How selective is St Andrews?
St Andrews does not publish applications, offers or an acceptance rate on the pages we read, so this guide does not quote one. It does publish the size and mix of its student body (St Andrews facts; St Andrews undergraduate study).
| Measure | St Andrews figure |
|---|---|
| Founded | Teaching began in 1410; formally constituted by papal bull in 1413 |
| Students, 2024-2025 | 10,356, including 8,381 undergraduates |
| Countries represented, 2024-2025 | More than 120 |
| Student body from outside the UK | 42% |
| Degree length | “Most of our degrees take four years.” |
| Interviews | Most applicants are not interviewed |
| UCAS institution code | S36 |
St Andrews describes itself as “Scotland’s first university” and “the third oldest in the English speaking world” (St Andrews history). It gives no share of US students on the pages we read. In our view, without an official rate, the best guide to a US student’s chances is how well their record matches the published US requirements below and the subject prerequisites for their chosen degree.
Where does the 2027 entry cycle stand on October 27, 2026?
| Step | Date | Status on October 27, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine deadline (UCAS or direct application) | 6pm UK time, 15 October 2026 | Closed |
| Common App window for St Andrews | 1 August 2026 to 1 May 2027 | Open |
| Equal consideration deadline for all other courses (UCAS, Common App or direct) | 6pm UK time, 13 January 2027 | Upcoming |
| Transfer applications | 6pm UK time, 13 January 2027 | Upcoming |
| Decisions for applicants who meet the equal consideration deadline | “by the month of May” | Upcoming |
| BA (International Honours), direct application | 1 May 2027 | Upcoming |
The 15 October 2026 deadline for Medicine, and for Oxford and Cambridge, has passed for 2027 entry (UCAS dates and deadlines). A US student who still wants to study Medicine at St Andrews would be looking at 2028 entry. For every other St Andrews course, there is time to apply by 13 January 2027, and St Andrews says Common App applications after that date may be considered if places remain (St Andrews Common Application).
Which route should a US student use: UCAS, the Common App or a direct application?
| UCAS | Common App | Direct application | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | Any applicant | Applicants with Overseas fee status who are not applying to St Andrews through UCAS or directly | Applicants liable for overseas-rate fees who are not applying to St Andrews through UCAS or the Common App |
| Medicine | Yes (2027 entry deadline passed) | “You cannot apply for our Medicine programmes using the Common Application.” | Yes (2027 entry deadline passed) |
| Fee | £34.50 for up to five choices (2027 entry) | $75, paid through the Common App | £50 |
| Counts toward five UK applications | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Equal consideration deadline | 6pm UK time, 13 January 2027 | 6pm UK time, 13 January 2027 | 6pm UK time, 13 January 2027 |
St Andrews notes that “the maximum number of applications permitted to UK universities in one year is five,” and that applications by either the Common App or the direct route are “counted as part of your five” (St Andrews how to apply; direct application). Its Common App page lists no Early Action or Early Decision round. In our view, a US student applying to St Andrews as their only UK university will usually find the Common App simplest, because it reuses an application already in progress; a student using UCAS for other UK universities can add St Andrews there. Either way, the student should use one route for St Andrews, not two; the one exception St Andrews names is the BA International Honours joint degree with William & Mary, which can be applied for directly or through the Common App even by students who used UCAS for other programmes (St Andrews direct application).
What grades and test scores does St Andrews ask of US applicants?
St Andrews says: “We look for grades of A or B in honours level courses on your high school record, or three AP subjects with scores of 4+ within the context of the rigour offered at your high school.” Some subjects have prerequisites that may need “AP scores of 5 on subject tests”, and meeting the requirements does not guarantee a place (St Andrews US entry requirements). The page covers September 2027 and September 2028 entry.
- Testing. The page says “SAT and ACT test optional for the application cycles 2026-2027, and 2027-2028 (September 2027 and September 2028 entry)” and “We will not penalize students for the absence of a standardized test score.”
- Scores if sent. “ACT: score of 28+ (writing optional).” and “SAT: score of 1320+ (essay optional).” St Andrews superscores both tests.
- GPA. The page gives no undergraduate GPA requirement.
- Credit. AP, IB and SAT Subject Test scores are used for admissions only and do not earn credit.
In our view, a student whose scores meet or exceed those levels should usually send them, and a student below them can apply without scores, since St Andrews says it will not penalize a missing score. In our experience, the subject prerequisites are easy to overlook, so students should check the entry requirements for each degree they are considering.
How does the four-year Scottish degree work?
St Andrews says: “Most of our degrees take four years. You start by studying three subjects and then specialise as you progress” (St Andrews undergraduate study). Degrees are modular: an Honours degree needs 480 credits, and full-time students usually take 120 credits a year. Students in the Faculties of Arts, Divinity and Science can take subjects outside their own Faculty, although popular subjects may be restricted (St Andrews flexible degrees). Medicine is separate: Medicine students cannot take modules outside Medicine, and other students cannot take Medicine modules.
In our experience, this structure suits US students who want some of the breadth of a US first year while still applying for a UK degree. It contrasts with three-year courses such as Oxford PPE and LSE BSc Economics, where students apply to one named course and follow it from the start; our Oxford guide and LSE strategy guide cover those.
