International Student Handbook

International
Student Handbook
Introduction
The University of St Andrews is an ancient
Scottish university, steeped in history
and with its own quirky and unique
traditions. It is also a very international and
cosmopolitan environment with students
from 135 different domociles. This guide
is intended to help you navigate your way
through some of the important points in
your journey here, from accommodation
options through to visas.
Before reading through the Handbook
please try to have a look at the following
webpage: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/
studentexperience/about/expectations
It will help you to reflect on what you are
looking for from the experience of coming
to St Andrews and this will guide your
relationship with us throughout your stay.
This edition was published in June 2016
and the information was correct at this
time. It is always advisable to check the
University website for the most detailed
and up to date information.
Our friendly staff are also here to help you
with any questions that you may have.
If you have questions about any aspect
of coming to study as an international
student here then please email the ASC
(The Advice and Support Centre)
[email protected]
If you have any queries about the visa
application process or a more complex
international enquiry, please contact our
international student advisers by calling
+44 (0)1334 462020 or email
[email protected]
If you have questions about your offer to
study at the University please contact our
Admissions team:
Foundation Programme:
[email protected]
Undergraduate:
[email protected]
Postgraduate:
[email protected]
[email protected]
1
Contents
Visa Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Money and Banking. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Do I need a visa to come to the UK as a
student?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Holders of EU/EEA/Swiss Passport. . . . . . . . . . 5
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss Nationals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
How do I apply for Tier 4 General
Student Visa?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
How do I get a CAS (Confirmation of
Acceptance to Study)?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Differentiation agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Qualifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
ATAS (Academic Technology Approval
Scheme). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tuberculosis screening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Dependants/family applications. . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Student visitors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Visa nationals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Non-visa nationals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Time limits under the
Points Based System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Students moving university / education
provider. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Travel outside the UK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Re-entering the UK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Verification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Before you travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Applying for scholarships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Budgeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Opening a bank account in the UK. . . . . . . . 11
Transferring money. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
The first few days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Finance advising. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Council Tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2
Accommodation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Residence staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Application process for University
accommodation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Returning students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Fire safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Private accommodation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Where do I find accommodation?. . . . . . . . . 14
Assistance with landlord/tenant
disagreements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Assistance if flatmate
disagreements occur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
What should I pack?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Clothes and the weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Heating in the residences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
What to bring with you when living
in a hall of residence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Television. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Electrical equipment in halls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Insurance for your belongings. . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Shipping your belongings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Arrival. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Travel to the UK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Immigration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Welcome desk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
On arriving in St Andrews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Registering with the UK police. . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Documents required to register
with the police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Keeping your registration up to date. . . . . . 18
Travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Travelling back to home countries. . . . . . . . 19
Travelling safely. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Travel insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Schengen Travel – Student Status Letter. . 19
Academic Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Choosing your subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Advising and your Adviser of Studies . . . . . 20
Teaching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Assessment and feedback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Study support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Academic integrity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Academic referencing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Problems or ill health which
can affect study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Taking time out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Part-time study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Library. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Buying second hand books. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Developing Your English
Language. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
English Language Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Pre-sessional English language and
study skills courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
In-sessional English Language
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3
IT and Technical Support . . . . . . . . 26
Living in St Andrews. . . . . . . . . . . . 34
ID cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Orientating yourself. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
St Andrews traditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Food in halls of residence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Eating out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Tipping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Shopping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Tax.. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Weights and measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Student clubs and societies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Sport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Music. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Drama. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Student TV, radio and news. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Eveing language ck=lasses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Can I drive in the UK?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Car hire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Employment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
How to find work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Graduate employment and further
study opportunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
National Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Careers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Personal Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
The Advice and Support Centre (ASC). . . . . 29
Wardens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
International Student Advisers . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Disability Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Counselling Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Collaborations and Study Abroad. . . . . . . . . 30
Parental involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Faith and worship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Health services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
How to register with a GP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Students with an ongoing
medical condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Prescriptions/pharmacies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Appointments with a GP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Emergency treatment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Private health care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Medical insurance/
Repatriation insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
4
Behaviour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
The Sponsio Academica –
the St Andrews Code of Conduct. . . . . . . 37
Discipline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Behaviour in residences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Fraternities, sororities and initiations. . . . . . 37
Police and criminal offences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Reporting a crime. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Manners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Equality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Alcohol and pubs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Smoking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Family. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Nurseries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Child minding services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Schools within the St Andrews area. . . . . . . 41
Independent schools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Visa Information
Do I need a visa to come to the UK as a
student?
Whether or not you require a visa to come
into the UK to undertake your chosen course
of study depends on two crucial factors:
(1) your nationality and (2) the duration of
the course you intend to study.
Holders of EU/EEA/Swiss Passport
Nationals of these countries do not require
entry clearance to come to the UK and are
not subject to immigration control. If you
are a dual national of a non-European and
European country, we recommend you enter
the UK using your European passport. Once
you are in the UK you have the right to work
and travel freely.
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss Nationals
Nationals from all other countries fall into two
categories under the immigration rules; nonvisa nationals and visa nationals. Check this
list to see if you are a visa national.
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/
system/uploads/attachment_data/
file/423544/20141106_immigration_rules_
appendix_1_final.pdf
Is your country on the list?
Yes, go to (a)
No, go to (b)
(a) If you are a national of a country that is
named on the list, then you are a visa
national. If you are coming to the UK to
study on a course which is longer than
six months in duration you must apply
for a Tier 4 General Student visa/entry
clearance certificate before you leave
your home country or the country in
which you are resident. This visa/entry
clearance is the only option for:
•
Study abroad/ exchange students.
•
Undergraduate and postgraduate
candidates intending to study for a full
degree.
•
Year-long exchanges.
•
Visiting postgraduate researchers of more
than six months if you are going to be
registered as a student at St Andrews (if
not, email [email protected] for
advice).
•
E nglish Language courses of B2 level or
more than six months in duration.
(b) You are a non-visa national. If you are
coming to the UK to study on a course
which is longer than six months in
duration you must apply for a Tier 4
General Student visa before you leave
5
your home country or the country in
which you are resident.
If the course on which you are going to
enrol is less than six months in duration
you can apply for a short-term study visa
either in your home country or where you
are resident or at immigration control
on your arrival in the UK. This route is
usually only suitable for Semester Abroad
students.
How do I apply for Tier 4 General Student
Visa?
It is essential that before you start the
application process you should read the
UKVI Tier 4 Student Policy Guidance,
paying particular attention to the required
documents and the specified format of these
documents.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/
guidance-on-application-for-uk-visa-as-tier4-student
In addition, the University website offers a
comprehensive step-by-step guide to making
a visa application:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/international/
information/visas/applying
Study both websites before making an
application. To meet the requirements to
come to the UK as a student you need to have
40 points under the Points Based System
(PBS). All applications are standardised and
there are no variations to the immigration
rules or required documents no matter where
in the world you are making your application.
You will need a Confirmation of Acceptance
to Study (CAS) which is a unique number
issued by the University to confirm that we
have offered a place to study on a particular
course. You will need original evidence
of qualifications as listed on the CAS and
where applicable proof of English Language
6
proficiency and/or ATAS certificate (please
see below). You must be able to show that
you have the required money to cover the
costs of your tuition, accommodation and
maintenance (living costs) in the UK.
Please note that all documents must be
originals and you must submit your passport
as part of the application pack!
How do I get a CAS (Confirmation of
Acceptance to Study)?
The process of issuing the CAS number begins
when Registry at the University has received
your formal acceptance of your unconditional
offer. You will receive an email including
a link requesting you to verify that the
information we hold about you is correct such
as your passport number, date of birth, chosen
programme of study. It is very important
that you check the information carefully,
as this is what will be on the CAS, and if any
information is incorrect and does not match
your application your visa will be refused.
Do not attempt to make an application
without receiving the CAS number from
the University as your application will be
automatically refused.
Differentiation agreement
If you are a national of one of the ‘low risk’
countries listed below and applying in said
country, you do not have to produce any
documentation that relates to previous study
or financial viability when you are making
your visa application.
You must be confident that all supporting
evidence meets the immigration rules at the
time of application as the Entry Clearance
Officer or caseworker can request the full
range of documents at any time during
the visa application process. You risk your
application being refused if you are unable to
provide these if asked to do so.
The UKVI has assessed that the following
countries are covered by the differentiation
agreement:• Argentina
• Australia
• Barbados
• Botswana
• Brunei
• Canada
• Chile
• Croatia
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• Malaysia
• New Zealand
• Oman
• Qatar
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Taiwan*
• Trinidad and
Tobago
• United Arab
Emirates (UAE)
• USA
And British Overseas Nationals
*for passports issued by a competent authority
in Taiwan that includes the identification card
number
Please note that if your course is subject
to ATAS Clearance, you will be required to
submit this certificate with your application.
For nationals of every other country not listed
above, failure to submit all the documents
in the correct format will mean that your
application is refused. The consideration
process is standardised and has no room
for flexibility, you must make sure that your
application is complete and correct before
submission.
Qualifications
Details of the qualifications that we have
used to assess your suitability to follow
your chosen course will be listed on the
CAS. Please make sure you make a note of
these as you will need to submit the original
documents along with your application
to the Embassy/Consulate/Diplomatic
Mission. If these are incorrect, or if you have
any problems, you must respond to the
email immediately to highlight that there is a
problem.
Please note there is not the facility to
send additional information in support of
an application once the documents have
been received by UKVI. All documents must
be originals and present at the time of
application.
ATAS (Academic Technology Approval
Scheme)
The intention of the ATAS scheme is to
protect the UK from the spread of knowledge
and skills used to develop weapons of
mass destruction, and covers research in a
wide range of subjects. It does not matter
what nationality you hold, if your chosen
programme of study has been identified
under the ATAS scheme you will need to
have the certificate before you make a visa
application.
