Following an election that drew record numbers of student voting, Dr Arthur Bernoff has been appointed the University of St Andrews’ 56th Rector. In addition to Dr Bernoff, five candidates had been nominated for the rector role. The list included Brian Baumgartner — best known for his role as Kevin Malone on the NBC sitcom The Office — guest lecturer and business leader Mark Brunner, recently graduated doctor Conor Philip, medicine graduate Edison Yau, and Scottish Parliament

Juliana Zahorjan and Hannah Wilkinson write on their experiences at Kate Kennedy's Opening Ball Juliana Zahorjan: Want to show a visiting friend why St Andrews is special? Take them to Opening Ball. On Saturday night, with the town still basking in the last of its kind weather, I did exactly that. There’s a particular pride in showing a visiting friend St Andrews at its best. Hosted by the Kate Kennedy Club, Opening Ball is the traditional curtain-raiser of the academic year.

A day prior to the release of The Saint’s first issue of the year, I and the rest of the paper’s executive team took a trip to the Walter Bower House in Guardbridge. There lie stacks of copies of St Andrews’ various university newspapers throughout time. Quorum, Aien, the St Andrews Chronicle, and then The Saint. An issue of Aien published almost exactly 73 years ago, on 16 October 1953, explains the role of the University Rector on the front page: “St Andrews is the only U

International Relations (IR) is rapidly becoming one of St Andrews' main attractions. The growing interest in IR is hardly surprising: pick any country in the world right now, and it’s likely they’re affected by some sort of crisis. Dr Adam Bower has taught a third-year IR module on how international institutions address global concerns for about ten years, but the world he used to teach is changing. “The world has always been extremely complicated and sad,” Bower reflected.

Your boyfriend is a misogynist, and I’m sorry if I’m the first one to say it. My boyfriend is also a misogynist — I do not exempt myself from my philosophical treatises. Many of you probably operate under a definition of misogyny that means an active anger at all women — I use it as Kate Manne does: to describe the patriarchal conditions that we all live under. Men are rewarded for conforming to behaviours and institutions that reproduce misogynistic structures, because if th

On Sunday 4 October, World number 527, Adrian Meronk of Poland, secured a two-shot victory at the 25th Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The win was his first on the European Tour in 1079 days and his fifth overall. Meronk played with impeccable concentration and accuracy throughout the tournament. The highlight, his nine-under-par (63) at Kingsbarns on Saturday, moved him into a position to challenge for The Title.

At the beginning of each semester, the University of St Andrews manages the allocation of student housing to first-years. This task presents challenges, which require solutions such as temporary housing. Each year, the University of St Andrews uses temporary housing as a way to manage student accommodation at the beginning of the semester. The University told The Saint, “Short-term temporary accommodation provides accommodation support while alternative, longer-term accommo

This house has confidence in St Andrews political societies As I write this, several St Andrews students are on a plane headed to Paris to protest. Elsewhere, five feminist societies have joined forces to “reclaim the streets” in the wake of the Cornell controversy. And somewhere between the pub and the library, discussions of anti-Scottish classism have become strikingly urgent. For a town small enough to walk in fifteen minutes, St Andrews has a surprisingly crowded politic

Over the course of the previous week, the University of St Andrews has been confronted with an onslaught of media attention. The University was lately ranked the best university in the UK by The Sunday Times, a designation charged with controversy across the academic sphere. More personal to the student body, perhaps, has been the coverage from various outlets investigating the University’s distinct student culture. The National, The Guardian, and BBC’s ‘The Bubble’ have, wit

At 7:27pm on Friday 18 September, 2026, the Saints went marching in, again. The Hive Stadium was energised by a glorious rendition of 'Flower of Scotland,' which swelled around the sold-out 7,800 seat arena.

On Friday 18 September, the University of St Andrews was named the UK’s best university in The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027. In this report, St Andrews was ranked ahead of The London School of Economics, Imperial College, Cambridge, and Oxford. It was also named Scottish University of the Year and runner-up UK University of the Year for Teaching Quality for 2027. St Andrews also performed highly in The Times’ subject rankings with five subjects ranked top in the UK

A seat at the 79th Edinburgh International Film Festival In the lobby of the Edinburgh Cineworld, as I doomscroll and wait for my 6:30pm screening, a twenty-something man several feet away stares down at a teal-and-orange poster splayed in his hands. The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence, its heading reads, below which are ten short films each labelled with the little caption: World Premiere. In four days, one of those films will win the £15,000 to ensu

TG Jones, the stationery retailer formerly known as WH Smith, has announced that its St Andrews branch will close on 9 January, 2027. The Post Office, which currently operates inside the branch on South Street, will be closed alongside the store. TG Jones’ Arbroath branch is also set to close on this date. The decision to close the St Andrews branch follows a slew of TG Jones closures. On 2 September, 2026, the retailer issued a list of 150 stores that they intend to close