How does Medicine at St Andrews work for US applicants?
| Medicine A100 BSc (Hons) | |
|---|---|
| Length | “Six years full time”: three years at St Andrews, three at a partner medical school |
| Clinical years for Overseas fee status | University of Manchester, “our designated partner medical school for all international students for this programme” |
| Other partner routes | For students from Scotland or other parts of the UK: Scotland route (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow), England route (Manchester, London) or No Preference route |
| Canada route | Medicine A990: three years in St Andrews and three in Edinburgh, for students from Canada |
| 2027 entry deadline | 6pm UK time, 15 October 2026 (closed) |
| Admissions test | UCAT; applicants who meet the requirements are ranked by UCAT global score |
| Interviews (2026 entry) | Approximately 650 interview places; online for applicants without Home-funded fee status |
| Overseas tuition | £39,620 (2026-2027); £41,600 (2027-2028) |
On its selection page for 2026 entry, St Andrews says it ranks applicants who meet its requirements “on the basis of their UCAT global score,” and that those “ranked in the top 650 or so will be given an interview.” Offers are based on the interview score and the route the applicant chose, with the UCAT score used to separate equal interview scores. Interviews “usually take place on dates in early December and then in the following January, February and March” (St Andrews Medicine selection).
St Andrews also lists Medicine A10C ScotCOM (MBChB) and the graduate-entry ScotGEM programme (MBChB) (St Andrews Medicine); check each course page for fee-status eligibility before planning around them. In our view, US students considering UK Medicine should also weigh where they want to practise, since the A100 route for Overseas students leads to clinical training in Manchester.
What does St Andrews cost a US student?
| Overseas tuition | 2026-2027 | 2027-2028 |
|---|---|---|
| Arts, Divinity and Science | £33,250 | £34,910 |
| Medicine | £39,620 | £41,600 |
| Other costs, 2026-2027 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Catered residence or rent, utilities and food | £12,208 |
| Travel | £2,000 |
| Computer and books | £800 |
| Personal (38 weeks) | £3,800 |
| Total of these lines (by our calculation) | £18,808 |
| Student visa (optional line on the page) | £558 |
| Immigration health surcharge for four years (optional line on the page) | £3,492 |
St Andrews says “Fees will be adjusted annually, with adjustments typically ranging between 3% and 5%” (St Andrews fees for overseas students), so by our reading the fee rises during a four-year degree rather than staying fixed. For funding, St Andrews “is authorised to certify applications for both federal direct loans and alternative education (‘private’) loans” (St Andrews US funding). For how this compares with US aid, see our financial aid for upper-middle-class families guide.
What visa and work rules apply?
US students need a Student visa. Gov.uk says “The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you start your course,” and the fee from outside the UK is £558 (gov.uk Student visa). After graduating, the Graduate route currently allows “2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026” and “18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027” (gov.uk Graduate visa). By our reading, a student who starts a four-year St Andrews degree in autumn 2027 would fall under the 18-month rule as gov.uk states it today. These rules can change before then.
How should US students weigh St Andrews against other options?
- Against Oxford. Oxford takes one course per applicant, set an October deadline that has now passed for 2027 entry and interviews shortlisted applicants; St Andrews does not interview most applicants and accepts the Common App. See our Oxford guide.
- Against London options. LSE BSc Economics is a three-year degree applied for as a single programme; St Andrews offers four years, usually starting with three subjects. See our LSE strategy guide and our Imperial strategy guide.
- Against US colleges. In our view, the main differences are aid, credit and timing: St Andrews does not give credit for AP scores, and its decisions for on-time applicants arrive by May. Our college admissions timeline guide shows how to run both lists together.
The view of Oriel Admissions is that St Andrews fits US students who want a four-year degree with early breadth at a university of just over 8,000 undergraduates, and who have checked the subject prerequisites for their chosen degree before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions About St Andrews Admissions
St Andrews does not publish applications or offers on the pages we read, so there is no official rate to quote. It says 42% of its student body comes from outside the UK.
Yes, if they have Overseas fee status and are not also applying to St Andrews through UCAS or directly. The Common App route is not open for Medicine, costs $75 and counts toward the five UK applications allowed each year.
No. Testing is optional for September 2027 and September 2028 entry, and St Andrews says it will not penalize a missing score. If sent, the stated levels are 1320+ on the SAT and 28+ on the ACT.
The equal consideration deadline is 6pm UK time on 13 January 2027 for all courses except Medicine. The Medicine deadline of 15 October 2026 has passed.
St Andrews says students with Overseas fee status on the A100 Medicine degree complete their training at the University of Manchester after three years at St Andrews.
Most applicants are not interviewed. The exceptions are Medicine, supported pathway programmes and part-time study.
Yes. St Andrews says it is authorised to certify applications for federal direct loans and for private education loans.
Oriel Admissions helps US students choose a route and a degree, decide whether to send test scores, prepare the application for the chosen route and compare costs with US options.
Sources: University of St Andrews, UCAS applications, University of St Andrews, Direct application, University of St Andrews, Common Application, University of St Andrews, How to apply, University of St Andrews, Entry requirements for the USA, University of St Andrews, Undergraduate study, University of St Andrews, Flexible degrees, University of St Andrews, Transfer applications, University of St Andrews, Medicine, University of St Andrews, Medicine BSc A100, University of St Andrews, Medicine selection, University of St Andrews, Undergraduate tuition fees, University of St Andrews, Fees for overseas students, University of St Andrews, US cost of attendance 2026-2027, University of St Andrews, US funding, University of St Andrews, Facts, University of St Andrews, History, UCAS, Dates and deadlines, UCAS, Filling in your UCAS undergraduate application, GOV.UK, Student visa, GOV.UK, Graduate visa. All read October 27, 2026.
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