St Andrews

[IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere]

DD has received a very good offer from St Andrews. She loves the look of the course and is very keen to go there. Aside from the course she loves the idea of a small town, has no interest in nightlife as part of the "student experience" and loves the quirky traditions.

Does anyone have any experience of being there and the extra expenses that could be involved such as the extra cost of travel, formal dinners and the like?

We are a low income family in an economically deprived area. She is part of a very small 6th form - 12 in the Upper 6th. Her school is not in special measures but is holding on by the skin of its teeth! They are very keen for her to go to St Andrews but she is not going to be their responsibility!

We will support her as much as we possibly can but I am worried that it will be a lot more expensive than a less elite university.

Any thoughts?

@Monkey2001
Re visits, DD has had one friend on a year off book to come and visit - but they muddled dates and it's the weekend before her exams start so not sure what the plan is now! She's done a coach trip weekend down to Sheffield and Manchester, which was looooonnngg but doable and not expensive. She does feel a bit sad that hardly anyone thinks it's realistic to come and visit. But they make so many new friends so fast, and have plenty of holidays to catch up with old friends. (Summer and Christmas, but their spring break is at a different time from English unis' Easter break).
Not sure what the odds are of you being forced into halls that are way above your budget in 1st year. Very small but not non-existent, I'd guess. The North Americans find St Andrews cost of living very cheap, apparently, so there are plenty of them who are likely to opt for the more expensive choices, as well as the more moneyed Brits.

I’m pretty sure that the halls were allocated by the uni in the first year. My stepson ended up in the middle range self catering halls which were nice (about £6k a year, I think). He quickly made friends and found a house to share for the following two years. I don’t think it’s more expensive, but am not sure as he organises it all now!

He changed from chemistry to economics partly because he felt there were more career options through it, but also a little bit because he couldn’t join many clubs as they often took place on Wednesday whereas he was in the labs! He’s become hooked on polo after joining that club!

Much as I loved my time at Swansea I’d definitely choose St Andrews.

Ps, they get very different holidays and exam times to many other unis, so he comes home a good month before his friends break up and tends to visit them. At Xmas they break up very late after doing exams, but he’s home most of January.

I thought this might be of interest from LinkedIn- so many of us adore St Andrews and the comments will give you some insight x

www.linkedin.com/posts/university-of-st-andrews_foreversaints-valentinessaints-activity-6634053652564721666-pasd

Thanks hernamewasrio. Lovely comments and I could imagine DD loving it there.

My DC is at St A’s currently and I would say from comparisons with friends’ children's accommodation costs at other Universities, St A’s are considerably higher. Also, in first year, effectively accommodation is randomly allocated despite having to rank the four categories of accommodation. My DC was allocated the most expensive catered ensuite option despite this being ranked third out of four. Other friends were allocated catered rather than self catered as requested as minimum numbers of catered students are necessary at the larger halls. Statistically, your DC has a very high chance of being allocated to Agnes Blackadder or DRA. The vast majority of single rooms in the older halls are allocated to returning students. Opting for a shared room increases the likelihood of one of the older halls but these are mostly if not all catered and have shared bathroom facilities. Also, shared rooms are only very marginally less expensive at St A’s.

There is also very limited switching of accommodation permitted as it is normally over allocated.

Have a look at the Residences section on the University website. Costs are clearly stated there as well as room numbers. From my child’s experience, I’m afraid I would very much assume your DC would be allocated the most expensive category of accommodation.

Having said all that about accommodation costs and the random allocation in first year regardless of cost, my DC loves St A’s and couldn’t recommend it more highly. Next year will be self catered so a bit cheaper. I have seen that some of the fees for next year have rocketed again due to the issue of separate HMO licences per flat being required instead of per building - depending on the style of accommodation.

It is difficult and where Universities are introducing widening access initiatives it should be addressed.

I think you can still separately opt for Andrew Melville Halls which is the cheapest catered option with shared facilities.

