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Hey, I am an American really interested in going to school at the University of Edinburgh or the University of Saint Andrews for undergrad.
It is unlikely I will be able to visit before attending and was looking for any opinions on the differences between the two. I've heard online that some think Edinburgh isn't super supportive, but I've also heard Saint Andrews has a pretty strong drinking culture (I'm not really into drinking). Anything is helpful really. I'm also an English major if anyone happens to know the differences between the degree programs. Thank you! :)
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I mean you're coming to the UK, I haven't experienced Edinburgh's drinking culture but it's definitely going to be fucking big compared to what you're used to. St Andrews does have a lot of drinking for sure, but there are plenty of non-alcohol related events and at pretty much every event I've been to they've had non-alcoholic drinks available or you can just ask for them. Also, there are non-alcohol flats and stuff available if you are really that opposed to it at St Andrews; however, there is definitely a correlation between people living in these and just never leaving their rooms so, be warned.
Aight, the gloves are coming off. I have also heard that Edinburgh is not very supportive at all, similar to a lot of London unis - the profs are much more research-focused and they simply have a lot less time for you, or would rather devote it to their research. People at Edinburgh are going to say St Andrews is horrifically rural and it takes ages to get anywhere, this is just not true. People at St Andrews manage to go to lots of events in Edinburgh and Dundee if they want to, plenty of my friends went to the Edinburgh Xmas markets and loved it; IMO, it is a small price to pay to live in a lovely smaller town, with three beaches, and a much tighter student base the rest of the time. St Andrews also has a lot more international students than Edinburgh, 35% of the student base is American and 10%+ are other internationals (mostly from south-east Asia) which I think is pretty cool - but you might want fewer Americans as you're studying abroad, I don't know. It does mean that the uni is more used to dealing with internationals and specifically Americans, which is good.
It is true that there aren't many nightclubs here, and even though you've said you don't like drinking that could change; however, where there are students there will be drinking and we just have a lot more house/flat parties - people also travel to Dundee for nights out.
We just have cooler traditions, academic families are a great way to expand your social circle and have a different and interesting dynamic, and beautiful red gowns.
If living in a large city is absolutely vital to you, there's nothing I can say to convince you in St Andrews' favour. Academically, Edinburgh and St Andrews are pretty damn close - perhaps the main difference coming from the fact that St Andrews inherently just has more support available per student and smaller classes; however, St Andrews has the highest student satisfaction in the UK for a reason, it's pretty fucking good here.
Let me guess: you’re English?
Hi!
So the town St. Andrews is pretty small -- it doesn't even have a train station or airport, so travel is difficult. But, there is that tight-knit community feel of a small town. As for night life/drinking culture, there aren't any nightclubs... but they make up for it in pubs! So, there definitely is a strong pub/drinking culture, as there isn't much else to do. It is ranked as the best school in the UK, so if prestige is important to you, it could be a good fit. There are also scholarships specifically for international students (the International Excellence Scholarship offers a full ride), as well as ones specifically for Americans.
Edinburgh is great if you want more of a city feel -- without the expense and crowdedness of London. It's one of the most beautiful cities in the UK! It has both urban and countryside appeal, as well as so much history. It is less prestigious than St. Andrews, as it is ranked 6th in the UK. But, there is definitely more variety in the nightlife. There are clubs, pubs, bars, live music, etc. It also has scholarships for international students, but it's options are less robust than St. Andrews.
Some really helpful articles if you're looking to compare the two unis further are: https://greatbritishmag.co.uk/university-reviews/what-is-the-university-of-edinburgh-really-like/
https://greatbritishmag.co.uk/university-reviews/what-is-the-university-of-st-andrews-really-like/
Hope this helps!
i know this won’t apply to most uni-age people: but if hills/stairs/steep inclines are a problem for you then Edinburgh is probably not the place you want to live. it’s a beautiful city and the hills really add to that but it can be miserable if you have a disability/illness that isn’t suited to hills.
Edinburgh is the best city in the world, and one of the best universities in the world. I don’t know why you’d reject it to go to… that.