Summer Academic Experience Courses, University of St Andrews

Students follow one subject for the whole programme, chosen from nine academic areas: Creative Writing; Cinema, Ideas and Society; Diverse Intelligences; Management, Economics and Entrepreneurship; Medicine; Physical Science, Mathematics and Computer Science; Psychology and Neuroscience; Social Science and Humanities; and Sustainable Development. Teaching is delivered by current academic staff of the University through lectures, seminars and tutorials, with laboratory practicals on the science and medicine courses. Lectures or tutorials run in the morning and again in the early afternoon.

The course fee is all-inclusive. It covers tuition and instruction, reading material, laboratory and sports equipment, accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, transport to and from the airport on the specified arrival and departure dates, the extracurricular programme including guest presentations, field trips, all organised cultural and social activities, and Saints Sport membership. Airfare and personal expenditure such as snacks and laundry are not included.

Every participant is guaranteed accommodation in Andrew Melville Hall, a University hall of residence on the North Haugh, and each student has their own room. The hall stands near the University science buildings, close to the Saints Sport centre and West Sands beach, about a fifteen-minute walk from the centre of town. Dedicated staff are on duty day and night to provide pastoral care and emergency first aid response and to look after student safety and wellbeing.

All meals are provided by the University catering team. Breakfast and dinner are served in the hall of residence, and a packed lunch is provided daily so that students can be flexible at lunchtime. Most food allergies can be catered for in halls; students with uncommon or severe allergies are asked to contact the summer study team in advance so that arrangements can be made.

Every course is complemented by an extracurricular programme. Cultural excursions visit places of historic or scientific interest and include a full day trip to Edinburgh. Other excursions may include castle visits such as Glamis, Stirling and Falkland, the Cupar Deer Centre, the Edinburgh Dungeons, Dundee and the RRS Discovery, and evenings at the Byre Theatre. Evenings and weekends bring an informal programme that includes a talent show, quiz nights, movie nights, debate nights and a ceilidh, the traditional Scottish dance.

Students are taught in University lecture rooms and seminar rooms, and the science and medicine courses use University laboratories, including those of the School of Medicine. Accommodation is in Andrew Melville Hall on the North Haugh, beside the science buildings. Saints Sport membership gives participants access to the University sports centre, and West Sands beach and the town centre are both within walking distance.

The programme brings together students from all over the world for three weeks of university life in one of the oldest universities in the English-speaking world. A typical day starts with breakfast between 7am and 8am, lectures or tutorials from 9.30am to 12pm, lunch until 1.30pm, teaching again from 2pm to 4pm and dinner between 5pm and 6pm; evening activities start at 7pm, with check-in and roll call at 10.30pm and lights out by 11pm. Timings may vary.