If you require an ATAS for the programme
of study that you are going to attend you
will be notified in your offer letter. You are
advised to apply for the certificate as early as
possible. The application process is all online
and free of charge. Information and guidance
can be found on this website: www.gov.uk/
guidance/guidance-on-how-to-apply-for-anatas-certificate
Once your application has been considered
by the ATAS team you will receive an email
with an attachment, this will be your
certificate which you should print off and
send in with your visa application.
Maintenance
Please read the Tier 4 Guidance (www.gov.
uk/government/publications/guidance-onapplication-for-uk-visa-as-tier-4-student )
for the most up to date requirements on the
amount of money and the evidence required
to make a visa application.
Evidence of finances must indicate that the
money has been held in a bank account (not
in trust, stocks or bonds) for a period of 28
7
days at the time of application, i.e. on the day
it is posted to UKVI.
Student visitors (Short-term study visa)
www.gov.uk/study-visit-visa
Tuberculosis screening
If you are coming to the UK for more than
six months and are a national of one of the
countries listed below you are required to
provide a certificate (from an accredited
clinic) to show you are free from infectious
tuberculosis (TB) before applying for your
visa. Please check the UK Visas website
(www.gov.uk/tb-test-visa)
or contact your local British Embassy or
British High Commission for up-to-date
requirements.
This route can only be used if you are coming
to the UK to enrol on a course which has a
duration of less than six months unless you
are coming to the UK to study an English
Language course exclusively, in which case
you can use this route to come to the UK for a
maximum of 11 months.
Please note that not all countries have local
testing centres and you may have to travel
to another country to be tested for this
condition.
•
Dependants/family applications
Postgraduate students who are coming to
the UK to undertake a course of study that
lasts more than 12 months can bring their
dependants into the UK to accompany them
for the duration of their studies. Under the
immigration rules dependants are:
•
•
y our husband, wife, civil partner,
unmarried partner or same-sex partner;
and
your children aged under 18 years old
Each family member will need to make an
application for a visa to UKVI; dependants
complete the online form www.gov.uk/tier4-general-visa/family-members. Applicants
should make sure that they refer to the
‘policy guidance on dependants of point
based system migrants’ and the help text that
accompanies the application form.
This route prohibits you from
•
•
working (paid or unpaid)
extending your visa in any category from
within the UK
bringing your dependants
Visa nationals
If you are from a visa national country you will
need to make your application to enter the
UK with a short-term study visa through the
British Embassy/Consulate/Diplomatic post
in your home country. Information on how to
do this can be found on the link below.
www.gov.uk/study-visit-visa
Non-visa nationals
You have the choice of making your
application at the British Embassy/Consulate/
Diplomatic post in your home country or
applying for Leave to Enter at the airport on
arrival in the UK.
You should make sure that you carry your
letter from the University that confirms
your course details, tuition fees and
accommodation fees in your hand luggage,
along with bank statements demonstrating
your ability to pay for your studies and details
of your return travel.
Please make sure that you tell the
immigration officer that you are coming to
the UK to study and he will place a stamp in
your passport to indicate your student status.
8
Time limits under the Points Based System
If you are here under a Tier 4 visa then
both you and the University have certain
obligations which you need to be aware of
as it impacts on your being allowed to stay in
the UK. Please read www.st-andrews.ac.uk/
international/information/tier4studentsoursharedresponsibilities
International students are permitted to spend
no more than five years studying in the UK at
undergraduate level or above unless:
•
•
An undergraduate degree of four or five
years duration has been successfully
completed and the student has chosen to
undertake a Postgraduate Masters.
If, by the time a PhD is completed the
student has spent more than eight years
in the UK studying then no further grant
of leave under Tier 4 will be given.
Re-entering the UK
You will be asked if you are a continuing
student and the details of your course
each time you enter the UK for verification
purposes.
Verification
Students studying at the University
under a Tier 4 visa are required to have
their passport and visa documentation
verified twice each academic year by a
member of staff. Verification will take
place at Matriculation and as part of a UKVI
confirmation event held early in the second
semester.
Students moving university/ education
provider
Under the Points Based System for migrants,
students can only study at the education
provider that issued the Confirmation of
Acceptance for Study (the CAS) to them.
If you are currently in the UK and have a
Tier 4 visa for an institution other than
the University of St Andrews and you are
planning to come here to study, you will
need to make an application for a new visa
before you begin your studies with us. If you
have made your application but have not had
a response to your application you will be
permitted to start your studies as long as you
have proof of posting for your application.
Travel outside the UK
A Tier 4 General Student Visa allows you to
travel in and out of the UK as many times as
you wish whilst your visa is still valid and you
are fulfilling the requirements of a Student
Visa. Please ensure that you have travel
insurance before you leave the UK.
9
Money and Banking
Please be aware that the contract for your
period of study is between you and the
University. Therefore you will be the one who
incurs the bill and the ultimate debt to the
University. Even if your parents pay this debt,
the contract that the University has is with
you, and you will be held liable for it. This may
seem an obvious statement, but our younger
students sometimes believe that they can
pass that liability on to their parents.
Before you travel
Before you leave your home country you
should speak to your bank and inform them
that you will be studying in St Andrews and
that you intend to set up bank transfers. They
may be able to advise you on how to ensure
that you get the best exchange rate for your
money.
There are several ATM machines in St Andrews
but banks sometimes charge for their use
from overseas accounts so you should ask
your bank for their rates and check to see if
there are any alternatives.
10
Applying for scholarships
Make sure you apply for any scholarships in
plenty of time. The closing date for University
scholarships are usually in February of the
year you are starting your studies. You can
apply as soon as you have been offered a
place.
The University has a number of scholarship
opportunities available for incoming
students. Many of the scholarship funds have
been created as a result of the generosity of
friends and alumni of the University, and new
awards become available every year.
It is important that you research the
requirements and deadline dates of all the
scholarships you are considering applying for;
bear in mind that different scholarships may
have quite different deadlines.
For details of the scholarships available for
undergraduate students, please visit:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/ug/fees-andfunding/rest-of-world
For details of awards available for
postgraduate students, please visit:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/pg/fees-andfunding/scholarships
Budgeting
Although we encourage you not to bring a
large sum of cash and /or traveller’s cheques
with you to the UK, some people still do so.
Any amount over 10,000 Euros needs to be
declared, further information can be found at:
www.gov.uk/bringing-cash-into-uk
We have tried to incorporate the key living
expenses in our website as follows:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/money/
internationalstudents/ugcoa
The cost of books is very dependent on the
course you have chosen, ranging from £80
up to £250 for some medical courses. General
living has been estimated by our current
students at approximately £100 per week,
depending on your lifestyle. It is worth noting
that meal packages in halls of residence
still require you to budget for some meals
at weekends – see details under our “Food”
section.
It is important to note that the fees paid to
the University are for academic tuition fees
only. Accommodation fees are additional
as well as other costs which should be
budgeted for such as the Sports’ Centre, and
photocopying.
Opening a bank account in the UK
It is not possible for you to open a bank
account in the UK until you arrive in
St Andrews. Full details on how to open a
bank account can be found here:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/money/
bankaccounts/bankinternational
Transferring money
Once you have opened a bank account the
quickest and cheapest way to transfer money
from your home country is by doing an
electronic bank transfer. This can be set up
from your home country before you come
but then will be actioned on your instructions
as soon as you have set up your account here.
The University of St Andrews has partnered
with Western Union (previously known as
Travelex) to allow students the opportunity to
securely send international wire transfers for
payment of tuition and/or accommodation
fees in their local currency.
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/money/
tuitionfees/howareyoupaying
The first few days
Visa and Mastercard are accepted in a wide
range of retail outlets and ATMs throughout
the UK, American Express and Diners less
so. Transactions at retail outlets using cards
from outside the EU may incur charges, so
planning your spending when you first arrive
is a wise way of saving money.
Opening a bank account and transferring
money from another country into the UK can
take quite some time, so you need to bring
enough money for living expenses for the
first few weeks. It is best to bring some cash
(but not large sums) and either traveller’s
cheques or a credit card that will allow you to
take money from a cash machine until your
funds have transferred. However, if you do
bring traveller’s cheques, make sure they are
in sterling, not dollars or any other currency.
During Orientation Week you will have the
opportunity to join clubs and societies. This
is an important way of meeting people,
making new contacts and friends. It would
be useful for you to have some money to
pay for membership fees and these can vary
from a few pounds upwards. Sports Centre
membership is just over £100 and you are
encouraged to join in Orientation Week, thus
being able to join in the clubs, teams and
“give it a go” sessions offered early in the
academic year.
You can download the Orientation App from
Apple, Google and Amazon app stores, using
the search term ‘University of St Andrews
guidebook’.
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Red gowns are not compulsory but some
students like to purchase them for formal
occasions . A new gown will cost something
in the region of £150 (there are gown sales
organised in Orientation Week). However
some second hand ones are available
through the Students’ Association.
Finance advising
If you have any queries regarding money
issues or payments due to the University
please either ask at the ASC (Advice and
Support Centre) at 79 North Street or email
[email protected] or telephone
+44 1334 462020. Our finance representatives
working at the ASC may be able to assist you,
or will make an appointment for you to meet
with our Student Services’ Money Adviser.
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Council Tax
Full-time registered students are usually
exempt from Council Tax, including
dependants who have entered the UK on a
dependant’s visa. However there will be a
liability from start of the lease to the date
when the student is fully registered. Full-time
students who are studying for less than 21
weeks are not exempt.
