I LOVE St Andrews! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

My classes were very rigorous, but it could be difficult to find the resources, like books, that you needed, as oftentimes many people were required to use the same material at the same time

On-site administration of your program

Most of the university administration I encountered was great, but the study abroad office was not very helpful when I went there to submit some paperwork for my home institution. It was very small and the staff was unorganized. The USAC administration was not very helpful during my time abroad. They were rarely in contact with us and when they did make contact it was minimal. This may have been due to a staffing issue, as there was a change in program advisor while I was abroad, but it was still sometimes concerning that USAC was not as supportive as they might have been

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my living arrangements! I was in a dorm call St Regulus. It's one of the smaller dorms at the university, with about 180 residents. My roommate was another study abroad student, but most of the dorm was full time students from all over the world. I enjoyed the communal meals, proximity to the center of town, and the private bathroom facilities. I made most of my friends within my dorm and I'm so glad I received the rooming assignment I did.

The food was good, if a bit simple and sometimes repetitive. There were also fewer options than at home, but that is understandable as the kitchen was preparing food for a much smaller number of students

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated in the student community. It was easy to join clubs and I made friends quickly among the full time students in my dorm. That said, I did not feel I integrated fully into Scottish culture, as St Andrews is a very international university, with students and faculty from all over the world. This, along with the general "posh"-ness of the University, meant that there was sometimes a divide between the University and the town.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any experience with the healthcare, but a friend who did had a positive experience. I did catch a bit of a sniffle about halfway through the program, but it was very easy to find the medicine I needed, as there are two pharmacies in town.

I always felt very safe in St Andrews. Access to my dorm was restricted to its residents and my room had lock and key. The town itself always felt safe and friendly, even at night.

Despite the lack of support from USAC while abroad, I would definitely 'do it all again' with the same program because of the greatness of St Andrews and the pre-departure guidance given by USAC.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

While the program and housing were fairly expensive, once I got there, expenses were fairly minimal. In my living arrangement, all meals were provided except for dinner twice a week. There were many restaurants in town at all price ranges as well as grocery stores to get food. Most of my books were from the library and there were several charity shops in town if I needed clothing or other things.

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• Dorm

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Location
• Friends made

• More support while abroad

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer