How to Apply for Mathematics at the University of St Andrews: Four-Year BSc and Five-Year MMath Share the Same Standard Entry Grades, with Other Subjects in First Year, for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The University of St Andrews is in Scotland, and undergraduate mathematics is taught by the School of Mathematics and Statistics. Scottish degrees usually take four years: the first two (sub-honours) include other subjects alongside your main one, and the last two are the Honours years. This guide follows the St Andrews website for 2027 entry and covers UK applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students.

1. Which mathematics degrees you can apply for

• Mathematics BSc (Honours): UCAS code G101, four years full time, in the Faculty of Science. The BSc is accredited by the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications.
• Mathematics MMath (Honours): UCAS code G100, a five-year Integrated Masters leading to a Masters degree, also accredited by that Institute. There are also Pure Mathematics MMath (G110) and Applied Mathematics MMath (G120), both five years.
• Mathematics MA (Honours): in the Faculty of Arts, for students who want to combine mathematics with Arts subjects. St Andrews says the BSc and MA are mathematically identical, with the same entry requirements and the same chance of an offer for single Honours degrees; second-year entry is possible for the BSc but not the MA. The MA’s UCAS code was not read for this guide; check the MA course page.
• Joint degrees: mathematics can be taken as a joint Honours degree, and the subject with the higher requirements sets the grades. Science examples on the course page (UCAS codes): Computer Science and Mathematics GG14, Economics and Mathematics GLC1 (BSc), Financial Economics and Mathematics L114, Mathematics and Physics FG31, Mathematics and Philosophy GV14, Mathematics and Psychology GC18, Biology and Mathematics CG11, Chemistry and Mathematics FG11, Geography and Mathematics GF18; there is also Mathematics and Theoretical Physics MPhys (FGH1). Many Arts joint degrees are listed on the course page.
• Statistics has its own BSc, MA and MMath; computer science and economics are mentioned only through the joint degrees above.
• Choosing a subject: you apply directly to a specific degree and UCAS code; in first year you study mathematics alongside other subjects (below), not a general intake that is sorted later.

2. Course structure

• First year: a mathematics module introducing the ideas and techniques for further study of mathematics or applications to other sciences, plus up to two additional subjects. On the BSc, from second year you may study only mathematics or continue at least one other subject; on the MMath, Pure Mathematics MMath and Applied Mathematics MMath you study only mathematics from second year.
• Second-year examples: Abstract Algebra, Analysis, Combinatorics and Probability, Linear Mathematics, Mathematical Modelling, Multivariate Calculus, Statistical Inference and Vector Calculus.
• Honours years (3 and 4): specialist areas include fluid dynamics, group theory, history of mathematics, mathematical biology, analysis, statistical ecology and statistical inference; BSc final-year students complete a project on a topic chosen with staff.
• Teaching: in first year each module has a daily lecture (about 100 to 300 students), a fortnightly small-group tutorial (8 to 12) and an examples class (25 to 60); by third and fourth year the average load is around ten hours of lectures and four tutorials a week.
• Moving between BSc and MMath: BSc students who meet the relevant Honours entry requirements may apply to change to the MMath; MMath students may switch to the BSc during sub-honours or in third year without additional qualifications.
• Overseas study: mathematics students can apply to the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme. The course page does not mention a placement year.

