Facts and figures

The University of St Andrews is known for its rich history as well as its cutting-edge teaching and research.

From our motto and shield to recent graduate outcomes and student satisfaction, this page contains important facts and figures about Scotland's first university.

Contents

 

Students at the gateway building

Scotland's first university

Founded in the early 15th century, St Andrews is Scotland’s first university and the third oldest in the English-speaking world.

Teaching began in the community of St Andrews in 1410, and the University was formally constituted by the issue of a papal bull in 1413.

University motto

The University’s motto is ‘Ever to Excel’, which is taken from a speech in Homer’s epic Greek poem, Iliad.

The University shield

The different elements of the University shield represent the insignia of the founders of the University.

The crescent moon represents Peter de Luna, the given name of Pope Benedict XIII, who issued the bulls of foundation of the University in 1413.

The lion rampant is taken from the royal arms of Scotland and represents the royal authority of King James I (1406 to 1437) who was associated with the foundation.

The gold diamonds (mascles or) are taken from the personal arms of Henry Wardlaw, Bishop of St Andrews from 1404 to 1440, who issued the original charter which incorporated the Studium Generale in 1411 or 1412.

The open book with the red page edges represents learning.

The blue and silver cross represents the saltire of Scotland.

University of St Andrews crest

Student numbers

For the academic year 2023-2024, we had 10,234 students:

  • 8388 undergraduates
  • 883 postgraduate taught
  • 964 postgraduate research

Internationally Scottish

We are the most international of Scotland's universities and one of the most international in the UK. There are more than 135 countries represented in the 2023-2024 student population.

For 2023 entry we received applications from 182 different countries.  

Our students have the chance to participate in exciting exchanges or study abroad opportunities in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada and the USA.

St Andrews employees are also international – 25% of our staff are from outside the UK, including Europe, the USA, India, China, Canada, and the Republic of Ireland.

Traditions

The University of St Andrews is home to many unique traditions.

Academic families are a spontaneous tradition where third and fourth year students can adopt first year students as their ‘children’ to act as mentors and introduce them to student life.

Every year, hundreds of first-year students, dressed in fancy dress by their academic parents, gather in St Salvator’s Quad for the annual Raisin Monday foam fight.

The PH initials set into cobblestones outside Sallies Quad mark the spot where Patrick Hamilton was burnt at the stake in 1528. According to tradition, any student who steps on the PH will be cursed to fail their degree.

The only cure for Patrick Hamilton’s curse is to participate in the annual May Dip. At sunrise on May Day, students make their way down to East Sands and collectively run into the North Sea.

Extra-curricular activities

There are more than 150 student societies ranging from artistic and musical to religious and cultural.

Sport is a valued aspect of St Andrews life – there are more than 50 sports clubs and 100 competitive sports teams to choose from.

Music is particularly strong at St Andrews, with an estimated one in seven students actively participating in musical activities and many more engaging as audience members.

High student satisfaction

Students at the University of St Andrews are more positive about their education than students at any other mainstream university in the UK, according to the results of the National Student Survey 2023.

According to the Complete University Guide 2023, students at the University of St Andrews are the most satisfied in the UK.

Student retention

The University has one of the best first-year retention rates in Scotland. Almost 100% (99.27%) of our 2021-2022 entrants continued in their studies at St Andrews, less than 1% transferred to other universities, and less than 1% dropped out of higher education altogether.                                                                                                       

Teaching quality

The University of St Andrews is top in Scotland and one of the four leading universities in the UK according to The Complete University Guide 2025, joining Cambridge, Oxford, and the London School of Economics in the UK top four, and has been ranked top in Scotland since the Guide was first published in 2007.

The University was named the leading university in the UK by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 and ranked top in the Guardian University Guide 2024.

The University was also recognised for its sustainability work in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability report, leaping an impressive 57 places to rank joint 86th.

Research excellence

The most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF), in 2021, ranked St Andrews' research amongst the highest quality in the country.

More than 88% of research carried out by the University was classed as world-leading or internationally excellent. 

Employment

According to the most recent Graduate Outcomes survey (2020-2021), more than 96% of our undergraduate first-degree level graduates were in either full-time employment or further study.