University of St Andrews Acceptance Rate 2023 | Admissions, Requirements, & How to Apply

Studying at the University of St Andrew is a rewarding experience but this experience is limited to a few successful applicants as the acceptance rate is 8.35%.

St. Andrews University has an acceptance rate of 8.35% which means the institution is selective about who it admits.

Residents and international students seeking admission into the University of St. Andrew should understand that with an acceptance rate of 8.35%, being considered for admissions implies that applicants are excellent academically and have substantial skills to make them outstanding.

Why Choose the University of St Andrews

Both residents and foreign students can have a distinctive experience at St Andrew’s. Your academic studies will be challenging and fulfilling at a university with a reputation for world-class instruction. 

While investigating a variety of topics, students will have the chance to adopt fresh viewpoints and put their existing beliefs to the test.

Additionally, students at St. Andrew’s will receive assistance with both academic and personal concerns during the academic year. 

Academic life will be guided by devoted advisors, and Student Services may assist with everything from welfare to financial concerns.

A fantastic opportunity to immerse oneself in a new culture is provided by studying abroad. St Andrews, located on Scotland’s east coast, offers a cozy and welcoming setting for your study abroad experiences. With ancient structures and contemporary infrastructure, students will experience its rich cultural blend.

Is the University of St Andrews hard to get into?

The University of St Andrews is one of the most difficult universities in the world to get into, not just in the UK but across the board, with a very low average admission rate of only 8.35%.

This suggests that approximately 8–9 applicants out of every 100 are admitted to the University of St. Andrews. Only 4,595 out of 10,845 applicants were given admissions offers in the most recent academic year, resulting in a 42% acceptance rate. 

However, only 1,235 of the total 10,845 applications were chosen, yielding a respectable rate of just 11%. The University of St. Andrews has an acceptance rate for undergraduate programs that is roughly 8.63c/o.

What is the University of St Andrews Acceptance Rate?

The University of St. Andrews’ admittance rate is reportedly 8.35%. For applicants who rank the University of St. Andrews as their top choice university, the admission rate is an important consideration.

However, applicants should not be discouraged by how long the acceptance rate is but ensure they have good grades and meet up with the admission requirements.

What is the University of St Andrews Transfer Acceptance Rate?

The University of St Andrews accepts a small number of applications each year from students who wish to transfer to the University from another higher education institution.

Therefore, the transfer acceptance rate for the University of St Andrew is 42.86%. This indicates how hard it is to transfer to the University of Andrews. 

University of St Andrews Acceptance Rate by Major

Ranked second in the UK and first in Scotland in the Guardian University Guide 2020, the University of St Andrews has quite a several interesting majors that applicants can select from.

Students at the undergraduate and graduate levels get to select majors that are highly competitive with a strict acceptance rate.

Below are some of the majors offered at the University of St Andrews.

• Ancient History
• Biology
• Classics, Greek and Latin
• Creative writing
• Economics and Finance
• International Relations
• Physics and Astronomy 
• Psychology

Ancient History

Become familiar with the political, social, and cultural history of the ancient Mediterranean region. Learn about the interactions between the ancient Greeks and Romans and their neighbors, including the Persians, Carthaginians, and Phoenicians, by studying their history.

Courses at St. Andrews will instruct you to examine a variety of sources of information, including art, archaeology, and the writings of ancient historians.

• Historic urbanism
• Imperialism
• Slavery
• Religion and family conflict with gender and economy.

The acceptance rate for Ancient History is 21%.

Biology

Biology at St. Andrews examines all facets of the natural world, from comprehending how molecules and cells function to the study of entire ecosystems.

The biological, geographical, and psychological sciences are all included in interdisciplinary teaching and research. At St. Andrews, biology focuses on:

• Biological cell behavior
• Ecological history
• Aquatic biology
• Sustainable development in neuroscience.

The acceptance rate for biology from 2019-2022 has been 23%. Will it go higher by 2023? We just have to find out.

Classics, Greek and Latin

Students who study the classics, Greek, and Latin at St Andrew’s are exposed to enormously rich literary works that have influenced a wide range of later western literature, culture, and ideas.

Students who take Greek courses at St. Andrews learn to appreciate the culture, philosophy, religion, and history of the ancient world. Greek courses span a wide range of topics from ancient to late antiquity.

The study of epic poetry, historiography, and letter-writing are all part of the Latin courses at St. Andrews that instruct students in the language that is the ancestor of many European languages. Pre-classical times to the Middle Ages are extensively covered in Latin modules.