Accommodation
Residence staff
In University halls of residence we have two
main teams of staff with whom you will make
regular contact. Residence Management staff
look after the fabric of the building and are
the line managers for the cleaners, kitchen
and dining staff. The Wardennial teams are
there for your personal support and are
the ones you should turn to if you wish
information, advice or need assistance with
any aspect of your living experience. Each hall
of residence has a webpage of information
for you to access prior to arrival and if you
study these it may guide your decision on
whichtype of accommodation to apply for.
Application process for University
accommodation
The University accommodates over 50%
of students – a higher ratio than any other
university in the UK. However it does not
have enough accommodation for everyone.
Therefore it chooses to prioritise first
year undergraduate students to which it
guarantees accommodation to first year
applicants before 30 June.
If you are entering an undergraduate degree
programme in first year and have been
offered a place to study at the University,
regardless of whether your offer is conditional
or unconditional, and you wish to apply for
University accommodation, you need to
apply by 30 June in your year of entry, at the
very latest. Please do not wait for your offer
status to change.
You will need to complete an online
application form, via the Student
Accommodation’s webpages:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/accommodation
Applications will open on 1 April in your
year of entry. St Andrews has a very
diverse collection of accommodation, each
hall carrying a very distinct culture and
environment. Please ensure, therefore, that
you are happy with all of the choices that
you have selected. If you have requested
to share a room, we will match you with a
room-mate based on your accommodation
preference, lifestyle, hobbies and interests.
There are separate application and residence
options available for undergraduate and
postgraduate students.
Once your university offer becomes
unconditional and you have accepted it,
we will be able to make you an offer of a
place in a University residence. Once the
accommodation place has been accepted by
you, it is a binding contract and you will be
liable for the full cost of the accommodation.
There are only a few exemptions, so do check
the terms and conditions.
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Returning students
The expectation is that the majority of
returning students will go outside the
University for private accommodation rented
locally and the majority of students do so,
living in flats (apartments) or houses together.
It is therefore important to also familiarise
yourself with the process of renting privately
in St Andrews. Local property factors start
advertising their flats around December and
students sign up early in the New Year for the
coming September.
Although in the minority, some
returning students do aim for University
accommodation, and applications for
residence places are available for one week in
February of the year when they return.
Fire safety
Fires in University accommodation are
extremely rare but you must be aware of
what to do to protect yourself and others. As
part of your e-induction there is a fire safety
film which you are required to watch.
Smoking is strictly prohibited in all residences
and any breach of this is treated seriously by
the University.
The Golden Rule: when the fire alarm
activates – EVERYONE, WITHOUT
EXCEPTION, must vacate the building – on
EVERY OCCASION. You should familiarise
yourself with the fire activation procedures
in your hall as soon as you arrive and settle
in your room.
Private accommodation
The private market provides various types
of accommodation, length of residency
and rental charges. Please see the
accommodation webpage for more details:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/accommodation/
private
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Some landlords are required to be licensed;
others are exempt, depending on the size of
property. In the Students’ Association, the
Student Advocate (Accommodation) offers
a free checking service if you are offered a
property. Prospective tenants are permitted
seven days to check over all the documents
and no money should be requested at this
stage. Deposit and rent should only be
requested once you are completely satisfied
that the accommodation suits your financial
and personal circumstances and the lease
signed. Properties may be offered for sole
occupancy or shared with another person or
group.
Where do I find accommodation?
The University hosts an advertising service for
private landlords to submit their student let
properties at:
www.standrewsstudentpad.co.uk
Local estate agents advertise properties on
behalf of landlords with varying periods
of lease, rents and locations. Normally you
would expect to pay a higher market rent in
St Andrews from £100 per week upwards plus
bills, whereas the surrounding area (in rural
Fife) should be considerably cheaper with
regular transport links available.
Private landlords often advertise in local
newspapers, for example the St Andrews
Citizen (every Friday) or the Dundee Courier
and Advertiser (each weekday).
A list of external accommodation websites is
available at: http://yourunion.net
Resident landlords are not required to
be licensed and may offer a more flexible
approach to individual letting periods and
rental charges. They offer a spare room to let
in their own family home and may include
utility bills.
Assistance with landlord/tenant
disagreements
When a problem occurs, speak to someone
as early as possible. The landlord has a duty
of care to you and should be the first point
of contact. If you feel the landlord is the
problem, or you have any other problem
which you wish to explore with someone
outside the situation, speak to the Student
Advocate (Accommodation) who will be able
to give you support and advice about your
situation. Email: [email protected]
Assistance if flatmate disagreements occur
It is difficult for any of us to judge how we will
adjust to living with others. Even when we
plan shared accommodation with the best
of friends, living alongside other people is a
very different proposition and there can be a
clash of personalities, ways of living are not
always compatable. If you want a space to
discuss problems, or if you get to the point
where flatmates want to come together and
are needing some mediation, contact the
ASC and an appointment will be made for
you to discuss it with one of Student Services’
Advisers. The meeting will be confidential but
will hopefully give you some ideas as to how
to establish some harmony in your flat, or
what your options are.
What should I pack?
When packing, consider the items that you
will need upon arrival and pack them in your
hand luggage in case your main baggage
is delayed. Pack basic toiletries (but check
liquids allowance in hand baggage), any
essential medication and any documents you
will need when you arrive in St Andrews.
Remember that airlines will charge for
overweight bags and second suitcases.
Always check with your airline in advance
to make sure you know what the maximum
weight limits are, how many pieces luggage
you are permitted and what charges will be
applied if you intend to bring more than one
suitcase.
If you plan to ship some of your belongings,
these should be sent after you have arrived,
as the halls of residence have no storage
facilities available to hold these in advance of
your arrival.
Consider what is essential and what can be
bought once you arrive, especially bulky
items such as bedding. Bedding is not
provided in the residences: bedding packs
are available for you to purchase in advance
via the University’s online shop http://
onlineshop.st-andrews.ac.uk saving you
luggage space and trouble. There are two
types of bedding packs available - for double
(£30) or single beds (£25). Bedding can also
be purchased locally from retailers.
Consider the Scottish weather when packing;
it is advisable to invest in a good winter
coat and to pack plenty of items that can
be layered. The weather in Scotland can be
very changeable, and it is often said that
you can experience all four seasons in one
day, so layers are a good way to deal with
these changes. As you will be in St Andrews
through much of winter it is important to
make sure to bring or buy gloves, scarves
and appropriate waterproof clothing and
footwear.
St Andrews is also well known for its balls and
formal events, so it is advisable to pack some
formal attire along with the everyday clothes
that you will need.
Clothes and the weather
Prospective international students often
want to know about the weather and how
it will affect them. Scotland can be a cold
country, especially during the winter where
the winds on the East coast can lower the
temperature further. However despite
being so far north, average maximum and
minimum temperatures are nearly exactly
the UK average, with 31% more sunshine
hours than the Scottish average. It would
15
be sensible for you to pack warm woollen
clothes, with the essential addition of some
wind and waterproof outer clothes although,
especially if you are coming from a warm
country, you could buy some clothes here –
there are plenty of shops in St Andrews and in
Dundee where clothes can be purchased at a
reasonable price.
Heating in the residences
All bedrooms in halls of residence are
centrally heated and there are set times
outlined in the residents’ handbook. It is
entirely normal for central heating to be
switched off late in the evenings. You should
note that electric blankets and heaters are
not allowed in bedrooms as they could cause
a fire.
What to bring with you when living in a hall
of residence
It might be helpful to get a clear idea of what
furniture will be already waiting for you in
your room. For full information on what is
provided within each residence please refer
to the Residents Guide: www.st-andrews.
ac.uk/accommodation/arrivals
are readily available in town, or nearby in
Dundee.
Television
Each hall of residence has a TV licence to
cover communal areas but if you watch TV
in your room you will need your own licence
which you can purchase online at
www.tvlicensing.co.uk
This is the case whichever device is used to
view media, whether a laptop, PC, mobile
phone, games console, digital box, VHS/DVD
recorder or anything else. It also includes
programmes watched online at the same
time as they are being shown on TV, for
example live sport.
Electrical equipment in halls
There are very strict rules around fire safety
and the use of electrical equipment at the
University.
Under the Terms of Occupancy, you cannot
bring your own furniture, curtains, soft
furnishings, lampshades or halogen lamps
into your bedroom or the residence, since all
furnishings must comply with relevant safety
regulations.
We always advise students coming from
abroad to wait until they get to the UK
to purchase electrical equipment of any
kind, including adapters, hair dryers, hair
straighteners, and power leads for laptops,
and chargers for phones. As these items are
relatively inexpensive it is easier and safer to
buy a new UK model and you may find that,
even with an adapter, your curling irons or
straighteners will simply explode if they are
plugged into the UK socket.
You will also be responsible for supplying
your own cutlery, crockery, saucepans and
cooking utensils. It is advisable to wait
until you arrive in St Andrews to buy these
products as you may be able to club together
with housemates or others in your hall to buy
these items.
Shortly after you arrive at your residence,
you will be asked to submit all electrical
equipment for testing (so think twice before
you bring unnecessary electrical items like
fairy lights and lava lamps!) The University
undertakes these tests to allow us to certify
all equipment as being safe to use.
Students may also want extra storage
options, such as plastic containers for under
the bed, a shower caddy, and additional
hangers for the wardrobe. All of these things
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Insurance for your belongings
Please see the Travel section to check if your
personal items will be covered under your
travel policy prior to departure. If you are
staying at a hall of residence, then we provide
students contents insurance (Endsleigh) at no
additional cost. However this does not cover
items when removed from the residence and
you may wish to extend your cover. Endsleigh
will do so for a fee and you should call 0330
3030286 for a personal quote. Remember,
to make a claim, your room must have been
properly secured at the time of theft. Please
ensure both you (and your roommate, if you
have one) keep your room locked when you
are away. There is no coverage for personal
belongings that are left unattended in
common areas, or for accidental damage.
