St Andrews
85 Reviews by Students #80 out of 172 University locations
A town which can be overwhelming initially and a bit repetitive after time, it's nonetheless a beautiful place with lovely people. The architecture and natural beauty shouldn't be taken for granted, and every day had the potential to feel magical.
By member681223 On 14th March 2023
Study in St Andrews
St Andrews is a small place so there is only one university to choose from, the University of St Andrews. It is the oldest university in Scotland and has a long-standing reputation for academic excellence.
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St Andrews University
St Andrews University has a world-class reputation and holds many traditions that as a student you will quickly become accustomed to. The university has cutting edge facilities housed in the historic buildings located around St Andrews town. There are over 900 courses on offer, over 140 student societies and 50 sports clubs.
Study in St Andrews? Review your location
St Andrews Student Life
It is a unique location due to its history and the way the university is integrated into the town, making it a special and intimate place to study. Students make up a third of the town during term time, so the locals are well-used to having you around and although the town is small there are all the amenities you need and more.
Cost of Living
Accommodation
Student accommodation costs range from £59 to £250 per week; the average is £170 per week.
Compare the average elsewhere: Dundee: £135/week, Edinburgh: £199/week, Glasgow: £169/week.
(Prices are for all purpose-built student accommodation (both private and university-owned) over the last 12 months, as listed on StudentCrowd)
The average price for:
A cheap meal at a restaurant: £12
A pint of beer: £3.50
A regular takeout coffee: £2.60
1L of milk: £0.90
A loaf of white bread: £1.00
(Source: Numbeo)
Nights Out
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It may be a small town but there are a lot of pubs to choose from, around every corner you will find another pub! Some pubs that are favourites among students are Key Bar, Whey Pat’s Tavern and Aikman's.
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The closest St Andrews gets to a club is the Vic, where you can expect DJ’s playing music on Friday and Saturday night, expect anything from techno and R&B to the ’80s.
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The Student Union has a number of bars to choose from. For example, Club 601 which is popular for Friday Night Bop, Sandy’s Bar for karaoke or the newly opened “premium bar” Beacon Bar.
Public Transport
Getting around St Andrew’s is easy by foot or bike. To travel out of town there are good links by rail and road. Dundee, the nearest city, is only 13 miles away and Edinburgh is an hour by train. There are express buses that run to major Scottish cities, almost hourly.
Eating Out
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With the tongue-in-cheek slogan, ‘Where Kate Met Wills… For Coffee,’ Northpoint Cafe is located just opposite the university library and is a popular place to pop in for breakfast, lunch or coffee.
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For authentic Scottish produce-led food and a warm, welcoming environment - head to Forgan's! From risotto to grilled burgers and steaks, this restaurant is perfect for celebrating!
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Shopping
St Andrews has a small but lovely selection of independent boutiques and family-run shops, you can find anything from golf gear and crystals to books and vintage clothes. However, if you are looking for a larger selection and the well-known high street names then you can head to nearby Dundee.
Days Out
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Take a scenic train journey to nearby Edinburgh, for an unmissable day trip. There is so much to do from the Castle, Arthur’s Seat and the Old Town to an abundance of bars, comedy clubs and fantastic shopping. Your day trip might just need to extend to a weekend away!
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In just half an hour on a train, you can be in Dundee. This compact city is excellent for a day visit with everything accessible by foot. It was named UNESCO’s city of design in 2014 and since then has become home to V&A Dundee, Scotland’s first design museum.
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Jump in a car and in 15 minutes you can be at Ansthruther a traditional fishing village with tiny cobbled streets. It has a multi-award winning fish and chip shop, The Anstruther Fish Bar, which is a must. It also plays host to plenty of wildlife, take a boat trip to spot seals and puffins.
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The “Gateway to the Highlands” is an hour away by road. It is a must-visit for history lovers due to its huge significance in Scotland’s tumultuous past, coupled with its breath-taking scenery, Stirling should be high on your to-do list.
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Loch Lomond And Trossachs National Park
Slightly further afield, around an hour and a half, spend a weekend exploring this stunning Scottish National Park. Take in the beautiful scenery of lochs and mountains with the many hiking trails. Make sure you don’t miss the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond and perhaps squeeze in a whisky tasting or two!
Top 10 St Andrews Accommodation
Read St Andrews Reviews
I love St Andrews...
I love St Andrews, it is small but I still love it because of the exceptional community created. read more
I like the town!...