3. Entry requirements and prerequisites (2027 entry)

• Standard (international applicants use this): SQA Highers AAAAB including an A in Mathematics; A-levels A*A*A including A* in Mathematics; IB 38 points (HL 6,6,6) including HL6 in Mathematics.
• Minimum (widening access applicants): the BSc page lists Highers AABB (A in Mathematics), A-levels A*AB (A* in Mathematics) and IB 36 (HL 6,5,5, HL6 in Mathematics); the MMath, Pure Mathematics MMath and Applied Mathematics MMath pages list Highers AAAB (A in Mathematics), with the same A-level and IB grades. The subject page says entry requirements are the same for all single Honours mathematics degrees, yet the BSc and MMath pages give different Highers minimums; both are given here, so confirm with Admissions.
• Prior study: applicants are expected to have studied Mathematics at SQA Higher, GCE A-level or equivalent; “typical successful applicants” have studied Mathematics at SQA Advanced Higher, Further Mathematics at A-level or equivalent. For the IB, HL Mathematics is required (the China page adds that programmes requiring A-level Mathematics accept either Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretation at higher level).
• General requirements: SQA National 5 (B) in English and one of Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science, Geography, Applications of Mathematics, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology; or GCSE (5) in English language or literature and one of Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science, Geography, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology; or equivalent.
• Admissions tests and interviews: the mathematics course pages read for this guide do not mention MAT, STEP, TMUA or any other admissions test, or a mathematics interview; the application page says most applicants are not interviewed and mathematics is not among the exceptions. To confirm, email the School at maths@st-andrews.ac.uk.

4. Direct entry to second year (BSc Mathematics)

• Well-qualified applicants can enter the second year of the Mathematics BSc and finish in three years instead of four, bypassing first-year modules. You may choose “Point of Entry 2” on the application, or apply for first-year entry and transfer to second year on arrival in consultation with your Adviser of Studies.
• Requirements: Advanced Highers AA including Mathematics with Highers AAAAB; A-levels A*A*A including A* in Mathematics and A in Further Mathematics; IB 39 points (HL 6,6,6) including HL6 in Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches.
• Minimum offers are not made for second-year entry. Applicants with only Highers who are accepted receive an unconditional first-year offer with a promise of automatic transfer to second year if their Advanced Highers meet the requirements; applicants with other qualifications should apply for first-year entry. Direct-entry students may apply to study overseas. Questions go to maths-admissions@st-andrews.ac.uk.

UK applicants (A-levels, SQA Highers and Advanced Highers, IB)

• Every course page lists requirements for SQA Highers, GCE A-levels and the IB, and St Andrews accepts a broad range of other qualifications; check the entry requirements page by country.
• UK applicants use the University’s qualification indicator to see whether Standard, Minimum or Gateway applies. The course pages do not give separate grades for England, Wales and Northern Ireland; they distinguish only qualification type and entry level.
• General requirements (all programmes): SQA National 5 (B) in English plus one subject from the list on the course page, or GCSE (5) in English language or literature plus one subject from the list on the course page, or equivalent.
• Fee status is Scottish, RUK (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) or Overseas; see the fees section below. Scottish undergraduate degrees take four years: the first two (sub-honours) let you take other subjects alongside your main one, and the last two are the Honours years.

International applicants

• Use the Standard requirements: the UCAS page says applicants from other countries and territories should use the Standard entry requirements. St Andrews always lists SQA Highers, A-levels and the IB, and accepts a broad range of other qualifications; check its entry requirements page for your country.
• English: see the English language section below.
• Proof of funds: St Andrews says international students must show sufficient funds for their studies when applying for a student visa. The amount and documents are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the UK visa website and St Andrews’ visa pages.
• Qualification verification: St Andrews may request supporting documents at any stage of the process. Beyond the China page and what is written here, any verification-agency requirement is not given on the pages used for this guide.

Applicants from China

• What the China page says: if you have graduated from a high school with a national school leaving certificate, St Andrews also expects one of the following: the University’s own International Foundation Programme certificate; a US curriculum profile (one form of standardised testing plus a transcript with A to B+ grades: AP three subjects at 4+ and 5 in required subjects; SAT Subject Tests three subjects at 650+ with 700+ in required subjects; ACT 28+; redesigned SAT 1320); IB 36 (HL 6,6,5) to 38 (HL 6,6,6 plus SL 6,6,6); A-levels AAB to A*A*A; or SQA Highers AAAB to AAAAB. You must also meet the requirements on the course page of your chosen programme.
• Gaokao: the China page lists no Gaokao score or percentage, and whether the Gaokao can be used on its own is not published. The page also says each application is considered on its own merit; email the China team (china@st-andrews.ac.uk) to ask.
• The China page gives University-wide ranges; for a specific programme, follow the grades on its course page below rather than applying the ranges to it.
• International Foundation Programmes: the course pages say these prepare international students from many countries for undergraduate study, and reaching the threshold score gives entry to a degree. The Foundation Programmes’ own entry requirements, fees and threshold scores are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the Foundation Programme pages on the St Andrews website. Completing the programme with the threshold score also exempts you from an English test (see the English section).
• English and pre-sessional courses: your offer may require a 10-week or 4-week pre-sessional course. For a student visa you need a UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT); some tests St Andrews accepts may not be accepted by UKVI.
• Contacts and agents: the page lists agents in mainland China (IDP, ISA, JESIE, Liu Cheng and UKEC) and the China representatives’ contact details; the China team’s email is china@st-andrews.ac.uk.