Property marking is offered free of charge by
St Andrews police, several times a year, and
in multiple University locations; we highly
recommend that students take advantage of
this service, which should be advertised by
your Wardennial team.
You should complete Customs form C3 and
attach the form to the package or hand it to
the carrier that will be handling the shipping
for you; you should pay particular attention
to Section 2 and Part B of the form.
For more information please see the website
of Her Majesty’s Revenue, Customs & Excise:
www.hmrc.gov.uk
For more details on your insurance coverage
while in hall, and for extra cover options, visit:
www.endsleigh.co.uk
Shipping your belongings
If you are sending your belongings separately
please make sure that you arrange for them
to arrive on or after your arrival date in
St Andrews. The University is not able to sign
for packages on your behalf and cannot store
them during the summer months so make
sure you are ready to collect them yourself.
17
Arrival
Travel to the UK
When flying from your home country to the
UK for the first time, whether you have a Tier
4 General Visa or are entering the UK with
a short-term study visa it is important that
you do not connect through Dublin. The
UK and Dublin have a Common Travel Area
Agreement and your immigration status will
not be activated.
Immigration
On arrival in the UK you will pass through
Immigration Control. If you have a Tier 4 Visa
this should be a quick and easy process. You
should be prepared to answer a few general
questions about the University and your
course of study. Your visa will be stamped
which activates your stay.
If you are entering with a short-term study
visa you will be asked to produce a letter
from the University confirming your course
details, costs and duration. Please note, you
cannot enter the UK with a short-term study
visaif your course is more than six months in
duration; you must have applied as a Tier 4
General Student.
Welcome desk
There will be a Welcome desk at Edinburgh
airport on 3 and 4 September when
University volunteers will point you in the
direction of your transport and answer any
questions you might have. Look out for our
volunteers wearing blue T-shirts.
Otherwise, please check this webpage for
advice on how to get from Edinburgh airport
to St Andrews: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/
orientation/before-you-depart/travelarrangements
On arriving in St Andrews
You will have been notified by Student
Accommodation Services where to collect
your hall of residence room key and you
18
should go straight to that location. You will be
greeted by the residence staff who will help
you find your way about. If you arrive late
and the location for key pickup is closed, call
our University Out of Hours service on 01334
476161 and we will arrange for your keys to
be accessed for you.
Registering with the UK police
Nationals of some countries have the
requirement to register with the local
police endorsed on their current visa
shortly after arrival. This is a requirement
under the immigration rules. You will be
given information on how to make an
appointment to register with Fife Police
during the matriculation process. Details will
also be available from the ASC (Advice and
Support Centre) and a timetable will be in
the Orientation Programme which will be
available in your hall of residence, or you can
get a copy from the ASC.
Documents required to register with the
police
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A valid passport and a photocopy of the
page with your photogaraph
A visa or biometric ID card and a
photocopy
Police Registration certificate (if you
already have one)
1 UK standard passport photograph
Copy of the University Unconditional
Offer Letter
Copy of E-contract / Accommodation
Contract / Lease
£34 fee
Keeping your registration up to date
It is your responsibility to keep your
registration up to date with the police. You
must notify them if you change address,
university or extend your visa. Change of
circumstances are processed free of charge
and can be done straight away. If you do
not comply with this requirement you could
incur a £2,000 fine and be eligible for removal
from the UK for non-compliance of the
immigration rules.
Travel
Travelling back to home countries
Various travel agents in St Andrews will assist
you in planning your return home or further
travel during your time in St Andrews. If you
call into the ASC (The Advice and Support
Centre) lists of local agents are provided for
you to consult.
There are several taxi services in and around
St Andrews that provide special rates for our
students that are travelling during the term
or in the vacation periods; once again staff in
the ASC can advise you on the reliable and
economic services available.
Schengen Travel – Student Status Letter
The name “Schengen” originates from a small
town in Luxembourg where in March 1995,
seven European Union countries signed a
treaty to end internal border checkpoints
and controls. More countries have joined the
treaty over the past years. At present, there
are 25 Schengen countries, all in Europe.
In general with a Schengen visa you
may enter one country and travel freely
throughout the Schengen region during the
validity of the visa. Internal border controls
are limited with no, or few, stops and checks.
To check the requirements for applying for a
Schengen visa please see:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/international/
information/travel/schengenfaqs
Travelling safely
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office
provides good and up-to-date advice for
travellers for all countries of the world and it
is worth checking their website prior to travel.
www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
Travel insurance
Although students in Scotland are covered
by the National Health Service for the
duration of their studies this cover is only
for the UK. So if you are intending to take
the opportunity to explore Europe during
vacations, or indeed travel anywhere
outside of the UK at any time during your
studies you should invest in travel insurance.
Some research online can provide some
competitive rates.
If an insurance policy is purchased in the
UK please check the small print as to which
country you will be returned to in the case
of serious injury, illness or in the case of a
fatal accident. Often you will be returned
automatically to the country of purchase, i.e.
the UK, and this may not be advisable if you
wished to return home at that point. Advice
can be gained from our International Advisers
in Student Services.
19
Academic Life
Choosing your subjects
St Andrews offers more flexibility in subject
choices than at many other UK universities,
although some of your choices will depend
on the subject you applied to study, and your
chosen course/Faculty. There are some crossFaculty subjects, but St Andrews does not
offer a programme that could be considered
a ‘Liberal Arts degree’.
For undergraduates, in your first year you
must take the modules for the subject you
chose when you applied, e.g. if you applied
to study Art History, then you must take the
core modules in Art History. Similarly, if you
applied to take two subjects, you will need
to take the core modules in those subjects.
You will have a wide range of choice for your
other modules, but some combinations are
not possible due to timetabling issues.
More information about possible degree
structures can be found here: www.standrews.ac.uk/study/ug/options/flexible
Taught Masters programmes do not normally
offer any flexibility due to their shorter
duration.
20
Advising and your Adviser of Studies
The process of signing up for modules is
known as Advising. You will normally meet
with your Adviser of Studies who will ensure
that your module choices are correct for your
chosen degree pathway, and that there are
no timetable clashes.
Your Adviser of Studies will not normally
act as your mentor, therefore if you do
have specific academic queries, it is best
to take these up with the relevant Module
Coordinator or Director of Teaching. If you
have other queries, you can also contact
Student Services or CAPOD for advice.
More information on advising is available
here:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/academic/
advising
Teaching
Module sizes vary from subject to subject.
First and second year classes are larger than
more advanced classes in most subjects.
We use a variety of teaching and learning
techniques and you are likely to experience
most of the following at some point,
depending on your degree:
• Lectures: the basic method of teaching
undergraduate students given by
specialists in particular subjects, ensuring
that all students receive the same key
information while developing note taking
and summarising skills.
• Tutorials and Seminars: selected topics
are discussed and analysed on the basis
of prepared written work and/or
presentations by students; ensuring
that you develop analytical and
communication skills. They also help
promote the excellent relationship
between staff and students which exists
at St Andrews.
• Independent study: enables you to
become increasingly self-reliant in the
way you manage your time and organise
your work, encouraging a more scholarly
approach of independent study.
• Laboratory work: advanced equipment
and techniques may be used to conduct
experiments under expert supervision,
allowing you to put theoretical
knowledge into practice.
• Fieldwork: many subjects include
compulsory or optional fieldwork from an
early stage in the vicinity of St Andrews
and elsewhere.
• Audio-visual and computer-assisted
learning: our state-of-the-art facilities
support learning through other forms of
collaborative and independent learning.
• Placements in a clinical environment for
Medical students or teaching abroad for
Modern Languages students
.
Involvement with academic societies offer
opportunities for debate and students tend
to group together to assist each other with
independent study. You will find study groups
springing up in your halls of residence, local
coffee house or social clubs.
You are encouraged to question theories
and form your own ideas. Examining and
researching the material presented and
making informed conclusions is all part of
developing critical and analytical skills. Be
prepared for all that you have learnt before to
be challenged!
Assessment and feedback
Academic achievement is measured by a
number of different assessment methods,
including:
•
•
•
•
essays, reports, worksheets and
dissertations
oral tests and presentations
class tests (multiple choice, short answer)
examinations
Most modules will include both coursework
elements, and tests/examinations.
All exam papers will be marked anonymously
to ensure fairness and objectivity. In contrast
to some schools in other countries, the
tutor will not know whose exam paper they
are marking. Therefore this might lead to a
different kind of feedback from what you are
used to.
For coursework elements, you will be able
to seek some advice and guidance from
academic staff. Once submitted, students
are not able to amend the coursework for
a second submission. You are expected to
research your area, sift through the reading
list offered to find the most appropriate
sources, debate the subject critically,
reference accordingly and then submit the
final paper for assessment by the tutor.
You will not have that paper returned with
a critique allowing you to adjust it and resubmit. That is the final submission. However
you will be given critical assessment and
feedback by the tutor with help to adjust
your style and improve your performance for
the next essay. If you do not understand the
feedback you have been given, then just ask.
A key part of learning independently is being
able to ask for help or feedback. You are
encouraged to find information and answers,
21
but it is expected that they will need a little
guidance from time to time.
Module grades are reported using a 20 point
scale: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/staff/teaching/
examinations/scale
Further information on assessment,
examinations and feedback can be found
here:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/media/teaching-andlearning/policies/student-feedback.pdf
You can also find out more about making the
most of your academic experience here:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/studentexperience/
makingthemostofit/academic
Study support
Whilst you should go to your academic
School for subject specific guidance, CAPOD
offers more general, centralised, study
advice. The advisers there can help you with
areas such as essay style and referencing
all of which are very different in the UK.
