Visits to University of St. Andrews and University of Dundee
- Suzie Castello
- Mar 12
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 19
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On the eastern coast of Scotland, just under two hours by train from the capital Edinburgh, is the town of St. Andrews. Just a little further north, is the city of Dundee. I had the great fortune to visit the University of St Andrews and the University of Dundee in February.
The University of St. Andrews, founded in 1413, is located in a quaint coastal community of students, golfers, tourists, an ancient castle, and a few royals. It is Scotland's oldest university and one of the oldest in the English-speaking world.
The campus is centered around two colleges, St. Salvator, (also known as United College), and St. Mary. A third College is in the works on the nearby site of the former Madras College school. The plans for the new college is to house the St. Andrews School of Business, which is a merger of the former School of Economics and Finance with the School of Management.
St. Andrews is a popular destination for international students, US students in particular. Thirty-six percent of the just over 8300 undergrads are international, with 16% from the US. Popular courses are Economics, Psychology, and Computer Science. Unique offerings include courses in Archeology, Marine Biology and a global partnership with the University of William and Mary for a joint degree in International Relations. St. Andrews also offers an International Foundation Programme, as well as Summer Academic Experience Courses, three-week residential academic experiences for high school students ages 16-18.
Athletics and student societies are a big part of student life at St. Andrews. Popular competitive sports are rugby, tennis and golf. There are more than 300 societies for students to find a community. While there are no performing or visual arts courses at St. Andrews students explore their creativity in arts societies which present and perform in the Student Union theater space and the Byre Theater in town. Ancient traditions are alive on campus and it is not unusual to see students wearing their ceremonial red robes on special occasions.
Accommodation for first year students is guaranteed. However, off campus housing options are pricey and limited, and some students opt to commute nearly an hour from Dundee instead.
Admissions are selective and vary by course. Apply to St. Andrews via UCAS. In addition, St. Andrews has been accepting applications through the Common App for more than 15 years.
Dundee
Across the water from St. Andrews, on the eastern coast of Scotland is Dundee. Dundee's evolution grew up from its whaling and textile industries during the Industrial Revolution. Today, it is designated as a Unesco city of Design. Dundee is one of the safest cities in the UK, is less expensive than Edinburgh and Glasgow, and is easily accessible by bus and train. It is very much a college town as it is home to the University of Dundee and the University of Abertay.
I had the opportunity to visit University of Dundee, founded in 1881. The university developed alongside the industrial evolution of the city. It is well known as a center for research in life sciences, but students can find a range of programs from art to dentistry. The teaching is research-focused for a wide range of courses, including in Psychology.
Professor Stephen Land led my tour group to visit a teaching lab where I witnessed students working on a DNA splicing project. The students worked in teams with lab tutors and technical assistants. There were more women than men in the lab group I saw, and the vibe was very collaborative.
Professor Land also enlightened our group about the important work of 19th century biologist D'Arcy Thomson and showed us the collection of biological forms collected by the originator of the study of morphogenesis. Curiosity for the natural world is a tradition at the University of Dundee and continues to inform its research today which includes developing treatments for Parkinsons Disease, clinical trials of cancer vaccines, innovations in forensic science and one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals.
The university offers a wide range of research-focused courses including Engineering, Architecture and Urban Planning, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Business and Management, Computing, Creative Writing and Film Studies, Geography and Environmental Science.
The Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design offers a full range of visual arts, architecture and and design programs, including in Animation, Experience Design, and Textile Design.
Of Dundee’s 18,000 students, 14,000 live on campus. Students can participate in a wide range of clubs and organizations, and play in over 40 sports clubs which are very inclusive, and can work out at the Institute of Sport and Exercise.
Admissions are selective and vary by course. Entry requirements for the University of Dundee are flexible for international students. Students who hold a certificate of completion from Ensino Médio, have achieved strong grades in required coursework, and meet English language requirements, may be eligible to apply for direct admission for many courses, including Mechanical Engineering.
University of Dundee also offers pathway programs through the International College of Dundee to help students fulfill gaps in their requirements to undergraduate and postgraduate study.
If you are interested in studying in Scotland, check out the other blogs in this series. If you would like to find our more about University of St. Andrews and the University of Dundee, please give me a holler. I am happy to share my experiences. If you are ready to take the next steps to build your college list and plan of action to apply, reach out to schedule a consultation.
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