I like the town! Expensive but a fun place to be! read more
Extremely expensi...
Extremely expensive. The only Tesco located in Market Street is away more expensive than other Tesco I’ve ever been to. read more
Pretty little cit...
Pretty little city, bad nightlife, good restaurants read more
One thing to keep...
One thing to keep in mind is St Andrews is very small and benefits from tourism. So many places are overpriced and transport is a bit annoying only because of the location. That being said, there are regular buses and it’s just a case of getting to know the area. I don’t particularly enjoy nights out here only because I don’t like pubs. If you do, you’ll be fine and will find it enjoyable. read more
It’s great but it...
It’s great but it is expensive read more
pretty, quiet, wa...
pretty, quiet, warm little town. read more
A very nice and q...
A very nice and quite town. Some times can be a little bit boring. read more
St Andrews is a s...
St Andrews is a small but lovely town. It has the best view of all! read more
soooooooo goooooo...
soooooooo goooooooooooooooood, and soooooo great read more
Accommodation is...
Accommodation is limited and expensive, shops are decent for a town of it’s size read more
Beautiful town, e...
Beautiful town, expensive however it's a lovely place to live. Lots to see and do! read more
Small town, so pr...
Small town, so probably can not find everything you need. read more
It’s really in th...
It’s really in the middle of nowhere but is made up by the school and it’s people. read more
What St Andrews f...
What St Andrews falters for in a largely inaccessible cost of living, transportation, and lifestyle, it makes up for in charm and wonderful beauty, There is something to be said about its old cobbled streets and beach town hospitality, that if only weren’t as crowded and competitive would be truly deserving of the price it fetches. read more
Literally nothing...
Literally nothing to do. Unless you can afford going to Edinburgh or Dundee read more
very few good res...
very few good restaurant，but people are friendly，nice seaview read more
The town is quiet...
The town is quiet not nightlife but fun read more
Can't vouch for n...
Can't vouch for nights out (doesn't apply to me), but I know people tend to go to Dundee for that. The cost of living here in St Andrews isn't fantastic, plenty of options for eating out and shopping. Public transport is very good. read more
Very high cost of...
Very high cost of living but good town experience read more
Beautiful, quite...
Beautiful, quite and calm place read more
Nice place to cal...
Nice place to calm yourself done read more
Good place for re...
Good place for relax and study read more
a small town,quie...
a small town,quiet at night,but safe read more
Small town… It’s...
Small town… It’s better for not expecting too much on eating and living (no many choice and everything is reasonably priced but certainly expensive) read more
A beautiful town...
A beautiful town to study and live in! read more
Jdhdjskcbjdidodhd...
Jdhdjskcbjdidodhdbejdixhdbsbdnsj read more
Charming town to...
Charming town to live in if a bit far from everything read more
Good very pretty...
Good very pretty nice buildings read more
great staff great...
great staff great things great read more
good great excell...
good great excellent good great excellent good great excellent good great excellent good great excellent good great excellent good great excellent read more
A town which can...
A town which can be overwhelming initially and a bit repetitive after time, it's nonetheless a beautiful place with lovely people. The architecture and natural beauty shouldn't be taken for granted, and every day had the potential to feel magical. read more
Small town could...
Small town could have more shops like McDonald’s read more
St Andrews is a s...
St Andrews is a small town and most products in the town will be more expensive than in other towns. There is only so much that the bus can cover, and of course the town itself is not that big. The town itself is likely to be isolated during times of bad weather. There are not many restaurants in the town, and the level is uneven. I can try to eat out occasionally, but more often I choose to cook for myself. read more
St Andrews is a b...
St Andrews is a beautiful and historic town located on the east coast of Scotland. read more
Costs are high, t...
Costs are high, thats an unfortunate given. There is plenty of bars and pubs for nights out, inculding the union. Variety of cafes and some resturants, although only a limited selection for eating out if you have dietry restrictions. Don't use much public transport, but bus stops can be found all over and taxi services are close by and can be called up and there in 5-10 minutes. Multiple shops, including some unusual ones alongside neccessities - to get an idea look at union street (also multiple big supermarkets for whatever you might need). read more
Not many shopping...
Not many shopping places but restaurants and cafes are lovely read more
Pretty impressive...
Pretty impressive local grandmas are even nice read more
A genuine rural t...
A genuine rural town you cannot expect to much read more
Overall, night li...
Overall, night life could be better and cost of living is quite high. read more
A beautiful small...