CAPOD offers one-to-one appointments on
request; some Schools may also offer subject
specific workshops. CAPOD also delivers the
Professional Skills Curriculum – an optional
series of lectures and online resources to help
you develop the kinds of professional skills
that employer’s value. You can find out more
about how CAPOD can help you at www.standrews.ac.uk/capod
Academic integrity
Academic integrity is fundamental to the
values promoted by the University. It is
important that all students be judged on
their ability, and that no student be allowed
to gain an advantage unfairly over others,
to affect the security and integrity of the
assessment process, or to diminish the
reliability and quality of a St Andrews degree. All matriculated students of the University
sign up to the Sponsio Academica and
22
Honour Code, undertaking to read and abide
by this policy (Policy on Good Academic
Pratice). All students are required to take an
online course ‘Training in Good Academic
Practice’ as part of the matriculation process.
Academic referencing
It is important that any reference material
used in assignments are properly cited and
referenced to avoid academic misconduct.
Module Handbooks contain information on
how Schools require you to reference and
organise citations. If you have any doubts
about how to do this, there is plenty of help
available through CAPOD:
•
•
•
•
Current workshops can be found at:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/pdms/
Individual appointments can be
made online at: www.st-andrews.
ac.uk/students/academic/advice/
studyskillsandadvice/academicskills/
or by telephoning CAPOD: 01334
462141
There are also drop-in clinics (no
appointment needed):
Thursdays 2pm – 4.45pm Main Library
Please visit the Academic Skills webpages for
further information:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/academic/
advice/studyskillsandadvice/academicskills/
Problems or ill health which can affect study
Sometimes, things happen which will affect
you and your studies. If you become unwell,
or experience difficult personal circumstances
that are affecting your work, it is really
important that you tell the University. It is
much easier for everyone if you let us know
early on if you have any problems, because
we can give advice which could help to
resolve the situation before it becomes worse.
For more information, please see: www.
st-andrews.ac.uk/students/advice/academic/
problemsaffectingstudies/
Taking time out
Whatever the circumstances, if you think
you might need to take some time out, it’s
worth coming to discuss them with staff at
Student Services. If you need to take more
than 10 days away from your studies during
a semester, then you will need to take a
‘Leave of Absence’ for that semester. For
international students, this will normally
mean leaving the country, since the Tier 4
General Visa requires that students are in full
time study.
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/advice/
academic/takingtimeout
Part-time study
Part-time study will not be an option for
international students on a Tier 4 General
Visa.
Library
The Library buys books, journals, electronic
and other materials to support teaching and
research. It provides an excellent reading
list service which enables lists provided
by academic staff to be made available
online through, Moodle, MMS and iSaint.
By clicking on links in the lists, students are
able to see straight away the availability
of books in the Library and get direct links
to any electronically available titles. More
information is available at www.st-andrews.
ac.uk/library/resources/ and please let your
Liaison Librarian know if you cannot find the
list for your module.
The Library does not provide individual
copies of every book for every student on
every module. Some items will be essential
reading and your lecturer may recommend
that you purchase your own copy. Much of
the printed collection that the University
holds is kept in closed storage so if you
cannot find what you are looking for on the
shelves let a member of staff know. You can
speak to staff at the Library Helpdesk, contact
your Academic Liaison Librarians or email
[email protected]. If you email
us to recommend a purchase someone will
respond to you within 24 hours. We can often
buy new, additional or even electronic copies
of materials very quickly.
Buying second hand books
Keep a check on School, Library and
Residence noticeboards for details of second
hand books. Students regularly sell any books
that they have bought for their courses, but
no longer need, so it is worth keeping an eye
out throughout the year for these. 23
Developing Your English Language
Writing at university is often more
demanding than the kinds of writing you
may be used to – especially if English is not
your first language. You may be expected
to produce longer pieces of writing, or you
may find that you are expected to write in a
specific style. In some subjects you will need
to write reports; in others, you will have to
make presentations. You may find that our
expectations around academic conduct
with regard to referencing are different from
your country’s education system and, if you
are not familiar with the conventions for
incorporating sources into your writing, this
could lead to problems. You may wonder how
your assignment will be assessed, and how
best to incorporate the feedback you have
received into your next piece of writing. You
may find it challenging to narrow your focus
and answer an essay question very concisely,
as opposed to displaying all your knowledge
on the subject. You may not be used to
interactive classrooms, where participation
is expected, or the kind of group work tasks
common in many Schools.
24
All of this can be very different from the
language skills required to pass the most
widely-used English language tests such as
IELTS. Most students welcome the chance to
get some guidance on their specific language
needs and advice on areas to focus on. Others
would like the opportunity to continue to
develop their language skills within the
context of the subjects they are studying
and the genres of their discipline; others still
feel comfortable with written texts, but are
more anxious about spoken communication
and would prefer to develop confidence in
speaking, and listening to different accents.
English Language Teaching (often referred
to as ELT) is a department specialising in
every aspect of the teaching and learning
of the English language, especially in a
university context. We aim to enable all
international students who use English as an
additional language to develop the range of
language skills and competencies they need
for successful engagement with their studies
– and their lives!
Pre-sessional English language and study
skills courses
Before you start your degree programme,
you should consider joining one of our
Pre-Sessional English Language and Study
Skills courses, which run just before the start
of semester. There are courses of varying
lengths – 10 weeks, 4 weeks and 2 weeks,
each of which will give you an excellent
introduction to the University and give you
support in those language elements which
you are most likely to want to develop. Look
at our webpages to see which length of
course would be most suitable.
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/elt/presessional
In-sessional English Language Service
The in-sessional English Language Service
(IELS) is a free service for the University’s
students. IELS offers English language
development and School-based workshops
as well as one-to-one tutorials throughout
the academic year. These are designed to
help you identify areas to work on and offer
the relevant teaching and materials to help
you to develop yourself as a user of English.
You may also welcome the chance to take
a credit-bearing module designed for
students who do not have English as their
first language. ET1001/1002 will help your
general language development, while
ET2001/2002 will help you with more
academic aspects of language. You can find
more information in the Course Catalogue,
or at: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/elt/modules/
englishasaforeignlanguage or www.standrews.ac.uk/elt/modules/academicenglish
If you are studying Modern Languages and
expect to spend a year in another country, or
if you are contemplating a teaching career,
you may be interested in our TEFL courses,
which will give you some useful pointers and
an idea of what is actually involved.
See: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/elt/tefl
If you’d like to know more about ELT, just drop
by – you will find us very friendly and helpful.
You can find us here: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/
elt/aboutus/map/ or you can email us at
[email protected] or phone +44 (0)1334
462255.
We welcome students of all levels of
language proficiency, and we can help not
only with academic language, but also with
social, idiomatic everyday language. There are
online and independent study resources too,
so we can help you select suitable materials
based on our own diagnostic tools.
In order to get the best out of IELS, it is a
good idea to come along to an introductory
tutorial, where your tutor will help you to
determine and prioritise your needs and then
develop an individual study programme .
You can find out more about IELS at:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/elt/iels/or you can
email us at [email protected] or phone
01334 461785.
25
IT and Technical Support
As part of the process of registering as a
student you must go to the University’s
website to make your choice of modules and
complete your personal details. Before you
can do this you have to open your computer
account. To do so, please visit:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/itsupport/
gettingstarted/newstudents
Your University email address will be
[email protected]
Your username is included in the entrant
email. You will be asked to create a password
when you open your account.
Once you have activated your email account
you will be able to access it using Office 365l,
the University’s student email server.
26
ID cards
Your ID card, or ‘Matric’ card, is used as
identification purposes, including giving you
access to secure buildings, and also acts as
your library card. In order for us to produce
your ID card, we require you to send us a
recent colour photograph. Cards are normally
collected at Matriculation, which will take
place early in Orientation Week.
To upload your image and for further details,
please visit, https://portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/
id-photos (you will need to login using your
University username and password).
Employment
How to find work
1) Part-time work during term-time
The Careers Centre advertises many local
part-time job opportunities through its
Job Shop at:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/careers/students/
internshipsworkexperience
2) Part-time work
Holders of a Tier 4 General Visa are
permitted to work a maximum of 20
hours per week during term-time and
full time in vacation periods; the hours
cannot be averaged out per month or
over the semester; it is strictly limited.
Postgraduate students do not have the
same vacation periods as undergraduates
and should check the Postgraduate Codes
of Practice at: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/
pgstudents/rules
or
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/staff/teaching/
strategypolicy/policy/postgraduate/
research
3) Work experience or internships
The Careers Centre also advertises
work experience and internship
opportunities which match the needs
and aspirations of our diverse and
international student body. International
students may be able to gain internships
within the UK which are available
at: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/careers/
students/internshipsworkexperience/
workexperiencematters
We also provide information about work
experience opportunities in numerous
other countries, with particular depth in
information about opportunities in North
America: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/careers/
students/internshipsworkexperience
Graduate employment and further study
opportunities
One of the reasons most people choose to
study at university is to improve their chances
of getting good quality employment in
their later lives. They are right to presume
that further study will help them but it is
not the only factor that determines likely
future success. Employers will look for the
quality of your relevant knowledge and skills
– many of these will come from your degree
studies. The quality of your interpersonal and
organisational skills may also come in part
from your studies but are more likely to be
developed through extra-curricular activities,
such as involvement in societies or sports.
27
So you should plan to engage fully with the
wide range of opportunities and resources
which are made available to you through the
University.
Other factors that will help employability
include:
•
•
•
Well-thought- through career direction
and motivation.
Thorough knowledge and experience of
the working world that you seek to join.
The professionalism with which you make
applications and prepare for interviews.
