

The grade from each module contributes to the final programme grade. Each module handbook will include further information on assessment.

Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements.

To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale.

The University’s Student Services team can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long-term medical conditions or learning disabilities. More information can be found on the students with disabilities web page.

Fees

The tuition fee for 2025 entry is £26,380. This fee includes:

access to all University facilities
a transfer from Edinburgh or Glasgow airport, or Leuchars train station, when you first arrive
the use of course books, handouts and other course materials

See further information on how to pay your International Foundation fees.

Fee guarantee

Students who progress onto the second year of their degree programme in 2026 will pay the undergraduate fees at the 2025-2026 undergraduate entry price, rather than the 2026-2027 price. Fees will be adjusted annually, typically ranging between 3% and 5%, to reflect inflationary pressures to which we may be exposed.

The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to students each year.

Kinnessburn Scholarship

Students who successfully complete their International Foundation programme (IFP) at the University, with the required merit grade, and who move onto a degree at the University of St Andrews, will be eligible to apply for the Kinnessburn scholarship.

This scholarship is awarded to two students annually in July. It provides a partial fee waiver for each year of study on an undergraduate programme at the University, and an Ambassador's role to support future IFP students.

Undergraduate scholarships

During their first semester, students on the International Foundation programme will receive a conditional offer for a degree programme at the University of St Andrews. With this offer, students can apply to any of the undergraduate scholarships for which they are eligible.

Accommodation

IELLI recommends that you request an en suite single room with either a self-catered or catered package as this ensures you have a place close to your classes and with other International Foundation students.

University accommodation is guaranteed for International Foundation students. More information on the International Foundation accommodation webpage.

Your future

Studying your degree at the University of St Andrews

Students who meet the requirements for second year entry in the Faculty of Science have the option to progress onto a single Honours degree.

Students on this programme can progress onto the following degrees:

To progress onto a degree at the University of St Andrews, students must achieve a minimum grade of 11.0 in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) modules, and a minimum grade of 7.0 in all other modules. Modules are marked according to the University’s 20-point scale.

Your undergraduate offer

Students entering the Molecular Biological Sciences (International Year One) programme in September 2025 will receive a conditional offer in Semester 1 for a place on their intended degree programme at the University of St Andrews starting in September 2026.

When you successfully complete the programme with the required grades listed above, your offer to enter the degree programme at St Andrews will become unconditional.

Join a live question and answer session

IELLI offers question and answer sessions to prospective International Foundation students who would like more information about St Andrews, university life and the application process at the University.

Meet us in your country

Staff of the University of St Andrews are always pleased to meet prospective students in person. We visit many schools, colleges and higher education fairs to talk about the University and provide support and information for those thinking about applying.

Find out how you can meet us in your country.

Online information events

Join us for one of our online information events where you can find out about different levels of study and specific courses we run.

Careers advice

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.

Contact us

Email: ifp@st-andrews.ac.uk
Address: International Education and Lifelong Learning Institute (IELLI)

University of St Andrews
Kinnessburn
Kennedy Gardens
St Andrews
KY16 9DJ

International Education and Lifelong Learning Institute (IELLI) website

Molecular Biological Sciences (International Year One) September 2025 entry