Students' Association laws passed this year formally rename the Sabbatical/Executive Officers the "President Team." Image courtesy of the University of St Andrews Students’ Association President of Student Opportunities — Robert Moran — PresOpps@st-andrews.ac.uk Robert “RoMo” Moran is entering his second year as the President of Student Opportunities at the St Andrews Student Union. He has spent the past year transforming how the Union supports student activity, building new

Through our fresher's magazine, you’ll hopefully gain a panoramic view of what it’s like to live and attend university in St Andrews. We can’t predict how your future here will unfold (and who would want that?), but as returning students we can offer reflections on our own experiences and hope they provide some sense of the cobblestone path before you. But why restrict ourselves to recent memory? In the pursuit of conveying the elusive essence that is The St Andrews Experienc

Did you ever watch that film ‘Yesterday’? The one where it turns out The Beatles never happened. Well, it’s happened again — not with the Beatles, but with lectures. Naturally, you’ll be wanting to fill every waking minute with sport, so here’s your new timetable: a week of sport in St Andrews.

St Andrews has an events scene. St Andrews also has about 200 people who attend it. Having worked for the Events Section for a year now, I’ve had the privilege, and burden, of attending pretty much everything this town has to offer. I’ve had Father Patrick shout at me in the middle of Bible Study, bought wellies two sizes too big; frozen to death at a poorly attended ceilidh, scrapped with the fashion show cabal, and caught one too many taxis home because I couldn’t be bother

It’s once more that time of year where clattering suitcases out-cackle the seagulls on Market Street, where droves of taxis, shuttles, and buses clog this town’s three arteries, and the unseasonably warm air temporarily shelves your woollens. Your week ahead will seem undoubtedly vast — the year, infinite, and the next four incomprehensibly far: it’s Freshers’ Week, after all. In this magazine edition, The Saint, St Andrews’ independent student newspaper, aims to inspire you

Can a St Andrews student become a true St Andrean? When you’re caught up in all the balls, essays, and fashion shows, going beyond the “student” label feels almost impossible, no matter how much you love the town. Some, however, have found community beyond the university through volunteering. I spoke to several local volunteers to learn more about how to bridge the town-gown divide. After moving to St Andrews, Sibylle Reboul, a fourth-year French international student, wanted

St Andrews Indian Restaurant Jahangir Balti & Tandoori is seeking legal advice after Reform UK accused the business of exploiting the UK’s visa system, claiming it may have helped bring as many as 200 people into the country. The award winning South Street restaurant, which has operated in St Andrews since 1998, was named in a series of social media posts by Reform UK home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf. The posts, shared across Facebook, X, and Instagram have amassed over o

Although for many students, graduation marks the official end of their time at St Andrews, Graduation Ball feels like the emotional ending. Held on Lower College Lawn on 4 July and billed as a final celebration of friendships and memories, the event delivered exactly what most graduates were looking for: one last opportunity to enjoy The Bubble before stepping into their next chapter. The evening's greatest strength was undoubtedly its atmosphere. From the moment guests arriv

On finals day, while most people gathered around Centre Court to watch Jannik Sinner dominate, I went to the All England Club to watch something different. Sitting in a half-full Court One, I was watching one of Britain's greatest sportsmen. A man with 35 major titles and a Paralympic gold medal, who does not get anywhere near the attention he deserves. I am, of course, talking about Wheelchair Tennis player Alfie Hewett.

This past April, the Links announced changes to the student ticket, returning it to pre-1990s ‘term-time only’ conditions. Following talks with the University, a £90 summer ticket has been made available for sports scholars and students staying in St Andrews to work.

How the weather affects how we speak Aloha, playa, dolcevita; these words bring to mind sunny beaches, colourful fish and dream vacations. Those very words sound relaxed and unbothered, as if they too were lying on a beach chair, sipping a refreshing tropical juice. Is this a sheer coincidence? Compare them to Streichholzschachtel, krítarteikning, and, maybe familiar to some of you, dreicht. Do these give the same vibes? Or do they feel more like they come from the cold, hars

The University of St Andrews and the Students’ Association are investigating Rector Stella Maris following complaints about her alleged behaviour during a dispute over her office in the Union building. A University spokesperson told The Saint: “The University has received a formal complaint in relation to the Rector’s alleged behaviour in the Students’ Association building on July 3.” The spokesperson added that “the complaint confirms that security were called and attended”