The Careers Centre also advertises graduate
job opportunities both in the UK and in many
other countries:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/careers/students/
graduatejobs
Further study options can be viewed
online at: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/
careers/students/postgraduatestudy/
ispostgraduatestudyforme
National Insurance
If you plan on working in the UK then you
will have to apply for a National Insurance
number (NINO). You have to be interviewed in
person to get a NINO and the Careers Centre
coordinates a number of NINO adviser days
each semester. Alternatively you can call
0845 600 0643 to organise an interview at an
approved JobCentre (usually in Dundee or
Edinburgh).
28
Careers
The Careers Centre is organised with the goal
of enabling all students to move on positively
to the next stage of their lives, whether
that be further study or employment. To
achieve such successful transitions, most
students need and benefit from accessing
a combination of high quality relevant
information as well as personally customised
advice.
In practical terms this has led us to create
a very comprehensive website at www.standrews.ac.uk/careers/ and to make access to
specialist careers advisers through workshops
and one-to-one meetings easily available.
For details about adviser accessibility and
expertise, see:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/careers/alumni/
careersadviceandresources
Personal Support
The Advice and Support Centre (ASC)
Acting as the University’s main information
centre, this is the first point of contact
for any advice or support for members
of the University community, and visitors
to the town. You can come to the ASC to
arrange appointments with members of
staff in Student Services or the Pro Deans
for academic advice, disability support,
international student advice, financial
assistance and personal support. In addition,
you can also manage your payments, request
important documents (including academic
records and letters proving student status),
and get directions. So, whatever your
question, just ASC!
The ASC (Advice & Support Centre)
79 North Street, St Andrews
Fife, KY16 9AL
Scotland, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1334 (46)2020
Email: [email protected]
Since the ASC serves as a main contact point
in emergencies, please leave these details for
your parents or next of kin when you set out
to St Andrews.
Wardens
In each hall of residence a Warden manages
a team of Assistant Wardens (AW) who are
there for you to turn to for advice, support
and as an important source of information
when settling down. They are the key figures
in building a community spirit in your hall
(they help the student-run Hall Committee
to organise events and entertainment in
leisure time) and they also maintain the
balance of fun versus control in the hall
and so are responsible for discipline. The
Warden is usually a member of staff in the
University and will arrange events for you to
meet with other members of University staff
in a social setting during the term, whilst
the AWs are usually postgraduate students.
All the Wardennial teams encourage you to
turn to them for assistance and are on call
throughout the nights and at weekends.
International Student Advisers
The University has two International Student
Advisers who can give you advice on any
issues relating to your studies and living in
the UK. So if you have any questions relating
to your visa, employment rights or anything
that is concerning you please contact them
on [email protected] or by contacting
the ASC.
29
Disability Services
The University offers support and provision
for students with disabilities and specific
learning difficulties and aims to provide
‘reasonable’ adjustments in the academic
environment in line with UK Equality
legislation. However there may be differences
in what you are able to access since each
international education system assesses
the ‘reasonable’ test which their particular
legislation allows. In most cases we will need
disability/medical information in order to
provide the adjustments deemed reasonable
within teaching and exam provision. We can
also liaise with non-academic departments
such as the Accommodation Services to
ensure your disability and medical needs are
taken into account. Please ensure, if you are
used to receiving academic allowances in
assessment in your home country, that we are
able to replicate them here.
For further information or to discuss any
medical issue please contact our Disability
Team prior to coming to the University by
emailing: [email protected]
Appointments can be made to meet with a
disability adviser by contacting the ASC.
Counselling Service
The Counselling Service at the University of
St Andrews is primarily focused on shortterm interactions with you and helping you
in your engagement with the University.
We aim to help you gain control and
successfully manage your issues. The range
of personal issues the service encounters and
has experience of is very broad; including
anxiety, depression, eating disorders, loss
and bereavement, mental illness, self-harm,
obsessive compulsive behaviour, trauma,
relationship issues, family problems, sexual
identity, substance misuse, dependency
and addiction issues, transitional issues and
home-sickness. Interactions with students
who use the service are confidential and
30
in keeping with University policy. We use
a range of approaches; including but not
restricted to single session therapy, cognitive
behavioural therapy, person-centred
counselling, mindfulness and group work to
assist students in looking at and dealing with
the personal issues that have an impact on
them. The service has good links with other
local (non-university) services, such as health
services and other support for students
within the University. We liaise with academic
and other departments to support students
wherever necessary.
If you want to have an email chat with
someone and gain some assistance in
deciding whether counselling is for you, then
email one of our Support Advisers - Maggie,
Jo, Sarah or Cindy - people to whom you can
speak and who will help you work out what
you want to do. Contact them by emailing
[email protected]
Collaborations and Study Abroad
If you are attending St Andrews through
an exchange or Study Abroad programme
the Collaborations & Study Abroad team is
here to provide you with an extra source of
support. The CSA team is the primary contact
for all enquiries related to exchange and
Study Abroad programmes, and liaises with
partner institutions and providers around the
world. Whether you have a Study Abroad or
Erasmus form that requires a signature, want
to discuss your programme at St Andrews,
or would like to get in touch with other
exchange and Study Abroad students, the
CSA team is here to help!
Please note that if you attend St Andrews
through one of our strategic partners
or providers, the University will share
information about your programme with
your home institution/ provider. For further
information, please see the University’s
Policy on the Admission and Registration
of Exchange and Study Abroad Students,
available at: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/
studyabroad/incomingstudents/policyinboundstudents
Collaborations & Study Abroad
St Katharine’s West, 16 The Scores
St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AX
Scotland, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1334 462245
Email: [email protected]
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/studyabroad
The team runs daily Student Consultation
Hours during the semester (2-4pm, Monday
to Friday).
Parental involvement
Part of the charm and efficiency of
St Andrews is that we value our sense of
community. It is important, therefore, for us
to realise that students belong to different
communities and the value of these cannot
be underestimated either. The involvement
of your parents and extended families is
welcomed, for prospective, current, and past
students.
However we cannot presume to understand
the level of your relationships with people
and so we need to emphasise that our
contract – both legally and morally – is with
you, the student. We can only communicate
with people through you, the student. You
will be the one who will have to actively work
to give us permission to speak to people
on your behalf and even then it will be for a
single, specific, purpose and for a very limited
period of time. This is not only our best
way to work (remember, we are aiming to
develop your individuality) but is also backed
up by the UK laws on privacy and data
confidentiality which are extremely tight.
In practical terms this means we will not be
able to discuss anything about you with your
parents (the only exception being if you are
at risk of ‘life and limb’ ).
Faith and worship
Students of all faiths, and no faith, from
every part of the world are welcome at the
University, and the University Chaplaincy
offers support to all students throughout
your time here. It organises Christian worship
in beautiful chapels, accompanied by choral
singing. Other faith groups meet for prayers,
meditation and religious festivals in the
Chaplaincy building and elsewhere. A multifaith team of Chaplains guide students, teach
their faith and offer pastoral support. The
team is run by Rev Dr Donald MacEwan who
would welcome any approach from you if
anything is worrying you prior to arrival and
during your time at the University. He can be
contacted at: [email protected]
Safety
St Andrews is a very safe environment with
a crime rate well below the UK national
average. Despite this, you should always
use common sense when it comes to your
belongings and personal safety. If you have
any problems during the day you should
contact the ASC who will bring in an adviser
from Student Services to assist you. In the
evenings every hall of residence has a team of
Wardens available. If you are not in a hall you
can call the University’s main number 01334
476161 and the Security Officers will get help
for you from the Student Services staff on call.
This can be called free of charge from within
the University telephone system.
In the case of an emergency situation, then
dialling 999 will contact you with the local
emergency services.
31
Health
Health services
The UK has a fundamental belief in health
service provision for everyone and therefore
the NHS (the National Health Service)
provides medical services for everyone living
here, including all international students.
International Students who come on a Tier
4 visa are required to pay an immigration
health care surcharge for these services. This
is a one off fee that you pay as part of the
visa application process and covers you for
the length of your course. Once you have
paid the fee you then have free access to
NHS medical services and medication that is
prescribed for you.
For more information see www.
st-andrews.ac.uk/international/
information/visas/applying/newstudents/
immigrationhealthcharge.
Students coming on an exchange or study
abroad programme for six months or
less who do not require a Tier 4 visa will
be charged for NHS medical costs so it is
important that you obtain medical insurance
before studying here.
For more information see www.st-andrews.
ac.uk/studyabroad/incomingstudents/
practicalinformation/immigrationandhealth/
#shortterm.
The University, all staff and also students,
have access to the services of the local,
publicly funded, Health Centre at
St Andrews Community Hospital. It
houses the GP practices (GP is the General
Practitioner, the name we give to our general
doctors whom you see for all primary health
care requirements). They are also the point
of referral to secondary specialised services
such as orthopaedic, physiotheraphy or
psychiatric. The service is deemed to be
very good by UK standards. If you are ill
32
(sick) during your studies, the University
may ask for medical documentation to
confirm absence which can be arranged by
contacting the ASC. Also see the section on
Taking Time Out, page 23.
How to register with a GP
All new students are required to register with
one of two GP practices and you will be given
further information about how you do that as
part of your arrival information.
The Practices are:
Pipelands www.pipelandmedical.com
Blackfriars www.blackfriarsmedical.co.uk
You should study their websites to see which
services you require. You can choose which
practice with which to be registered. There
is also a private GP practice which you may
prefer to join. For further information see
www.gpmed.co.uk
For more information and contact details
visit: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/advice/
health/doctors
Students with an ongoing medical
condition
The GPs here will not have access to your
medical records. So if you have a chronic or
ongoing medical condition, it is vital that
you bring your medical records with you, so
that you can hand them over to the GP on
your arrival. You should discuss this fully with
your doctor at home before you come to the
UK. If necessary, prior to coming, you or your
doctor can contact a GP in St Andrews for
advice.