Routes, deadlines and documents (September 2027 entry)

• Three routes: UCAS (St Andrews’ UCAS name is STA, institution code S36); overseas students may also use the Common Application or St Andrews’ direct application, and each counts as one of your five UK choices. The transfer page adds that the direct application can be used if you are classed as Overseas and St Andrews is the only UK university you apply to; applying to more than one UK university means using UCAS. For UCAS fees and procedure, check the UCAS website.
• Equal consideration deadline: the UCAS page gives 6pm (GMT) on 13 January 2027 (Medicine has a separate deadline of 15 October 2026). It adds that international applications after that date may still be considered where places remain, depending on subject and course availability. Another page (Academic entry explained) lists 14 January for other UK applicants and 30 June for other international applicants, which differs from the UCAS page; both are given here, so check the course page and the UCAS page when you apply and confirm with Admissions.
• Documents: grades achieved or predicted, a personal statement and a reference (required; an application without one is incomplete). The UCAS personal statement answers three questions. For the 2027 cycle, documents uploaded to UCAS are not an official submission route to St Andrews, so the University may ask you to upload them to the ‘my application’ portal or email myapplication@st-andrews.ac.uk. If St Andrews contacts you about SAT, ACT or AP scores, unofficial score reports are accepted.
• Interviews: most applicants are not interviewed; the exceptions are Medicine, supported pathway programmes and part-time study.
• Decisions: applicants who apply by the relevant equal consideration deadline receive a decision by May of the year of application.
• Deferred entry: St Andrews expects you to apply in the academic year immediately before you intend to start; if you take a gap year, it recommends applying during the gap year and explaining the gap in your personal statement.

How to read the three entry levels

• Each course page lists Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry grades: Standard is what most applicants need; Minimum is for applicants who qualify as widening access students; Gateway is a bridging programme for applicants who narrowly miss the Minimum grades but meet contextual criteria.
• Applicants from other countries and transfer applicants use the Standard requirements, as both the UCAS page and the transfer page state.
• Widening access criteria include living in an area under-represented at St Andrews by postcode, attending a school or college with low progression to St Andrews, taking part in the listed widening access programmes, being care experienced, or having caring responsibilities. The guaranteed offer scheme applies only to applicants who declare a care-experienced background, or who live in the 20% most deprived areas of Scotland (SIMD20) and attend a school with 30% or lower progression to higher education, provided the subject’s minimum requirements are met and any test or interview is passed. Use the University’s qualification indicator to see whether this applies to you.
• St Andrews stresses that grades alone do not guarantee admission; it also considers context, the personal statement and the reference.

English language requirements

• You may not need a test score (Faculties of Science, Arts and Divinity) if you are a national of the UK or of a country on the UKVI list of majority English-speaking countries; if you hold an English-medium secondary school leaving qualification taken at a school with a substantial English-language environment where you were registered for at least the final two years, including at least one subject with a substantial component of writing in English; or if you completed a St Andrews International Foundation Programme with the threshold score. Otherwise you must submit a valid test score, and St Andrews may ask for further evidence.
• Test scores are normally accepted only if obtained within two years of the start date. Evidence can be sent after you apply; if you do not have it yet, English will be part of any conditional offer, and you may be required to take a pre-sessional course.
• Faculty of Science (English language profile 7-D): IELTS Academic (including One Skill Retake) 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each component; TOEFL iBT from 2026 4.5 overall with 4.0 in each, earlier tests 81 overall with Reading 16, Writing 19, Listening 16, Speaking 19; Duolingo English Test 130 (115 in each); PTE Academic 70 (64 in each); Cambridge English 176 (169 in each); LanguageCert Academic 70 (65 in each).
• A student visa needs a UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT); some tests St Andrews accepts may not be accepted by UKVI.