Over time, the acceptance rate for Classics, Greek, and Latin has stayed at a standstill at 23%.

Creative Writing

Students at St Andrew’s are taught how to develop their writing skills and the creative process by offering several specialties in poetry, prose, and drama. Creative writing students are tutored by experts who have harnessed and monetized their skills over the years.

This is one of the competitive majors at the undergraduate and graduate levels and its acceptance rate is 23%.

Economics and Finance

Economics as social science concerns the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, whilst finance is the study of the management of available funds. 

163 applicants were successfully accepted into the master’s program between 2019-2022 and its general acceptance rate is 25%.

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International Relations

International relations studies the relationships between nation-states, how international affects their foreign policies, and their peace and conflict strategies.

At St Andrew’s, students pull on areas from diplomatic history and international law as well as political theory, economy, and science to explain conflict and cooperation. Gain substantial knowledge into theoretical perspectives from areas including:

• Foreign policy
• International organizations and regimes
• Peace and conflict studies
• Political theory
• Terrorism and political violence

International relations has proven to be one of the most competitive majors at the University of St Andrew with a 38% acceptance rate at the Undergraduate level and 47% at the Ph.D. level.

Physics and Astronomy

Examine the science behind our world and universe, from the atomic and subatomic scale to stars and galaxies. 

St Andrews houses state-of-the-art research labs and its observatory with the largest operating telescope in Scotland.

The acceptance rate is 26% and 11% for the undergraduate and Master’s levels.

Psychology

St Andrews is known for its Psychology major with an acceptance rate of 27%. Students studying psychology are taught various topics of modern psychology including:

• Behavior
• Cognition
• Motivation
• Perception

What are the Admission Requirements for the University of St Andrews?

When applying for admissions to the University of St Andrews, applicants should know the admissions prerequisites and prepare all required documents. 

However, the supporting documents required at the time of application need to be in English.

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Undergraduate Admission Requirements

• Either Scottish Qualifications Agency Standard Grade (S Grade) or General Certificate of Education (GCE) with passes in at least 5 approved subjects
• Either 4 approved subjects at SQA Higher Grade (H Grade) or 3 approved subjects at GCE Advanced Level (A-Level)
• Qualifications equivalent in-depth and breadth to the above from the student’s country of origin
• A minimum GPA of 3.5 or higher
• Complete an online application at the University Academic Results official website.
• English test results (IELTS/TOFEL) – All students must take one of two English proficiency exams: IELTS or TOFEL
• Students must submit a certified copy of any formative test they have given—for instance, the SAT and ACT
• Statement of purpose
• Student CV
• Counselor recommendation
• Paperwork about visas – All visa-related documents must be submitted

Graduate Admission Requirements

• Academic transcripts
• High school equivalency diploma
• The first quarter or trimester grades
• Proof of English proficiency
• Standardized exams scores
• Resume/CV
• Letter of Recommendation (preferred)
• ATAS certificate, if required
• A copy of passport and visa, if required
• Financial documents 

Note: Document requirements may vary with different programs. To check the exact requirements.

Transfer Requirements for the University of St. Andrews

The average acceptance rate for transfer students seeking admission into the University of St Andrews is 42.86%. This shows how significantly low the acceptance rate is.

To be considered for admissions into the University of St Andrews, transfer students must have the following requirements

First Year Undergraduate Students 

• Students must have completed or be in the process of completing 12 or more semester credits from a regionally accredited institution
• Must have a completed application
• Official academic transcripts from ALL colleges. (Transfers MUST be in good standing with the last college attended
• Official High School Transcript with Graduation Date, School Seal, and Authorized signature
• Optional due to COVID-19) Official Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and/or American College Testing Assessment Program (ACT) unless the applicant has an Associate’s Degree if the applicant is older than 23; or if the applicant has more than 24 transferable credits with a college GPA of 2.5 or better. (Code numbers: SAT 5214 ACT 3146)
• A copy of your syllabus so that we can establish which of your courses are common to our degree program. Whenever possible, we will transfer credits to the total needed for a university degree award
• Upon notification of admission, an enrollment deposit of $300 is required to hold your place in the entering class.

Second and Third-year Undergraduate Students

Students who wish to apply to transfer to a full St Andrews degree program must apply for transfer admission by the stipulated deadline.

Applicants whose prior institution is William & Mary must seek permission from them accordingly before applying for admission to a St Andrews degree program.

