Dear valued partners,

It is remarkable how quickly time has passed, as we find ourselves approaching the conclusion of the academic year. Many of our students took part in the ‘May Dip’ tradition which signals the approach of final exams and assessments. As our students reflect on the academic year they have just completed, some will be looking ahead with excitement to the year to come, while others having completed their degrees at St Andrews, will be turning their attention to the opportunities that lie ahead.

As one academic year comes to an end, preparations for the next are already underway. This May edition of the newsletter highlights reminders and key information for students who will be starting at the University of St Andrews in the 2026/27 academic year. Please be sure to read ahead for key information for students regarding the CAS process, pre-payments, accommodation, and scholarships. Additionally, we have some important information to share with you as agents, including an invitation to our upcoming agent training sessions and an overview of the University’s recent performance in the QS World Rankings.

As always, we thank you for your support and encourage you to keep in touch.

Warm regards,

Julie Ramsay

Director of Admissions

Art History - postgraduate programmes

Learn more about St Andrews’ two leading Art History masters programmes, MLitt Art History and MLitt Museum and Heritage Studies, There is still time to apply for entry in September, please encourage interested students to submit their application and book a call with Admissions.

MLitt Art History is designed to introduce and deepen knowledge of the theoretical and methodological foundations of art history, enable students to explore current critical debates, art media and contextual questions, as well as develop and enhance research and writing skills. All teaching is done in small seminars (10-18 students), giving students regular contact with academic staff from across the School. Research seminars, symposia and visiting speakers from around the world are hosted regularly. Learn full-time (two semesters) or part-time (four semesters) are available for your choice.

MLitt Museum and Heritage Studies is a taught postgraduate programme run by the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Studies, in association with the School of Art History and the Museums of the University of St Andrews. The degree provides broad training, covering museums, galleries and heritage facilities, and includes collections care, exhibition planning and design, management, decolonial practice, environmental sustainability and digital theory and practice. Students may apply to undertake practical project work from a portfolio of options with a wide variety of host organisations. Students may also apply to take part in a summer exchange programme at our partner institution, the École du Louvre.

Postgraduate taught programmes application deadline extension

Please be aware the deadline for the following courses have had their application deadlines extended from 24 April 2026 to 30 June 2026: International Political Theory; Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asian Security Studies; Peacebuilding and Mediation; Strategic Studies; and Terrorism and Political Violence.

Next steps for offer holders

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

As most of you will know, most international students need a student visa to study in the UK. To apply, students will need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number. The University will send instructions on how the student can get their CAS number when their University of St Andrews offer becomes unconditional, and the pre-payment is submitted. Further details can be found here: Apply for a student visa - Guides - University of St Andrews.

Pre-payment

Overseas postgraduate students are required to pay a pre-payment fee of £4,000 GBP against the balance of their tuition fee. For applicants who require a Student visa, the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) will display the total amount paid to date, including any pre-payments made, where applicable.

Many postgraduate offer holders may have a pre-payment deadline due at the end of May. Students are encouraged to accept their offers and pay any outstanding pre-payments by the required deadline to secure their place.

Accommodation

Postgraduate – 31 May deadline

Accommodation is guaranteed for postgraduate taught students with an overseas fee status. To be eligible for the guarantee students must:

• accept their offer to study at the University

• pay any pre-payment required

• apply for accommodation by 31 May 2026
• have an overseas fee status
• be coming to the University alone
• be studying full time
• accept your accommodation offer within 7 days of receipt
• have met all the offer conditions and accepted your unconditional offer by 31 July 2026

The guarantee may include accommodation in St Andrews, Leuchars or Dundee. The accommodation contract may be terminated if the student has not met their your offer conditions by 31 July 2026. Please encourage offer holders to contact the Admissions team if they think they will not meet the 31 July timeline.

Undergraduate – 30 June deadline

The University of St Andrews guarantees accommodation to all UK, EU and overseas first-year undergraduate students when they:

• are in their first year of entry (whether into year 1 or year 2 through Direct Entry)
• are coming to the University alone
• are studying for the full academic year
• are studying full time
• applied for accommodation on or before 30 June in their year of entry
• have met all the offer conditions and accepted an unconditional offer from the University or UCAS by 31 August in their first year of entry
• have accepted an offer of accommodation within seven days of the offer being sent to their email address

QS rankings update

The University of St Andrews has been recognised as one of the world’s top universities in the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject.

Published in March by global higher education analysts, QS Quacquarelli Symonds, the rankings show an impressive performance for St Andrews, with the University’s Arts and Humanities continuing to excel, placing in the global top 50.

20 of the of the University’s 28 ranked subjects either retained their place or climbed the global tables with Film Studies recognised in the rankings for the first time, entering at joint 30th in the UK. Globally, 11 subjects ranked in the world’s top 50 for their area.

Vice Principal for Research, Tom Brown said: “It is great to see the quality of our academic Schools recognised through the improvement in these rankings. I would like to thank all of our staff whose work has contributed to this which helps cement St Andrews’ position as a leading university.”

The rankings provide an independent comparative assessment of more than 18,300 university programmes across 1,700 institutions in 100 locations worldwide, covering 55 academic disciplines.

Key highlights from the 2026 rankings include:

• Classics ranks 3rd in the UK
• Theology and Divinity rank 4th in the UK
• Philosophy rises two places to 12th globally, remaining 4th in the UK
• Theology and Divinity rise to 4th in the UK and 13th globally, up one place from 2025
• History gains one place to 45th globally
• Modern Languages climbs 16 places to 63rd globally, holding 11th in the UK
• English rises 12 global places, moving from 52nd to 40th globally
• Economics climbs four places to joint 24th in the UK
• Medicine rises three places, now 28th in the UK
• Environmental Sciences also moves up three places to joint 29th in the UK
• Business and Management moves up to joint 36th in the UK

A full listing can be found on the QS Rankings website.

GREAT scholarship

Register for agent training

Our next online agent training sessions which will highlight key information, including information regarding student accommodation and the CAS process will be held on Thursday 4 June 2026. The session will be run twice to allow our partners around the globe to be able to join us at a time that is convenient for them in their time zone (08.00 BST and 13.00 BST).

Please encourage any colleagues who are available to attend this training. Use this link to register for the training.