University of St Andrews

See above. Don't study abroad to escape real responsibilities or existing situations, including issues related to emotional well-being, that require your presence at home. Problems do not disappear when you cross state/country lines. Don't study abroad just to drink and party. Even though that can be a fun way to meet people, too much time, money, and health can be wasted doing what you can just do at home. Be pro-active and inquisitive about joining student groups, meeting international students, investigating local culture. Don't neglect studies as much as possible. Have intelligent, constructive conversations about important issues; listen to others' opinions + perspectives. Leave a legacy of friendship that continues past university years. If you're an American, tone it down. Don't consort only w/your own nationality. I noticed American, French, Italian, and MOST of all English students especially guilty of this. Volunteer in community. Take lots of pictures. HAVE FUN. Try all the food.

There are two buses a day which connect London and Edinburgh (9 hours...), and then St Andrews, and trains too - but there's no train station in St Andrews, so you need a bus anyway to go there. Buses are nice, in Scotland (while cabs are very expensive...). Don't go and live in Fife Park, if you can avoid it - it's really ugly. Try and stay in one of the old beautiful student halls in the city centre. The food is bearable, but the buildings are really wonderful.

Do not waste your time here at all You will read everywhere that this school is the best for IR and the third best in the UK after Oxbridge. The Prince and Middleton met here and a handful of other personalities have passed through this school. You are thinking how can I refuse St Andrews? Be careful this school is not the image it sells. The facilities are quite terrible and in most cases are below what one see in an American local university ( after visiting friends that chose to study in the US I came to the sad conclusion that my school may be prestigious but it lacks restaurants, gyms, swimming pools and libraries). The library here is ridiculous there are about 3000 students studying IR and some books have only a single copy which is probably in the hands of some graduate student that will and can keep it for the duration of his program. The gym only works odd hours and my high school's gym was better equipped and bigger ( and here you pay 100 pounds per year). There are quite a number of lunatics also walking around. A boy I know was blinded as another put antifreezer in his drink http://news.stv.tv/scotland/tayside/244168-st-andrews-student-blinded-after-drink-spiked-with-anti-freeze/. My friend's best friend was also sexually assaulted check the link to the story http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12603609. Another boy was kicked out of the dorms because he was threating to kill fellow students and knives were found in his room. Besides of course the high number of people that end up going to rehab or came straight from rehab to St Andrews. In all honestly this have been an amazing and ecstatic year ( not) and I cant wait to go home and never return to this University. Dorms are awful as well. Anyone can enter the building as there is ZERO security. The water in the showers don?t ever get warm in the freezing winter which means you shower with cold water. The internet connection in the dorms is also very bad as it only works when it wants. Yes,read other comments the city life is absolutely terrible. There is a single supermarket to supply food for the entire town ( which btw consists of 3 streets). When the snow was heavy in November, the supermarket and most of the other establishments were closed so you must had to stock up on food. Even halls/ dorms didnt have food to serve the students. EVERYTHING CLOSES AT 5 O'CLOCK!!! The supermarket at 12 and one coffee place at 10 ( when it opens or is not an exclusive to certain society night). There is no city life, the closest thing is Dundee ( which is not that great but at least they have a Primark, Urban Outfitters) and are open till 6. Edinburgh is the best city nearby and its only 1 hour away by train. Students are very cliquy as most of them came from private single-sexed boarding schools. Anything related to village life is also present here, you see the same people everywhere and everybody knows everybody?s business. People will literally come up to you and tell you they know you because you friends with their ex?s or just because they saw your pic at some random?s person album. There are almost no classes and they are constantly cancelled. The organization of the school is also quite terrible, you must email them a million times to get a single thing done. Red tape is everywhere. Lecturers are NEVER AVAILABLE and tutorials are taught by Grad Students. Nighlife is non existant and people can be seem disgustingly drunk on a daily basis after 6 pm on the streets. Drinking here is part of the daily life.

The university has a Travel Agency that offers relative cheap flights, train tickets, and holiday packages. What I suggest is to have a look through internet first. If you want an extra money for your expenses or whatever, it is very easy to find a job in St. Andrews. There is a private agency that offers jobs in the area, but I recommend to you to go first to the university job office, it is better, you can find a job in a hall of residence.

One piece of advice many foreign exchange students weren't given: if you are going to have a TV in accomodation, or one is provided, then by law you need to have a TV licence (this funds the BBC).