Prescriptions/pharmacies
If you require medication whilst you are
here, you must discuss this with your doctor
at home before coming to the UK. Not all
medications prescribed in your home country
are automatically available here in the UK.
There are some fundamental differences and
so it is wise for your doctor or yourself to
check with a GP here. It also makes sense to
bring enough medication with you until such
times as you can arrange to meet with your GP
and get a new prescription arranged. You can
take it to one of the pharmacies in St Andrews
who will dispense the medication. All NHS
prescriptions in Scotland are provided free of
charge.
Appointments with a GP
Sometimes it can take longer to have an
appointment to see a GP than you may be
accustomed to in your own country. The
local Health Centre issues appointments on a
priority basis and therefore you may have to
wait up to a week to be seen for non-urgent
appointments. The result has been that some
students, whilst being very satisfied with the
standard of care received when they do see a
GP, have expressed frustration at the lengthy
waiting times. If you are concerned about the
urgency of your situation, then you should
ask the receptionist if you can speak to a
nurse or GP on the phone for help and advice
about your particular needs.
Emergency treatment
If you are unwell, then the normal route
for treatment is to contact your GP. When
the practice is closed in the evenings and
at weekends you can call NHS24 on 111
where you will be able to speak to a nurse
who can give you advice and, if necessary,
arrange further assistance for you. The local
Community Hospital only deals with minor
injuries which means that any emergency
admissions would be to Ninewells Hospital in
Dundee. For more information see:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/advice/
health/hospitalsandemergencycare
Private health care
It is important to remember that, although
the NHS public facility is available to you at
the local Community Hospital, you can also
choose to ‘go private’ by bringing personal
health insurance. Private health insurance
has been reported as providing two major
advantages to international students. You
may be given faster access to services. It may
also offer access to extended services which
are difficult to get on the NHS if they are not
considered critical. Examples might include
chiropractic treatment, physiotherapy, and
even complementary therapies. Private
health care may also cover you for dental
work which could be important as there is
a scarcity of publicly available dental care
in Scotland and, if you did have dental work
carried out by an NHS dentist, there will be
some costs that you will incur.
Medical insurance/Repatriation insurance
You are currently covered by the NHS only
in the UK. So if you travel to Europe or other
countries during the vacations, you are not
covered for health provision. Therefore if
you have private medical insurance, then
check that it covers you whilst travelling. It is
relatively cheap to take out travel insurance
here in the UK for travelling in Europe, but
sometimes that insurance is limited to
medical repatriation due to serious injury or
fatality. It is recommended that you choose
carefully to ensure that you have full cover.
For more information on health matters
please see:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/advice/
health
33
Living in St Andrews
Orientating yourself
St Andrews is a compact town and ‘word
of mouth’ is often the way that you find
information! When you arrive, we will try to
make things straightforward for you. Always
carry your Orientation Programme around in
the first week – it will be the most important
guide you will need at that point. Remember
that everyone here is aiming to help you so if
you’re unsure about anything just ask! For any
information, come to the ASC.
St Andrews traditions
The University has a number of unique
traditions such as the May Dip and Raisin
Weekend. Students can get involved in the
popular Academic Family tradition which is
when a Year 1 student is informally adopted
by two Year 3 students who become their
academic mother and father. Students
ultimately end up with an extensive network
of brothers, sisters, aunties and uncles that
spans the whole University! The academic
parents can help their children in many ways
through, for example, support, mentorship,
guidance and friendship. Most students keep
in touch with their Academic Family members
long after they have left the University.
Food
Firstly it is important to emphasise that we
will not make you eat Haggis every day.
The Scottish diet, while historically quite
orientated around meat and potatoes, has
diversified greatly in recent years and now
encapsulates diets easily suited to vegetarians
and those with some lighter tastes.
Food in halls of residence
In catered halls of residence, we operate
a package of 19 meals per week (with the
exception of David Russell Apartments and
Agnes Blackadder Hall meal packages, and
Deans Court for postgraduate students) .
The 19 meals package includes breakfast,
34
lunch and dinner, Monday to Friday, with the
addition of breakfast and lunch on Saturday
and Sunday. This means you will need to
budget for your evening meals at weekends
(although there are kitchenettes and pantries
in halls and so you will be able to prepare
something for yourself ).
Food consumption is a very personal thing
and can be based on a whole raft of different
factors, such as country of origin, religious
beliefs or simply personal preferences.
Whilst we do our very best to cater for all
of the 100+ nationalities who study at the
University, catered halls are not suited to
everyone, and the Scottish or British diet
can often be different to that from your
home country. If you have special culinary
requirements and will be living in hall, make
sure you contact Student Accommodation
Services to inform us prior to your arrival.
Most diets can be catered for although a
Halal or Kosher diet may present particular
challenges to our local/regional suppliers. For
further information contact us on:
[email protected]
All halls operate a three-week menu cycle
and these are reviewed and amended on a
regular basis. Sample menus are available on
the University website so have a look and it
will give you an idea of what to expect. All
our halls have Healthy Living accreditation
which means that the University has received
government accreditation to say that we
use healthier ingredients and cooking
methods, that we keep fat, salt and sugar
to a minimum, and that options such as
water, low fat dairy products and fruit and
vegetables are always available.
Meals are not transferable between halls,
for example, this means if you are living in
St Regulus Hall you cannot take a meal in
McIntosh.
Eating out
St Andrews has a phenomenal number
of restaurants (including award winning
ones) for the size of the town – and they
are good. There is a wide range of local and
international restaurants, cafes, coffee shops
and bars to cater for most tastes.
Tipping
Tipping is acceptable/expected in restaurants
and by taxi drivers, hairdressers, nail bars.
The normal rate is a minimum of 10% of the
bill; be aware though that some restaurants
impose a service charge and if you pay the
bill by credit or debit card the tip will not go
directly to your server and is taxable.
Shopping
Students can benefit from tax free shopping
whilst they are in the UK but, because of the
limitations of this scheme, you shall only be
able to benefit from this scheme towards the
end of the study period if you are intending
to leave the UK. For more information see the
website of Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs
and search for ‘Tax free shopping the UK’.
Tax
Value Added Tax is added to most of the
goods that you buy in the UK at 20%.
Weights and measures
As we are part of Europe most shops will sell
goods in metric measurements, however
some of the more traditional traders can
convert imperial measurements for you.
Student clubs and societies
With over 140 societies to choose from, you
are bound to find something to get involved
in.
You can even speak to the Union about
starting your own society if you have an
interest that is not represented. From the
more traditional Debating Society to the
downright fun Tunnock’s Caramel Wafers
Appreciation Society there is something for
everyone. For a list of the different societies,
see: http://societies.yourunion.net
Sport
Sport in St Andrews is much more than golf.
As a matriculated student, you have access to
the Athletic Union and can join any sports
clubs. The Sports Centre is located about
10-15 minutes away from the town centre
and offers a range of memberships, facilities
and services including squash courts, a gym
suite and personal training. Usually there are
no classes held on Wednesday afternoons as
this time is dedicated to sporting activities.
You can try out new sports at the “Give it a
Go” Day held in Orientation Week. We are
host to over 60 sports clubs with over 4,000
members, more than half of the student
population. To find out more visit:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/sport
Music
St Andrews has an exceptionally busy musical
life with more than 500 students actively
engaged in music. The main focus for the
organisation and coordination of this activity
is the Music Centre. It provides facilities for
individual and group rehearsal and tuition
by professionals. The Student Music Society
is one of the largest, oldest and most active
student societies and welcomes anyone
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who is interested in music. The Society runs
the University Symphony Orchestra and the
University Chorus and Concert Band. The
Society also organises weekly Friday
lunchtime recitals which are often given by
students themselves. To find how about the
different ways to get involved, visit
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/music/
Drama
Drama permeates St Andrews. There is always
something going on, be it musicals, movies,
plays, readings, workshops, dance, student
writing or basically anything you want it to be.
The Mermaids Performing Arts Fund makes
drama possible in St Andrews. Information
about Mermaids can be found at
http://mermaidstheatre.com/
Student TV, radio and news
An excellent way to keep up-to-date with
news from St Andrews and to find out about
the creative side of the student community
is to look at the websites for our student TV,
radio, and news outlets.
Bubble TV is the St Andrews student channel
on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/
BubbleTVonline
Our radio station is called Star FM and is run
completely by students. It broadcasts online
allowing people to tune in from around the
world: www.standrewsradio.com
The longest-running media outlet at
St Andrews is the student newspaper, The
Saint, and it has won numerous awards over
the last 15-20 years:
www.thesaint-online.com
The Stand is an online news and
entertainment site for students:
www.stand-news.co.uk
All student media content is written, edited
and produced by members of our student
community. All students at St Andrews are
welcome to get involved.
36
Evening language classes
It is possible to study languages outside the
main curriculum of the University. These are
communicative classes designed to coach
students who are not necessarily interested
in taking a degree in languages, but would
find it useful or interesting to develop their
linguistic skills. There is a charge for taking
these classes. Courses are available from
absolute beginner up until advanced levels
in Arabic, Chinese, French, Scottish Gaelic,
German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and
Spanish. Further information is available at:
www.st-andrews. ac.uk/study/non-degree/
evening-languages or you can email [email protected] or phone 01334 467467.
Can I drive in the UK?
This will depend on where your licence was
issued. You might be able to drive using
your current licence for up to twelve months
and then take a driving test. Alternatively,
you might be able to exchange your
licence for a British licence or apply for a
provisional licence and then take the test.
