The University of St Andrews in the United Kingdom does not run one single scholarship. It runs a whole catalogue of them: tuition fee scholarships for international students, accommodation bursaries, need-based awards, and fully funded research studentships with a fixed stipend. For a Pakistani student this matters because you are not applying to "the" St Andrews scholarship. You are searching a list, finding the awards that match your level, subject and country of residence, and applying to each one separately. You can see the full scholarship details on our listing before you read on.
The funding is awarded for financial need, academic excellence, or achievements in leadership, sport and music, and it does not need to be repaid. Some awards cover full tuition, many cover part of it. That distinction is the first thing to get clear in your head, because a partial award at a UK university still leaves you with a real bill to pay.
The St Andrews funding catalogue in one table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | University of St Andrews |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Funding | Full or partial, depending on the award |
| Study levels | Pre-degree, undergraduate, postgraduate taught, postgraduate research |
| Research stipend | GBP 19,775 (2025-2026), GBP 20,467 (2026-2027) |
| Deadline | Varies by award, confirm on the official site |
| Official site | St Andrews scholarships page |
Partial tuition, full tuition and the research stipend
The catalogue mixes several kinds of support. International scholarships cover full or partial tuition fees. Bursaries reduce accommodation costs. There is funding for UK students to top up government sources and help with basic living costs, and discretionary funding and loans exist for students who hit unexpected financial trouble once they are enrolled.
For most Pakistani applicants at undergraduate or taught master's level, the realistic outcome is a tuition fee scholarship, often partial. Read the award description carefully and work out what is left over. Rent, food, travel and your visa costs will still need to come from somewhere, and you will need to show those funds when you apply for a student visa. Our guide to bank statements and proof of funds covers how that part works.
What the PhD stipend actually is
The clearest numbers in the whole scheme sit at postgraduate research level. Fully funded University-administered scholarships pay a stipend at the institutional rate: GBP 19,775 for the 2025-2026 academic year, rising to GBP 20,467 for the 2026-2027 academic year. The new rate takes effect on 1 September 2026.
One catch. Not every research award follows the institutional rate. The university advises checking the specific scholarship advert and your award letter to confirm whether that rate applies to your funding. If you are comparing two PhD offers, ask this question directly rather than assuming.
Is a Pakistani student eligible?
The awards are described as international scholarships, and the university says available funding depends on your degree programme, country of residence, household income, academic achievements and fee status. It does not publish a blanket statement that every award is open to every nationality. In practice that means some awards will fit you and others will not. Filter the scholarships catalogue by your country of residence and check each award's eligibility text before you spend time on an application.
The baseline requirements across the scheme are simple:
- You must have submitted a course application to St Andrews, because that is what gives you access to the My Application portal.
- You must meet the criteria of the specific award, which are tied to your programme, fee status and academic record.
- If the award is means-tested, you must complete the financial funding tool so your household income can be assessed.
Applicants with refugee status, humanitarian protection, discretionary leave and asylum seeker status are encouraged to apply for financial support.
Young student or independent student
For need-based awards, the funding tool sorts you into one of two categories, and that decides whose income counts. A young student is under 25, lives in the family home, has no dependent children and has not supported themselves for 3 years. An independent student is 25 or over, has supported themselves for 3 years, has a dependent child, or otherwise meets the independent status criteria.
Most Pakistani undergraduates will fall into the young student category, which means your parents' or guardians' income is what gets assessed. Be honest and accurate here. The tool compiles gross annual income from the people responsible for you, and that figure feeds into every means-tested application you submit.
The income evidence St Andrews asks for
This is where many international applicants get stuck, because the documents list was written with UK households in mind. The accepted evidence includes:
- A P60, final payslip or Annual Tax Summary for salary or earnings
- A Self-Assessment return, accountant statement or investment statements for self-employment or investments
- DWP or other government letters, or three months of statements, for disability allowances
- SAAS, SFE or equivalent award letters for student loans, bursaries or maintenance
- An annual pension statement for private or state pensions
- A local authority letter for care experience
- Home Office documentation for asylum seekers with no income
- Three months of bank statements if standard income evidence cannot be provided
Pakistani families will not have a P60 or an SFE letter. Look for the closest equivalent document for each income source, and note that the list itself allows three months of bank statements when standard evidence is not available. All uploaded financial documents must be PDFs and written in English, so anything in Urdu needs a translation before you upload it. If you are building a document pack for several universities at once, our scholarship documents checklist helps you get organised.
From course application to scholarship submission
The order of steps at St Andrews is unusual, and it trips people up. You do not wait for an offer. You apply for the course, and that opens the door to scholarships.
- Submit an application for a course at the University of St Andrews.
- Wait for your My Application portal login, which arrives by email within two working days of submitting the course application.
- If you are going for any means-tested award, complete the financial funding tool in the portal first. It automatically fills in the annual household income section of all your scholarship applications.
- Search the scholarships catalogue for awards that match your level, subject and country of residence.
- Submit each scholarship application through the portal. Some awards are handled by individual academic Schools instead, so check the School for your subject as well.
Why the deadline is a moving target
There is no single closing date. Each award in the catalogue has its own timing, and the official guidance is that deadlines vary and should be confirmed on the official site. The one firm date is 1 September 2026, when the higher research stipend of GBP 20,467 takes effect for 2026-2027.
Because scholarship applications depend on the course application, your real deadline is earlier than any date printed on an award. If your course application goes in late, your portal access comes late, and you lose time on the funding tool and the documents. Submit the course application as early as you sensibly can.
Where applicants lose out
The most common mistake is sitting on your hands until an offer arrives. The university says plainly not to wait for an offer before applying for scholarships. By the time some students get their offer, the awards they wanted are already closed.
The second mistake is searching only the central catalogue. Some scholarships are run by academic Schools and do not appear in the main search. If you are applying in, say, Computer Science or Economics and Finance, look at that School's own funding pages too.
Third, people submit means-tested applications before completing the funding tool. Do the tool first. It saves you entering income details again and keeps your figures consistent across awards.
Fourth, uploading scans in the wrong format or in Urdu. PDFs in English only.
Who should skip this? If you need a guaranteed full ride at undergraduate or taught master's level and have no family funds at all, a partial St Andrews award may leave a gap you cannot close, and your visa application would suffer for it. Apply, but keep fully funded options alongside it. The all UK scholarships guide is a good place to build that shortlist. PhD applicants are in a stronger position, since fully funded research studentships come with a defined stipend.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an admission offer before applying for a St Andrews scholarship?
No. You need to have submitted a course application so you can access the My Application portal, but you should not wait for an offer before applying for scholarships.
Can Pakistani students apply?
Many awards are aimed at international students, but eligibility depends on the award, including your country of residence and fee status. Filter the catalogue by your country and read each award's criteria to confirm.
How much is the PhD stipend?
The institutional rate is GBP 19,775 for 2025-2026 and GBP 20,467 for 2026-2027. Check your specific advert or award letter, since not all research funding uses this rate.
How is household income worked out for need-based awards?
Through the financial funding tool in the My Application portal. It classifies you as a young or independent student and compiles gross annual income from the people responsible for you.
Do St Andrews scholarships have to be paid back?
No. Scholarships and bursaries do not need to be repaid. The university does also offer loans for students facing unexpected financial difficulty, and those are a separate thing.
Is there one deadline for all awards?
No. Deadlines vary by award, so confirm each one on the official site.
Check current awards and closing dates on the St Andrews scholarships page, and keep our full scholarship details page handy while you apply.