About the St Andrews, Scotland Program

The St Andrews program is a USAC partnership program. Learn more about on-site program elements and the city itself below.

• On-site Staff
• Host University
• Living Accommodations
• Passport and Visa

About St Andrews

• Population: approx. 18,600
• Distance from Edinburgh: 45 miles
• Distance from Glasgow: 81 miles

St Andrews is a beautiful town situated in its own sheltered bay on the Fife coast, just north of Edinburgh. It commands exceptional views of the Angus coast and hills, with the Grampian Mountains beyond. The antiquity of the city includes wonderful old buildings, city walls, shops, and houses of stone. While the street plan is still medieval, there are excellent road and rail connections to all of Scotland, Wales, and England. The history of the town pre-dates the university (founded in or around 1410); there was a settlement on the site at least as early as the sixth century. The cathedral was founded by Arnold Abbot of Kelso in 1160 and completed in 1318. Today, the ruins of the castle and cathedral stand over a town that is alive with students and local tradespeople. The golf courses of St Andrews are famous throughout the world, attracting large numbers of tourists in the summer, and the town has grown to accommodate the international tastes of these visitors. A range of specialty shops and a wide variety of restaurants and bakeries enrich student life. The beautiful long beaches, the nearby Grampian Mountains, and a sports complex allow you to take part in a wide variety of recreational activities.