University of St Andrews - BA International Honours Scholarship: Scholarship for Excellence

What the St Andrews BA International Honours Scholarship gives you

You will receive a tuition fee grant of up to EUR 11,000 per year ($12,000 USD), which will be paid annually over the four-year duration of your studies. A smaller grant of approximately 5,500 ($6,000) euros is also available. The amount will be applied towards your tuition fees and will not be paid out to you in cash. It is provided by the University of St Andrews for the Bachelor of Arts (International Honours) programme. This is a joint degree programme with the College of William & Mary in Virginia, USA, in which you will spend two years at each of the two universities. For the 2027 intake, the exact annual amount will be confirmed by early December 2026; therefore, the USD amounts mentioned above are currently provided as a guide. For comparison: the tuition fees for 2026–2027 are $49,804 per year.

Who can apply

• Programme: You are starting the first year of the ‘International Honours’ Bachelor’s degree programme, and you will be spending this first year at St Andrews (not at William & Mary).
• Study level: You are applying for a full-time place on a Bachelor’s degree programme.
• Field of study: Your degree subject is one of the following: Classical Philology, Film Studies, Economics, English Studies, History or International Relations. The scholarship cannot be transferred to another degree programme.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply, regardless of whether, for fee purposes, you are classified as a Scottish resident, a resident of the rest of the United Kingdom or an international student.
• Grades: You have an outstanding academic record. The committee makes its selection on the basis of academic merit.
• Ambassador role: You are ready to take part in the ‘Student Ambassadors Scheme’. This involves helping out at information sessions for prospective applicants, representing the university and contributing to university publications.

How to apply

Apply via the university’s online scholarship portal once you have submitted your application for the BA International Honours programme. You do not need to have been admitted beforehand. For the start of studies in 2027, the application window runs from 17. August 2026 to 17 March 2027, and you will receive a response in the week of 22 April 2027. You must submit a one-page personal statement, as well as one academic and one personal letter of recommendation.

How realistic are your chances?

This scholarship is very narrowly targeted. Only students who are commencing a specific dual degree programme at St Andrews in one of the six specified subject areas may apply, meaning that the target group is far smaller than for open scholarships. If you are a clear fit for this degree programme and can demonstrate good grades as well as a genuine willingness to take on the role of ambassador, your chances are good. Applying early is an advantage, and a focused personal statement is more important than a highly polished one.