A decade at the top for Scotland’s first university

Friday 27 July 2018
Nick Farrer (SA Director of Wellbeing) and Paloma Paige (SA President)
Nick Farrer (SA Director of Wellbeing) and Paloma Paige (SA President)

The University of St Andrews is top in the UK for student academic experience, according to the results of The National Student Survey 2018 published today (Friday 27 July 2018).

The National Student Survey (NSS) named St Andrews the UK’s top mainstream university, the tenth time in the past 12 years that the Scottish university has been at the very top of the comprehensive analysis of the views of the United Kingdom’s student community.

A high-profile census of nearly half a million students, the NSS is undertaken independently by Ipsos MORI and evaluates how satisfied students are with the quality of their higher education experience.

94% of St Andrews final year students surveyed gave the University top marks for the quality of the learning and teaching experience. The survey reflects student responses to core questions relating to academic support, learning resources, teaching, management, assessment, personal development and satisfaction.

St Andrews Principal, Professor Sally Mapstone, said: “This is a terrific result and a tribute to the commitment of academic and professional staff across the University of St Andrews who provide an outstanding environment and experience for our students. St Andrews students recognise the exceptional quality of learning and teaching, facilities, and support at our University. We work in partnership with our students to ensure we continue to excel in this regard, and we take nothing for granted. These results demonstrate that those students joining our academic family in 2018 have made the right choice in calling St Andrews home.

“Scottish universities are setting excellent standards in UK education, and we are proud to lead in the NSS, and to demonstrate our deep-rooted commitment to academic excellence and the student experience.”

Paloma Paige, President of the St Andrews Students’ Association, added: “It is gratifying to see that these results reflect the unique student experience that we offer here at St Andrews. The Students’ Association, the University, and individual students work throughout the year to contribute to that overall experience, contributions which make a positive and lasting impact. The high level of student engagement at St Andrews demonstrates that our students not only care about actively contributing, but also that they truly value the experience they receive during their time here.

“The results of the NSS Survey provide a snapshot to anyone curious about what we offer here at St Andrews, and hopefully will encourage students around the world to contribute to the St Andrews experience themselves.”

The NSS results follow a strong performance by the University in the Guardian University Guide 2019 where it was the only Scottish university in the top 20 of the 121 universities ranked.


Issued by the University of St Andrews Communications Office.

Category Student experience

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