Applications will only be considered after the results for the second Semester and year-long modules have been reported in June. Students will be informed of the outcome of their applications in mid-June.

All applicants will be expected to have:

• A good academic record in the joint program
• Accurate reasons for seeking to transfer to a St Andrews degree program and they are expected to meet the Honours entry requirements for their intended degree program.

When the transfer application is successful, prospective students should note that there is no guarantee that credit obtained in the joint program will transfer in full to a St Andrews degree program.  

What GPA do I need to get into the University of St Andrews

The University of St Andrew admission process requires that prospective candidates should have a minimum of 3.2 GPA and above.

Applicants for the undergraduate exchange or transfer programs must meet the following criteria:

• completed at least one year in full-time higher education by the point of intended entry to St Andrew’s
• have a minimum average grade of 3.2 (on a US 4.0 GPA scale) or equivalent.

Applicants for the postgraduate exchange or study abroad programs must meet the following criteria:

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree with Honours (or equivalent) in a relevant subject, with an overall grade of 2.1 (UK), 2.2 or B+ (Europe), 3.6 GPA (USA) or equivalent
• Have a strong average grade in your current degree program.

What is the University of St Andrew’s Deadlines?

The university’s application deadline is May 1 for all applicants, whereas the Medicine for Overseas program’s due date is always 15 October.

Applicants are required to have submitted a completed application form and accompanying papers to the institution before the published deadlines. The institution may occasionally allow late registration.

However, certain institutions and colleges in the US have a January 1 and January 15 application deadline. Students that submitted their applications will have a better chance of receiving a scholarship if one is available.

What is the University of St Andrew’s Decision Dates?

After completing your application and successfully submitting it, the Admissions team will begin processing your application. Also, a confirmation email will be sent from the Admissions team indicating that the University has received your application, regardless of which application method was used. 

The decision date of the university of St Andrews is 31 May for all applicants. However, this date is subject to change as the University endeavors to address all applicants at the same time.

How to Apply to the University of St Andrews 

If you are interested in applying to the University of St Andrews as a US student, there are three modes of application.

Firstly, through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), which is used by students to apply to various UK schools. Secondly, through the Common App. Lastly, by applying to St. Andrews directly through its website.

How to apply through the Common App

If you wish to apply to the University via the Common Application, this checklist will help you through the application process.

1 Take a look at the University of St Andrews. 

2. Check the entry requirements and any subject-specific prerequisites for the program of your choice.

• International students should meet the Standard entry requirements listed on course pages.

• We always list the requirements for SQA Highers, GCE A-Levels, and the International Baccalaureate, but accept a broad range of qualifications from,m around the world, find out what we accept from your country on our entry requirements page.

3. Check the General entry requirements for the course you are interested in (listed on the course page).

4. You must choose which Faculty is best for you if there is a course option between the Faculties of Arts (MA) and Science (BSc). It is very important to correctly cite the UCAS code numbers when applying for a course that is offered in two different faculties. For instance, the course code for the Psychology (MA) degree differs from the Psychology (BSc) degree.

5. Once you have determined which course and Faculty are the most appropriate, note the UCAS course code of your chosen course. This is the four-digit code that can be found under the key information for your course.

6. Draft your writing supplement carefully so that it reflects your choice of course. You can find more information about what we look for in an application on the how to apply page.

7. Pay the required application fee through the Common Application website. The fee is currently $75 for all applicants.

8. Submit your application by the appropriate deadline. The application deadline is subject to change.

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Frequently Asked Questions 

Conclusion

The University of St. Andrews has a long and notable history. It is the third oldest English-speaking University in the United Kingdom and one of the first institutions in Scotland (after Oxford and Cambridge).

Studying at the university offers a whole variety of college experiences ranging from its academic excellence, sporting activities, and student associations.

We hope this article helps you through your academic process.

References

• collegerealitycheck.com – How to Get Into St. Andrews from the U.S
• st-andrews.ac.uk – Study at St Andrews
• careergigo.com – 2022/2023 University of St. Andrews Acceptance Rate
• st-andrews.ac.uk – Common Application 
• admissionreport.com – University of St Andrews Acceptance Rates
• st-andrews.ac.uk – Subjects at St Andrews
• st-andrews. ac.UK- Applying to transfer to a St Andrews degree program
• currentschoolnews.com – University of St Andrews Acceptance Rate 
• collegetransfer.net – St. Andrews University, Laurinburg, North Carolina

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