A beautiful small town with lots of pubs and friendly people. read more
Expensive but nic...
Expensive but nice, people nice read more
Restaurants are p...
Restaurants are plenty but slightly pricy, best to cook your own food. Cafes are great. Plenty of places to visit. read more
Small town so not...
Small town so not a huge amount other than the university but it is super social and easy to have fun read more
Good , great, tin...
Good , great, tiny , but beautiful read more
Bit remote, but v...
Bit remote, but very beautiful and historic. read more
Given the size of...
Given the size of the town there is not much to do read more
St Andrews, whils...
St Andrews, whilst historically known for being posh, is turning into a more diverse space for everyone. I read more
It is quite expen...
It is quite expensive - especially with it having the 2nd most expensive Tesco’s in Europe. University also hasn’t responded adequately to the cost of living crisis or student homelessness so I would bare that in mind- make sure you apply for any scholarships you think you might need to be able to support yourself ahead of coming read more
It’s more expensi...
It’s more expensive than the places I’ve lived in in the past and can feel quite small, but it helps focus on studying better. read more
Where is my bus?...
Where is my bus? I have been stuck in stance 4 for 3 months now. Train station? Think again. We are housing housing crisis. Not to be racist, the pirates have taken over. Who gave them heelies? read more
It’s boring compa...
It’s boring compared to big cities read more
St andrews is a g...
St andrews is a great place to live and perfect place to study read more
It's a small city...
It's a small city with a few shopping places but the town is so quiet and safety. Love it! read more
Not much in the t...
Not much in the town itself, but it’s so easy to get to Dundee & Edinburgh, but while there isn’t much to do on a night out, the town is SUPER safe and (as a girl) I can walk home alone & it’s safe read more
very limited oppo...
very limited opportunities to eat out/transport read more
Standard small to...
Standard small town, not really much to say apart from rent is expensive and there are only 3 clubs. read more
A central bus hub...
A central bus hub for North East Fife with regular passage to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee. A proximate train station in Leuchars (~15 minute bus journey). An array of resturants and shopping facilities, although more pricey than in some cities. Amenities in Dundee are cheaper and provide greater choice. Nightlife is restricted to union-led events as well as low-key bar nights. Nightclubs are avaliable in Dundee. read more
Cute small town,...
Cute small town, very small and not much nightlife but you knew that already. read more
St Andrews is a v...
St Andrews is a very expensive town. Cost of living (rent, bills etc) are higher than that of towns hosting other universities. However you’re paying for a top tier university and the experience that comes with it. They are many restaurants to eat out at or for those who prefer cooking their own food there are shops within walking distance of most places. Shops are ok, not your typical student shopping experience that you’d get in a big city though. Public transport is ideal - has a bus and train station close by. read more
No nightclubs let...
No nightclubs lets down an otherwise good town read more
Picturesque, stun...
Picturesque, stunning views, wonderful beaches. Great traditions, lots to do- but not necessarily for students. Very pricey especially houses (rent around £500 ppm if you are lucky) Only one nightclub, but it is a blast and there is always the union which is in the process of being redeveloped. Limited shopping but great bus links to Edinburgh and Dundee. A very different student experience and one I wouldn't change for anything read more
I absolutely love...
I absolutely love this town, I'll miss it sooooo much when I graduate! read more
Beautiful but it...
Beautiful but it is a tad expensive read more
I'm not really a...
I'm not really a town person but I love St Andrews, it really feels like home to me now. The town atmosphere is great and people are generally very friendly read more
It's a small town...
It's a small town , it's surprising how even there are shops here and it's a great small town life . It's different from a city , but I wanted a change . read more
it's extortionate...
it's extortionate to live here, but it's lovely town once you learn to navigate the tourists read more
If you are rich g...
If you are rich great but this is no place for anyone who is struggling with money. read more
Walkable town, fa...
Walkable town, fantastic restaurants, good shops read more
The town has an u...
The town has an unbelievable amount of history and a lot of pubs! read more
St Andrews is the...
St Andrews is the best place on the planet, stunning views, stunning people and stunning activities. For the person who isn't into the big city life but loves a close knit community where friends are easily made St Andrews is the town for you. read more
Lovely seaside to...
Lovely seaside town. Rent can get pricey but manageable if prepared. read more
Expensive but lov...
Expensive but lovely. Union is great (and cheap), plenty of social and night life that is also safe. Great place to be. read more