‘It can be quite segregated: the English hang out with the English, the Americans with the Americans.’ Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian View image in fullscreen ‘It can be quite segregated: the English hang out with the English, the Americans with the Americans.’ Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian University of St Andrews ‘It’s like the Scottish Upper East Side’: shame and snobbery as American students blamed for St Andrews classism Online comments reflect class tensions at Scottish university between those from lower-income families and wealthier US undergraduates
Patrick Greenfield Sun 27 Sep 2026 09.00 CEST Last modified on Sun 27 Sep 2026 09.08 CEST Share Prefer the Guardian on Google W hen Sophie Rose Jenkins announced she would not return to St Andrews University this academic year because of her experiences of classism on campus, she did not expect much of a response. But in the two weeks since she published her story on LinkedIn, it has resonated with hundreds of others.
“Working-class students have been made to feel ashamed of their home life at university,” the former comparative literature and classical studies student wrote in a lengthy post . “Arriving at a university ranked first in the UK at the time from a background like mine, I thought I was doing everything right.
“I don’t mean for this to be a sob story but an explanation. I recognise the privilege of access to higher education, however I am also brutally aware of the hidden privilege of having unobstructed access to studying for a degree. There is a deep gap between the two, and it is never addressed.”
For many responding, her comments touched on a growing tension at St Andrews, driven by the funding model of Scotland’s cash-strapped universities. Places for Scottish students, who study for free, are capped by the Scottish government and account for about 30% of students at St Andrews. Maintenance loans and bursaries cover basic costs, but those from lower-income families are still often left with less disposable income than their contemporaries – including wealthy international students who pay much higher fees.
St Andrews, ranked second in the Guardian’s university league table for 2026, accepts one of the highest percentages in the UK of privately educated students. The British aristocracy has long adored the medieval town’s cobbled streets, wind-swept beach and grand stone buildings: Prince William and the Princess of Wales met there.
View image in fullscreen Sophie Rose Jenkins’ comments have struck a chord with some other students. Photograph: none But the recent influx of wealthy US students has changed the dynamic on campus, students say. Americans account for around a fifth of undergraduates at St Andrews, the highest proportion in the UK, with each paying £33,250 for this academic year, more than three times what British students pay.
“My parents were worried about me coming here. They didn’t want me to be left out,” said one Scottish fresher who is on a scholarship to study classics. “Most of the people I have met are international students. I didn’t grow up with tons of money. Maybe they can be a bit ignorant to the cost of things.”
Another said: “There’s a Pret here. You have to ask yourself why that is in such a small town.”
Aspects of fraternity and sorority culture have started to blend with the upper-class experience of British university, some students say. Regular black-tie dinners and balls are now rivalled by fashion shows and…