University of St Andrews - Reputation

Reputation

The independent IpsosMORI National Student Surveys in 2006–2008 commissioned by HEFCE placed it joint third among the UK universities. In the Research Assessment Exercise 2001 the University did not receive a rating lower than 4 on a grading scale 1–5*, where 5* denotes outstanding international research. The departments of English and Psychology have received a 5*, and 72% of staff across the university received a 5 or 5* rating. Furthermore, The Philosophical Gourmet report ranked St Andrews' joint graduate programme in philosophy with Stirling University second in the UK in 2009.

The latest national Research Assessment Exercise (RAE 2008) sponsored by the UK government, The Times, The Guardian and The Independent ranked St Andrews as 16th by grade point average and quality index across the units of assessment it submitted.

Nearly 86% of its graduates obtain a First Class or an Upper Second Class Honours degree. The ancient Scottish universities award Master of Arts degrees (except for science students who are awarded a Bachelor of Science degree) which are classified upon graduation, in contrast to Oxbridge where one becomes a Master of Arts after a certain number of years, and the rest of the UK, where graduates are awarded BAs. These can be awarded with honours; the majority of students graduate with honours.

The latest UCAS figures show that there are generally 10 applications per undergraduate place available. The standard offer of a place tends to require five best Highers equivalent to AAAAB, three best A-levels equivalent to AAA, or a score of at least 38 points on the International Baccalaureate.

The university has one of the smallest percentages of students (13%) from lower income backgrounds, out of all higher education institutions in the UK. Intake from Independent schools in England is high (around 40%). The average price for accommodation for students at St Andrews is more than that for students at any other university in Scotland.