The Student Guide to St Andrews

St Andrews may not be a city but it’s a great place to study in Scotland and for it’s size there is lots on offer, not just golf.

The University

St Andrews University is the oldest university in Scotland and has some of the most breathtaking teaching buildings in Scotland. The university plays a large role in the local community as it is not only a large employer but also hosts many charity events and organisations. The university more recently is known as the place that Prince William went to university.

Pubs

The Raisin: The Scream pub in St Andrews. The Raisin is cheap and cheerful if you get yourself a Yellow Card from the bar. This will give you discounts on a wide range of drinks.

West End Bar: The West End bar has relatively recently under gone a revamp and the bar looks fresh and trendy. They serve good food and there is always a good atmosphere. The prices can sometimes be hard on the student budget but this is the case with a lot of places in St Andrews.

1 Golf Place: A trendy bar situated near to the golf courses.

Drouthy Neebors: Very similar to it’s cousin in Dundee, Drouthies, this pub is more understated than a lot of the others in St Andrews and is great for a chill out area.

Union: The Student’s union is the largest drinking establishment in St Andrews and has the place with the latest licence so it is often the final destination for most students. The drinks are cheap and the music is normally cheesy. Watch out for their themed music nights including their Latin Bop!

Nightclubs

It may sadden you to know but there are no nightclubs in St Andrews. If you want to keep dancing you will have to get a buss to Dundee or set a price with a local taxi. Some of the nightclubs in Dundee occasionally run buses for students to ferry them across the bridge and back again.

Check out the Dundee Nightclubs here!

Restaurants and Takeaways

St Andrews for its size has a plethora of high quality eateries. Most are on the pricey size though so be careful where you go. All of the takeaways will deliver to halls as well. Not surprisingly, when you consider the location close to the sea, the seafood on offer is of a high quality and in nearby Anstruther you can get possible the best fish and chips in the world.

Shopping

You would think due to the size of St Andrews that there wouldn’t be much on offer shopping wise but due to the high level of students there are plenty of trendy shops and boutiques. Here are a few of our favourites,

Superdry: Despite only being a round for a few years Superdry has become an instant student classic. This store stocks all their new gear and has regular sales.

Jack Wills: The standard outfit for any self respecting St Andrews student, Jack Wills prides it’s self on the quality of their clothes and are truly University Outfitters. Watch your loan in here as it can be spent very quickly.

Shmooz: A trendy fashion outlet that specializes in brands for both women and men.

Fox and Bhut: This little boutique offers a great selection of fashionable dresses and accessories for girls. Get 5% discount with your student card.

Watch: This trendy watch and clock retailer has a great selection of timepieces. You can grab a 10% with your student card during term time as well.

A lot of students in St Andrews choose to shop in Dundee, which is just a short 30-minute bus journey away and has everything from Primark to Debenhams and everything in between.

Other activities

It wouldn’t be a piece about student life in St Andrews if we didn’t mention the numerous famous golf courses that surround the town.  You can also undertake numerous sporting activities on the beaches beside the town.

CR