The University of St Andrews has temporarily closed Agnes Blackadder Hall, following the detection of Legionella in the building’s water system. In an email sent to recent guests and workers at the hall of residence, the University said that elevated levels of Legionella bacteria, which can cause Legionnaires’ disease (a severe form of pneumonia), had been detected during routine testing. Legionnaires’ disease is contracted by people inhaling contaminated water droplets fro

As students in a university town, we are certainly not short of lectures given by academics specialised in their fields. What makes Topping & Company’s events so delightful, however, is their singularly convivial air. The bookshop itself, warmly lit and intimate, creates closeness — both actual and emotional, in a sense — with the speaker. You are offered a glass of wine, or a miscellaneous non-alcoholic sparkling drink, upon entry, and given a seat, a refuge from the outside

A late kick-off attended by a moderate crowd set the stage for a fixture that would hand either club their first Sunday League title. BMC entered the final following an unbeaten season and an unprecedented +26 goal difference. A season littered with dominant victories left even the most nervous of BMC fans confident of their spot in the final from early on.

St Andrews academic Dr Antonis Vradis was detained by Israeli forces this week while participating in humanitarian efforts with the Global Sumud Flotilla, sparking concern from the university community. Dr Vradis was released from prison and safely landed in Turkey on Thursday 21 May, where he was offered medical treatment. Dr Vradis then landed in Athens on Friday 22 May, travelling with the Greek delegations, as reported in The National. Vradis, Reader in the School of Geog

The St Andrews Student Union shared on Tuesday, 19 May, 2026 that the Union’s partnership with pub conglomerate JD Wetherspoon has been finalised. In a post shared via Instagram, the Students’ Union revealed that the Main Bar inside the Union building will enter a partnership with JD Wetherspoon, beginning on 4 September, 2026, before the next academic year. A consultation for Main Bar opened earlier this academic year, initially with multiple food and drink vendors in the r

Perhaps MacBeth’s words ring as true in 2026 as they did when Shakespeare penned them in 1606. After tallying the results of the 7 May, 2026 Scottish Parliamentary election, pundits from across the political spectrum are already calling the outcome historic. With record-breaking seats returned for Reform UK and the Scottish Green Party, support for Labour and the Scottish Conservatives has plummeted to an all-time low. Elections take place every five years on the first Thursd

I’d only heard stories of Edinburgh’s famed nocturnal Cowgate before I found myself shadowed by the George IV Bridge. A harmony of roaring aftermarket mufflers, faint yells, and a distinctive smog accompanied me on my walk. The day was spent sunbathing on Calton Hill, so it was with squinting eyes that I felt my way into Sneaky Pete’s dark, obscure hall — my grungy refuge for the evening. On 29 May, 2026, Sneaky Pete’s hosted three St Andrews student bands on their Edinburgh

Correction: The Hustings held on April 30th were hosted by the University of St Andrews, not the Students’ Association as previously stated. On Thursday 30 April, 2026, the University of St Andrews hosted an election hustings in collaboration with the Students’ Association and St Andrews Women in Politics Society for the North East Fife constituency, ahead of the Scottish Party Elections on Thursday 7 May. Hosted at the Byre Theatre, former Scottish Labour Party leader Kezia

On Tuesday 28 April, the St Andrews Students’ Association hosted an All-Students Forum (ASF) in the Old Union Diner from 6:30-8:30pm to discuss, among other topics, the removal of the role of the Rector’s Assessor from the organisation’s Draft Laws. The discussion consisted of a 21-slide presentation by current Rector’s Assessor Cam Brown and served as a comprehensive breakdown of the Rector’s Committee and role of the Rector’s Assessor within the Union’s structures. The dis

Vienna, Austria, November 1823. An all-exposing white spotlight shines on the masqueraded Dylan Swain (as Salieri), whose hands are tied together by what look like knotty white bandages. He lurches forward, in silent pain, on the wooden chair upstage centre in the music-turned-performance space of the Laidlaw. The resounding 24-piece orchestra fills the room like the cream in the Fisher and Donaldson doughnuts metres away from my beady eyes. Positioned on a cake-stand, they r

The Artemis II space mission realises NASA’s bid, since 1972, to put humans back on the moon. NASA’s Apollo 17 programme in December 1972 marked the last human footsteps on the Moon — more than 50 years ago. Commander Reid Weisman, pilot Victor Glober, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen were the astronaut crew chosen to chart this next path beyond Earth’s borders. The Artemis II mission aims to prove human spaceflight capabilities and pave the way for fu

How we can etymologise placenames to uncover lost landscapes *Correction: The illustration for this article has been taken down due to its creative similarities to an original illustration by Elle Miller, a copyrighted design for the University of St Andrews Shop Did you know that any placenames ending in -ey or -ay refer to an island? It is fairly clear why Scottish islands like Orkney, Rothesay, Colonsay, and Raasay, surrounded by water, are thus named. In southwest Oxford

