University of St Andrews

St Andrews is a picturesque medieval city of about 16,000 people and home to Scotland’s oldest university. Renowned for academic excellence, the University of St Andrews has drawn scholars from around the globe, including Prince William, several Scottish kings, scientist Edward Jenner—the pioneer of the smallpox vaccine—and writer Fay Weldon. Its rich history, world-class scholarship, and scenic setting make studying here a truly distinctive experience.

Founded in 1413 by a group of ecclesiastics, St Andrews is the third-oldest university in the United Kingdom. Its early curriculum focused on divinity, logic, philosophy, and both canon and civil law. By the mid-1500s, the university had expanded to include three colleges: St Salvator’s (1450), St Leonard’s (1511), and St Mary’s (1538).

Religious conflict during the Reformation damaged many of the city’s churches, though the college buildings survived. In 1747, St Salvator’s and St Leonard’s merged to form the United College. Falling enrolment in the 1800s led the university to partner with a new academic centre in Dundee, producing notable advances in medicine and applied sciences. The partnership ended in 1967 with the creation of the independent University of Dundee.
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Nearly 600 years after its founding, the University of St Andrews remains a vibrant centre of learning, attracting leading scholars and students from around the world. Today, more than 6,000 students and staff work and study in a city framed by castle and cathedral ruins, centuries-old stone houses, and the world’s first golf course—just 72 kilometres north of Edinburgh.
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For more information, visit the University of St Andrews website.