Music scholarships at the University of St Andrews
St Andrews is the Scottish University of the Year 2025 and University of the Year for Student Experience 2025 in the Times and Sunday Time Good University Guide. We believe we can provide our students with an exceptional academic experience, alongside participating in high-level music-making.
The University of St Andrews offers unparalleled opportunities for musicians, whatever the main subject of your degree. Musicians at St Andrews benefit from state-of-the-art facilities at the Laidlaw Music Centre and opportunities to take credit-bearing Music modules.
Music at St Andrews
The Laidlaw Music Centre is at the heart of the University of St Andrews’ musical life. It provides opportunities to perform, study and listen to music in a multi-award-winning building. Officially opened in 2022, the Music Centre curates or hosts over seventy performances and events each semester at venues including the McPherson Recital Room, which is the first chamber hall in the world with a reverberation chamber.
The Music Centre offers the unique opportunity for students to contribute to St Andrews’ high-quality music scene, whilst studying a different subject at degree level. As a result, all students, regardless of their main degree subject, experience parity of musical opportunity and access. We also offer ten Undergraduate Music modules and an MLitt in Sacred Music, allowing students to study Music in theory and in practice.
Scholarships
Our scholarships provide students with free, weekly, one-to-one tuition with our outstanding team of vocal and instrumental tutors. We currently offer scholarships to over 100 students.
Amongst our scholarship offering are the Montfort Bursaries, open to undergraduates from across the world. Montfort scholars enjoy:
Weekly, hour-long, one-to-one lessons throughout your degree
Masterclasses and side-by-side opportunities with world-class performers
£1500 to assist with professional musical development
Our scholarship ensembles
Our scholars also receive a place in one or more of our scholarship ensembles:
St Salvator's Chapel Choir is the University’s flagship choir, and offers Choral and Organ scholars regular performance opportunities, masterclasses, and international tours, in addition to singing three weekly services. It also makes highly acclaimed recordings on its own internationally distributed label.
Instrumental scholars usually enjoy a place in St Andrews Chamber Orchestra, which comprises around fifty of the best instrumental students at the University. The Orchestra performs two regular concerts per year, but also collaborates with other groups on large-scale projects. A recent highlight was a tour to both sides of the Irish border.
We offer a competitive and unique set of Organ Scholarships, which provide students with extensive accompaniment and solo recital opportunities, alongside weekly coaching and regular masterclasses with our Honorary Professor of Organ, Henry Fairs.
Our vocal scholarship offering includes St Leonard's Chapel Choir, St Andrews Renaissance Singers and Bunyan-Craig Musical Theatre Scholarships
Additionally, we offer instrumental scholars a place in one of Jazz Ensemble, Saxophone Quartet, Wind Quintet, Brass Ensemble or one of our three String Quartets
For more information on our rich and varied musical offering, visit the Music Centre website
Academic entry
Entry to St Andrews will depend on the strength of your academic application. In addition to your grades, you will need a quality, academically focussed personal statement and a strong overall application.
Our courses, entry requirements and tuition fees are all available online. Places at St Andrews are competitive, so please ensure that you meet the entry requirements for the course you are interested in studying.
Further general information about studying at St Andrews can be found here.
Pimlico Musical Foundation Chorus
When: Wednesday evenings during term-time (7pm to 9pm)
Wednesday 2nd October, 7-9pm
Wednesday 9th October, 7-9pm
Wednesday 16th October, 7-9pm
Wednesday 23rd October, 7-9pm
Wednesday 30th October, 7-9pm
Wednesday 6th November, 7-9pm
Wednesday 13th November, 7-9pm
Wednesday 20th November, 7-9pm
Concert: Wednesday 27th November, 7-8pm
Where: St Gabriel's Church, Pimlico
What: New members are warmly invited to join the Pimlico Chorus to sing Rutter’s Requiem this term.
No auditions, and it isn’t essential to attend every week.
Spring term: Schubert Mass in G & Bach Cantata for Palm Sunday 182
(rehearsals beginning Wednesday 22nd January)
Summer term: Alexander L'Estrange Freedom
(rehearsals beginning Wednesday 30th April)
Cost: £40 subscription per term (concessions available on request)
Further Information: www.pimlicochorus.org.uk
Goldsmiths Choral Union
When: Wednesday evenings during term-time
Where: Queensgate House, South Kensington, SW7 5JS
What: Ambitious and accomplished choir in central London seeking singers in all voice parts.
Cost: £40 subscription per term (concessions available on request)
Contact: Victoria Ware, Membership Secretary gcu.victoria@talktalk.net
Further Information: www.goldsmithschoralunion.org
Sing with Ralph at Old Royal Naval College Chapel
Trinity Laban Chapel Choir, Greenwich
What: Regular services at ORNCCTLCC
When: Sundays 9.45 and Mondays 4-8.15pm (or just Sundays)
Contact: Ralph via allwood.ralph@gmail.com