Everyone has a story from their first-year flat. Bad manners, bad hygiene, bad cooking. We’ve all been there. Or so I’ve been told. My flatmates are simply delightful, a masterclass in communal living, decency, and respect. I am truly saddened by how many horror stories I’ve heard of late, and thus, I present to you all: how to be a good flatmate. Taking advice from my real-life experiences, I hope you can see that being a wonderful flatmate isn’t as hard as it seems.My flatm

The Saint spoke to St Andrews student Judd Sundelson, who competed on the DP World Tour in March. After winning the South African Amateur Championship, Sundelson qualified for the SA Open Championship, competing against some of the world’s best professionals.

Aydin Dag, 45-year-old owner of St. Andrews Shawarma House, pleaded guilty to Dundee Sheriff Court for “an abusive course of conduct between December 2024 and November 2025,” according to The Courier. Despite his conviction, Dag has yet to be sentenced. He returned to the Court for sentencing on 31 March, following repeated deferments, and was granted a sentence postponement period to demonstrate good behaviour before his final sentencing. Dag, a St Andrews local, was found

On a crisp spring morning in April, almost the entire town of Anstruther (or what seemed like it) assembled at the Dreel Burn to anxiously watch The Duck Race — where over a thousand bright yellow rubber ducks are launched into the river, and everyone watches with bated breath to see if their sponsored duck will win. I set off for Anstruther, with a loyal friend in tow, on 4 April, at 9am (diabolically early for the first Saturday of Reading Week). Upon arriving, we found a q

On the making of Moth and Dog Are Dying to Get Out On Friday 10 April, St Andrews Art Theatre (STAAT) put on a production of Moth and Dog are Dying to Get Out at the prestigious National Student Drama Festival (NSDF) in Leicester. The company, as producer Ava Pegg-Davies explains, focuses on staging contemporary plays. “What we try to do with STAAT is have really minimalist script-driven performances that don't rely on big flamboyant props and sets, and just rely on good dial

A major emergency response was launched at East Sands on Tuesday morning, 14 April, after a bloodied T-shirt was discovered on the pier, Coastguard crews confirmed to The Courier . Emergency services, including police, coastguard teams, and a rescue helicopter, were called to the scene at around 8:20am, and the harbour area was subsequently taped off. National lifeboat crews from Arbroath, Dundee, and Anstruther were dispatched as part of the response. Approximately an hour l

Professor Claire Peddie, current Proctor and Vice-Principal Education at the University of St Andrews, is to retire from her Principal Office’s role in December 2026. On Monday 13 April, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University Dame Sally Mapstone announced the Proctor’s retirement in a university-wide email. Professor Peddie is a St Andrews alumna with both an undergraduate degree and a PhD in marine biology. Her career has been focused on education in biology, and s

Bill Logan de Witt, 29, last seen Sunday 5 April A search is underway for a former University of St Andrews student, Bill Logan de Witt, 29, who was declared missing after being last seen exiting the St Andrews Students’ Association at approximately midnight on Sunday 5 April. According to statements released by Police Scotland and shared via University communications and social media, de Witt had been “recently living” in Cellardyke, Fife. According to The Courier, he is

Greetings, St Andrews Events aficionados, from my bed. Hoodie on, covers pulled right up so that only my hands may reach out to type this article. Yes, I’m still recovering from the freezing temperatures at this year’s Moving Castle — but I’m nonetheless warmed by the weird and wonderful delights it offered. Let me first be clear that this was not my first (Szentek) rodeo. At varying levels of sobriety, Moving Castle was a returning fixture in my subhonours years. However, wi

If you’ve never been to a Holi celebration, you might be like me. Before attending Sanskriti, the Indian Society’s Tamasha celebration this week, all I knew about Holi was what my Scottish Catholic school had taught me about thirteen years ago. I think I had missed a memo on start times, because although the event was advertised to start at 12:30, when we arrived slightly too promptly at 12:45, we were told to wait a bit longer until they were ready for us. After a very shor

St Andrews Reform Society has gained provisional affiliation status with the University of St Andrews’ Student Association as of 13 March — a decision which prompted reactions from multiple political societies within St Andrews. In a statement issued to The Saint , a Union spokesperson clarified that “an application has been submitted by a St Andrews Reform UK Society to become an affiliated society [...] We are currently reviewing this application in line with our affiliati

St Andrews is littered with nods to the golf of yesteryear. You may have gazed at the old clubs adorning pub walls, eaten at The Niblick, or perhaps you live on Bobby Jones Place. But it’s all looking, no touching … or so I thought.