Please note also that legal requirements
regarding insurance and the good state of
repair of the car will also apply. For more
information check this link: www.ukcisa.org.
uk/International-Students/Study-work-more/
Other-useful-information/Driving/
Please remember that it is the driver’s
responsibility to ensure that the car they are
driving is road worthy, that you are insured
to drive the car, that you have a valid driving
licence, that the car has an MOT (if applicable)
and holds a valid Road Fund Tax Disc.
However St Andrews is a small town and car
parking and travel by car around St Andrews
is becoming increasingly difficult therefore
students are encouraged not to bring a car.
Car hire
The cost of car hire in the UK varies greatly
and is often dependent on your age. The
best deals are usually available to book with
companies online.
Behaviour
The Sponsio Academica – the St Andrews
Code of Conduct
All students at the University of St Andrews
must declare that they agree to the Sponsio
Academica when they enrol at the University
via the online matriculation process.
The Sponsio Academica is an undertaking
that recognises the core principle of
respect for others and for the values of the
University, to which we hold firm in this
community. By signing up to matriculate,
students undertake a solemn promise
to conduct themselves in line with the
following principles that are valid in all of
their – academic or non-academic activities,
and in relation to their fellow students,
members of staff and the townspeople of
St Andrews. In their studies, and in all aspects of their
daily lives, students are asked to uphold the
following promises:
•
•
•
We shall hold true to the principles
of honesty and integrity in all our
dealings with others in this community.
We shall conduct ourselves in
a reliable and punctual fashion.
We shall be mindful of others’
circumstances, interacting with tolerance,
politeness and in a spirit of mutual
support within this community.
Discipline
Each student has the right and ability to make
decisions about his or her conduct, and the
responsibility to accept the consequences
of their decisions. Where necessary, and in
the event of misconduct, the University has
the authority to take disciplinary action.
Unacceptable behaviour will be addressed
according to the Non-academic Misconduct
Policy (www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/rules/
appeals/non-academicmisconduct).
Behaviour in residences
Aside from adhering to health and safety
rules when in University residences, you are
expected to adhere to the principles of respect
and tolerance outlined above. Everyone has
different work and sleep patterns, different
hobbies, activities and interests. When
students live in the close communities found
in University residences these differences
can cause problems. Wardennial teams
help to create and maintain residence
communities, and are available to respond to
noise complaints, room/flat mate disputes,
and other behavioural problems within
residences. Persistently poor behaviour can
lead to expulsion from the residence system.
Fraternities, sororities and initiations
We have no official fraternities or sororities
in the University and, since we have the fun
“academic families” system, over 140 societies
and clubs and a good humoured, inclusive
community where we want everyone to
feel welcome, fraternities and sororities are
not missed. We simply do not need them.
It is important that students realise our
commitment to inclusivity and we shall not
encourage any societies or clubs which do
not embrace that concept. Initiations are
strictly forbidden and disciplinary action
will be taken against any club or society that
disregards this.
Police and criminal offences
Our local police forces have an obligation
to investigate instances where a criminal
act might have occurred. What might be
seen as a prank in some countries could be
an offence here and the University will not
be able to intervene as the police always
carry the higher authority. Information
may be shared between the University
and police if there is a serious risk to the
University community or the town. For more
information see www.st-andrews.ac.uk/
students/rules/conductdiscipline
37
Reporting a crime
The legal system in Scotland is very different
from other countries, including even England.
Here, a person reporting that they have been
a victim of a crime then becomes a witness
to that crime and it will be investigated
on behalf of society by a separate legal
body. This is an important difference. On
the one hand it is good that all crimes get
investigated and it doesn’t depend on
whether or not you can afford it. However
the witness has no legal standing to control
the investigative process and so there is
no possibility of you deciding to withdraw
charges at a later date. You will have no
option but to pursue what you have started
and could, in fact, be prosecuted yourself for
wasting police time or obstructing the course
of justice if you try to withdraw. If you want to
discuss options with a member of staff, come
to the ASC for advice.
Manners
Although Scottish people are generally
quite relaxed and friendly in their manner,
nevertheless they do value politeness. We
expect people to say please and thank you
in all request dialogue. We expect people to
queue politely, awaiting their turn in a shop
or any service centre. It is also considered
important that you say ‘excuse me’ if you
need to interrupt someone. Please remember
that all of our staff are hoping to work with
you and will do their best to help you. The
University is a very important part of this
small town and so we hold the solid value of
respect dearly.
Punctuality is also held as an important
value in the UK generally and you will be
expected to turn up to formal tutorials
and seminars on time. Even when meeting
someone informally, it will be expected that
you keep to the time schedule. If something
unexpectedly delays you, then an apology
would be advised.
38
If you are invited to dinner, it is usual to take
a bottle of wine or soft drink or a small box of
chocolates.
Generally, people will excuse you if you are
seen to be trying to be respectful and we use
apologies liberally in the UK.
Equality
In the UK legislation protects equality for
our citizens for the factors of age, gender,
disability, religion, sexual orientation and
race. This means that it is illegal for anyone to
discriminate against another person on any of
these grounds. Our citizens are independent
and free to hold their status in society and so
we respect each other unconditionally.
Alcohol and pubs
The legal age for drinking alcohol in the UK
is 18. However the lower age means that
some UK students may have experienced
alcohol prior to that and so may have some
idea of their own body’s alcohol limits by
the time they arrive at university. When you
arrive in St Andrews, some international
students may be surprised to find that some
University events, perhaps organised in
your academic departments or your hall of
residence, will serve alcohol. For example, you
may be offered a glass of wine to welcome
you to a vast range of University functions.
This is acceptable within the UK approach
to sensible drinking. There are always nonalcoholic drinks on offer so there is no need
to feel any pressure to drink alcohol, and
many Scots teenagers decide for themselves
that they do not want to. Given our extended
multi-cultural population, many of our
students simply do not drink.
If you do choose to drink alcohol, know your
own limits by testing out very carefully in the
initial stages. Work out the measure size –
they may differ here from one establishment
to another. The safe measure will depend
on your own statistics, your height, weight,
metabolic rate, state of health. You may also
find that drink strength varies; e.g. European
beers can be quite strong. Please note that it
is against the law to drink from or carry open
bottles or cans of alcohol on the streets and
in public places. This is a St Andrews local law
and the police uphold it strictly.
Smoking
Scotland has very strict laws against smoking
in public places and buildings and so
you should be careful not to break these.
Smoking is not allowed, for example, in pubs,
restaurants, cafes or cinemas. In private
residences there is a no-smoking rule, and
this applies to all University buildings. If you
are visiting someone and wish to smoke
it would be expected that you would go
outside.
39
Family
Nurseries
Children between the ages of three and five
years old attending nursery are usually able
to receive 2½ hours per 5 days (school termtime only) free. Parents will then be billed for
the remainder of the cost. Do check with the
nursery what the costs are before committing
to a place. Unfortunately the University is
unable to assist international students with
childcare costs.
Rainbow Nursery
Strathkinness High Road (Fife Park)
St Andrews, Fife
Tel: 01334 470642
Email: [email protected]
www.rainbowchildcarefife.co.uk
Acorn Nursery
The Steadings, Kinaldy Farm, St Andrews
Tel: 01334 475698 Fax: 01334 478510
Email: [email protected]
www.acorndaynursery.co.uk 40
Montessori Childrens’ House St Andrews
(3-6 years)
Holy Trinity Church Hall, Greenside Place,
St Andrews, Fife
Tel: 01334 850013 or 476754
Email:
[email protected]
www.childrenshouse-standrews.com
Fife Council runs St Andrews Nursery Centre,
Kilrymont Road, St Andrews, KY16 8DF, for 3 and 4 year old children.
Telephone the Head Teacher, Jennie
Drummond on 01334 659485 or
Email [email protected]
Child minding services
For Child minding services in Fife and
surrounding area please see Scottish Family
Information Service www.scottishchildcare.
gov.uk
Schools within the St Andrews area
Children of international students between
the ages of 5 and 18 may attend school
(primary and secondary) free of charge
provided they have gained entry clearance as
dependants of their parent(s).
Help is also available within the school
system for children with learning difficulties.
The Bilingual Support Service of Fife Council
Education Service collaborates with schools
and parents to support pupils in Fife schools
who are learning English as an Additional
Language.
Rothesay House, Rothesay Place,
Glenrothes KY7 5PQ
Tel: 01592 583372
Fife Childcare & Early Years Service
Rothesay House,
Glenrothes KY7 5PQ
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01592 583146/5
For general enquiries call 01592 583146 or
01592 583145 or email [email protected]
www.scottishchildcare.gov.uk
Canongate Primary
(includes a Nursery Class for 3 to 4 year olds)
Maynard Road, St Andrews KY16 8RX
Tel: 01334 659452 Fax: 01334 470581
Greyfriars R. C. Primary
Kilrymont Road, St Andrews KY16 8DF
Tel: 01334 659418
Lawhead Primary
(includes a Nursery Class or 3 to 4 year olds)
Strathkinness Low Road,
St Andrews KY16 9NG
Tel: 01334 659426 Fax: 01334 475895
Madras College (Secondary School)
South Street, St Andrews KY16 8DE
Tel:01334 659402
Email: [email protected]
www.madras.fife.sch.uk/index.html
Independent schools
St Leonards-New Park School (4½ - 18 years)
South Street, St Andrews KY16 9QJ
Tel: 01334 472126
Email: [email protected] www.stleonards-fife.org
41
www.st-andrews.ac.uk
Photographs by: Peter Adamson, Spencer Bentley, broad daylight, Ben Goulter,
©iStockphoto.com/cisale, Rhona Rutherford and Laurence Winram.
Produced by Print & Design, University of St Andrews, June 2016.
All the information in this publication is correct at time of going to press.
The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland. No: SC013532