Our sleepy Scottish coastal town has been nicknamed ‘mini-Nantucket' because it's so overrun with rich Americans

Scottish Sun

19-05-2025

It's not hard to see why Americans are flocking here to fulfil their academic dreams
TAKEOVER Our sleepy Scottish coastal town has been nicknamed 'mini-Nantucket' because it's so overrun with rich Americans
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A SLEEPY Scots town has been dubbed "mini-Nantucket" because it's overrun with Americans.
St Andrews, known as a global golfing hotspot, is also adored for its stunning golden beaches and breathtaking coastal views.
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One in five St Andrews students hail from the US
Credit: Alamy
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It is famously known as the place where Prince William and Kate Middleton first met
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It is one of the country's oldest and most prestigious university
Credit: Alamy
Nestled on the east coast of Fife, this charming coastal town isn't just a tourist magnet - it's also buzzing with students.
Founded in 1413, the University of St Andrews is the country's oldest institution and one of the most prestigious.
It's also famously the place where Prince William and Kate Middleton first met in 2001, while studying Art History and sharing the same halls of residence.
Today, the university boasts a student population of around 8,000, drawing in undergraduates and postgraduates from across the globe.
With a staggering one in five students coming from the US, it's no wonder St Andrews has earned the nickname 'mini-Nantucket'.
And it's not hard to see why Americans are flocking here to fulfil their academic dreams.
Back in the States, university fees are notoriously sky-high.
Ivy League schools - the creme de la creme of American education - are highly sought after but come with eye-watering price tags.
Without a prized scholarship, these fees can be financially crippling.
Meanwhile, St Andrews offers a world-class education at a fraction of the cost.
Prince William and Kate Middleton return to the University of St Andrews, where they first met 20 years ago
Last month, it was crowned Scotland's top university and ranked second in the UK - beating Oxford and Cambridge - in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025.
With an impressive student experience rating of 86.4%, teaching quality at 88.9%, and graduate prospects at 87.6%, St Andrews has become a top choice for Americans seeking an Ivy-adjacent education.
While Columbia University in New York City charges upwards of $90,000 (£68,000) a year, St Andrews' fees are nearly half that, at £37,300 annually on the upper end.
So for many, it's the perfect solution - a prestigious education without the astronomical costs.
One US student told The Times: 'There was no way I was ever getting into any of those (Ivy League schools). St Andrews in my mind, and also in my parents' mind, was still a very good education and a lot easier to get into.'
But it's not just the price tag that lures hundreds of Americans to the quaint Scottish town every year.
It's also the camaraderie and sense of familiarity that makes St Andrews feel like a home away from home.
'The general social scene of uptown New York is transplanted here,' said one student.
'They've all grown up together, their parents all work together, and they all summer in the Hamptons together.'
Recalling her first night in town, another student shared: 'I went to dinner with my family, and there was a private gathering in the restaurant of students and parents from back home. I thought, how do all these people know each other already?'