History of Study Abroad
Study Abroad is far from new: for hundreds of years Scottish students have ventured abroad in search of new academic challenges. Perhaps one of the earliest examples of this by a St Andrews student is Andrew Melville, who went from his studies here to the teachings of Ramus in Paris in 1564, returning to St Andrews many years later to become Principal of St Mary’s College .Two of the oldest active exchanges are with the College of William & Mary, USA and Queen’s University, Canada. The Queen’s exchange dates back to 1948.
Of course, Study Abroad has changed a lot since then! Yet some of the fundamental reasons to go abroad remain the same: an interest in new academic challenges and the desire to experience another culture and to see more of the world.
Today, the University is delighted to offer undergraduates in Arts, Divinity and Science a number of exciting opportunities to spend a semester or year abroad as part of a St Andrews degree programme. The University is partnered with large and small institutions, ancient and young, in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North and South America. Some offer an intimate campus experience; others are located in the heart of a major metropolis, from Beijing to Melbourne to Los Angeles; not forgetting Paris, of course. Students today are as drawn to the intellectual milieu of the French capital as Andrew Melville was in the sixteenth century! What unites all of the programmes is the quality of the academic provision, ensuring that participation in a St Andrews Study Abroad programme opens the door to a new and valuable academic experience at another world-class institution.
“As with my first two years at the University of Andrews, studying at the College of William & Mary offered me a world-class education at an historic and prestigious institution, but with the added bonus of some hot weather!” Hayley, studied at the College of William & Mary.