Fees and scholarships

• Overseas (international) students: each course page lists “EU and overseas” at £34,910 a year. The international students’ fees page says tuition for 2026-2027 in the Faculties of Arts, Divinity and Science is £33,250, and that fees are adjusted annually, typically by 3% to 5%. The two figures differ, so check the latest figure on the website when you apply.
• Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland (RUK): course pages list £10,050 (“yet to be confirmed by the UK Government”); the English students’ page says 2026-2027 fees are expected to be £9,790. Eligible English students can apply for a tuition fee loan (full-time, normally living in England, first degree).
• Scottish students: course pages say fees are yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government; the Scottish students’ page gives £1,820 for 2025-2026 and says the 2026-2027 fee will be published when confirmed. Eligible Scottish students (normally living in Scotland, full-time, first degree) may have fees paid by the Scottish Government through SAAS. The exact 2027 entry figure is not published on the pages used for this guide; check the University’s fees page.
• Scholarships: St Andrews lists international scholarships covering full or partial tuition and funding for UK students; what you can get depends on programme, residence, household income, academic record and fee status. It advises not to wait for an offer before applying; after you apply, use ‘My Scholarships and Funding’ in the my application portal. Individual award names and amounts are in the scholarships catalogue and were not checked one by one for this guide.
• Other costs: accommodation and living costs are your own; international students must show sufficient funds for their studies when applying for a student visa.

Transfer students

• St Andrews accepts only a small number of transfer applications each year; places are limited and entry is competitive. Transfer students usually need an exceptional academic record and a valid reason for moving, and must already hold the minimum grades and subject prerequisites for the programme. Applicants from other countries use the Standard requirements.
• You cannot transfer into the final year of a four-year degree, and transfer into the Faculty of Medicine is not possible.
• The routes are the same as for first-year entry (UK applicants use UCAS; overseas-fee applicants whose only UK choice is St Andrews can use the direct application). Your personal statement should say you are applying to transfer and why, and your current institution goes in the ‘Your education so far’ section.
• Supplementary documents to send directly: a second academic reference or referee’s report; a detailed transcript from your current university (with an explanation of any non-standard grading); for international students, a high school transcript with final-year grades; and your syllabus, so that St Andrews can establish which of your courses are common to its degree. It will transfer credits where possible; how many is not published on the pages used for this guide, so ask Admissions.
• The deadline is also 6pm (GMT) on 13 January 2027; places are rarely available after January, and international transfer applications after that date may be waitlisted.

Checklist

UK applicants:

• Decide between the BSc, MMath (including Pure or Applied Mathematics) and MA, and copy the UCAS code correctly; use the Highers, A-level or IB line that applies to you, with the mathematics requirement met
• Submit by 6pm (GMT) on 13 January 2027; a reference is required

International applicants (including China):

• A*A*A at A-level (A* in Mathematics) or IB 38 (HL6 Mathematics), or another qualification St Andrews accepts; applicants from China should first email china@st-andrews.ac.uk about the Gaokao, or consider the International Foundation Programmes
• An English test score (Science profile: IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 in each component) or a qualifying exemption
• Apply through UCAS, the Common App or the direct application; do not wait for an offer to apply for scholarships

Transfer students:

• Relevant mathematics results; apply by 13 January with a second reference, university transcript and syllabus

Sources: University of St Andrews, Mathematics BSc; Mathematics MMath; Pure Mathematics MMath; Applied Mathematics MMath; Direct entry to second year (BSc); Mathematics subject page; How to apply; Applying through UCAS; Academic entry explained; Entry requirements: China; Undergraduate English language requirements; International students: fees; English students: fees; Scottish students: fees; Scholarships; Transfer students; Direct entry into second year. Information is for September 2027 entry; where a page prints no year, check that the date applies to 2027 entry. Check St Andrews for the latest details.