Undergrad (Bachelor) Scholarships 2027 at University of St Andrews Also Open
The University of St Andrews has opened its International Undergraduate Scholarship for 2027 entry, giving overseas-fee students a chance to reduce tuition costs for the full duration of their undergraduate degree.
This is not primarily an academic-merit prize. The scholarship is means-tested and awarded on financial need, which makes it especially relevant for high-potential students whose family income would make studying in Scotland difficult without substantial fee support.
Applications opened on August 17, 2026 and close on January 27, 2027. One useful feature is that applicants do not need to wait for an admission offer before applying for funding. Once the undergraduate course application is submitted, the scholarship form normally becomes accessible after about two working days.
Bachelor Scholarship at St Andrew’s Quick Info Box
| Key Detail | Current Position |
|---|---|
| University | University of St Andrews |
| Study level | Undergraduate |
| Entry year | 2027 |
| Eligible students | Overseas fee-status applicants |
| Scholarship type | Tuition fee reduction |
| Main selection basis | Financial need |
| Duration | Every year of the undergraduate programme |
| Offer needed before applying? | No |
| Scholarship deadline | January 27, 2027 |
| Expected outcome | Week commencing March 17, 2027 |
| Award value | To be confirmed by December 2026 |
Why This Scholarship Is Different From a Merit Award?
St Andrews is not asking applicants to prove that they are simply the highest-scoring students in the pool.
The university is assessing financial circumstances and contextual disadvantage. Applicants are encouraged to explain circumstances such as:
- Genuine financial need;
- previous receipt of needs-based funding;
- Coming from a socio-economically disadvantaged area;
- Having a physical, unseen or learning disability; or
- Belonging to a minority group.
Applicants do not need to satisfy every one of these conditions. The application is reviewed as a whole, and no single factor is considered in isolation.
That makes the quality of the financial explanation important. A figure on a form tells the university how much a household earns; it does not necessarily explain why that income is insufficient to support an international degree.
How Much Is the 2027 Award Worth?
The university of St Andrews has not yet published the final 2027 scholarship value. St Andrews states that the award amount will be confirmed by December 2026, so applicants should avoid relying on older scholarship figures as though they are guaranteed for the incoming class.
What is already confirmed is the structure: the scholarship will be applied as a tuition fee reduction each year for the duration of the undergraduate programme. That makes it potentially more valuable than a one-off first-year bursary, because the benefit can continue throughout the degree subject to the award terms.
Who Is Actually Eligible?
The scholarship is for students entering St Andrews with Overseas fee status and beginning an undergraduate degree in 2027. Most eligible subjects across the university are included, from sciences and medicine to international relations, computer science, business, humanities and social sciences.
There is one notable exclusion: BA International Honours joint programmes with William & Mary are not covered by this scholarship and have separate funding arrangements.
The award is also intended for students entering their first undergraduate degree at St Andrews. Direct entry into second year can still qualify, but students transferring from another institution are not included.
Does Applying for Funding Affect Your Admission Decision?
No—the university explicitly separates the two processes.
Your course application and scholarship application are not linked in a way that disadvantages admission, so applying for financial support does not weaken or delay the academic decision on your degree application.
This is worth stressing because some international applicants hesitate to declare financial need out of concern that it might make them look less attractive to the university.
Under this scheme, financial need is the basis on which the scholarship is assessed.
The Household Income Section Needs Care
Applicants seeking this award must enter their gross annual household income in pounds sterling.
If family income is earned in another currency, the applicant will need to provide the exchange rate used and convert the figure into GBP.
This is one area where careless estimates can damage an otherwise credible application. St Andrews specifically asks applicants to provide complete and accurate information, and its financial funding tool is designed to help students calculate household income consistently.
Applicants should therefore gather family-income information well before the deadline instead of trying to reconstruct it at the last minute.
Apply in This Order
The process is straightforward once you understand that the scholarship application comes after the course application but before the admission decision is necessarily issued.
- Submit your undergraduate application to St Andrews for 2027 entry.
- Wait at least two working days for the university to process the course application and issue your My Application login.
- Sign in to My Application.
- Open the Scholarships and Funding section.
- Search for the University of St Andrews International Undergraduate Scholarships application.
- Complete the financial funding section carefully, including gross household income in GBP and any required exchange-rate information.
- Explain any relevant financial, social, disability or contextual circumstances that strengthen your case.
- Review everything for accuracy before submitting.
- Complete the scholarship application by January 27, 2027.
The key strategic point is simple: do not wait for an undergraduate offer before starting the scholarship process. The university specifically allows applicants to apply for funding earlier.
When Will Applicants Hear Back?
The scholarship outcome is scheduled for the week commencing March 17, 2027.
By then, successful applicants should have a much clearer picture of whether St Andrews is financially realistic for them.
For an international student comparing UK universities, this scholarship is most relevant when the academic application is strong but the overseas tuition burden is the deciding factor.
If you are confused about whether your family income qualifies, whether your subject is covered, direct Year 2 entry, Overseas fee status, or how to describe your financial circumstances, leave your question in the comments below the article. Mention your country, intended degree and entry year so the issue can be addressed in applicant-specific terms.