Thanks S4, I feared it might be like that. The annoying thing was that no only was Blackadder outrageously expensive, he also really disliked it, so double whammy if he goes there!

I do get that it would be unfair to give first choice to the unconditional offer holders, but can't help wishing he was going to one of the many who do have that policy!

Glad to hear your DC is so positive anyway.

Dd received an unconditional offer for maths today. Beyond delighted! Already on the fizz!

Congratulations to you all. So very pleased for you. It was well worth the wait. Who knows - we might meet one day.

IthinkIsaw thank you so much. Wouldn't that be nice if we did! Have a wonderful time when you visit next week. We have cracked open a bottle of fizz!

Oops obviously the fizz has gone to my head as I already said that didn't I!

When applying for accommodation at St Andrews can you specify that you don’t want a shared room? I know you rank preferences as in catered/self catered/en-suite/shared bathroom but sharing a room would be a real sticking point for my DS.

Yes, you can specify single room.

Yes you can. You can request single or shared ensuite catered or non catered. Shared tends to be in the older halls. Americans often request shared as they see having a room mate as the norm. My ds was allocated to DRA in first year and loved it. Still pals with his flat mates from there. Dd is hoping that's where she gets too.

I've seen on their website that first years are likely to be allocated shared rooms in catered halls. Does that only apply if they ask for catered? DD would struggle with sharing but would probably be happy with self catered which seems to be mainly single rooms. But what are the odds of asking for self catered & single and ending up in catered & shared?!

AChickenCalledDaal

That’s what had concerned me when I read it on the website too. My son fancies standard catered but wants to make sure he wouldn’t end up having to share.
Hopefully, as pointed out above, it‘s possible to specify a single room though.

Can only speak from my DS experience but he got exactly what he requested as did every other student he shared with. Honestly I think there is a high demand for shared catered halls by international students so I would say its unlikely she would end up there if its not on her wish list. If she is worried contact the accommodation dept. and discuss with them My ds has found all the support services at the uni very helpful.

@Alittewornout Thank you - we are going up for the offer holders day in April so I’ll get my son to ask while we’re there x

Apologies @dippycat7 your ds not dd! Honestly my midlife brain is clearly fuddled. Funny dd was looking at accommodation last night too it's an exciting time. Enjoy the visit day in April and wrap up warm that east coast can be really cold

@Alittewornout Don’t worry! We went to the open day last October and I did comment then he’d need a thick coat!!

My DS also wants catered standard and would love to be in one of the old, characterful halls. You have to put 4 preferences, and he is also unwilling to share, so will put single catered standard, single s/c standard, single en suite catered and single en suite s/c. You are guaranteed to get one of the 4. Some people might put 4 standard choices - 2 shared, 2 single if they are on a tight budget, but not an option for DS as his girlfriend will visit.

There is some FOI stuff available and it looks like only half the people wanting standard accommodation get it, it seems like a lot of people end up with en suite catered, which is outrageously expensive!

Ah Monkey that would make sense as ds wanted ensuite catered and that's what he got, now I know why!!! Dd wants the same as her brother, better remortgage the house then as haven't looked at the cost. Might be a tent on the beach at this rate

My daughter is at St Andrews and loves it. I think she will be ready to move on to do postgrad but is enjoying her time as an undergrad. She requested single room/no en-suite/catered for first year and got exactly that. Living out can be expensive but she has found two different places with no problem. Everybody who requests to go back into halls seem to manage it. She is a third year and is also employed by the university on a very part-time basis (4 hours a week, occasionally more if covering for someone) which is working out well.

@IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere have you seen the bursary page of the St Andrews website? If your household income is less than £34k it looks like your DD may be eligible for both the accommodation bursary (£1.5k pa) and the entrant bursary (another £1.5k pa) and there are other, subject specific, bursaries.

At the open day they said that they have bursaries unallocated every year.

www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/undergraduate/england/