It means they haven’t decided yet whether to offer you a place on the joint degree.
I would guess that the amount of Americans they reject is minuscule, it would have to be something pretty bad to make St Andrews not want to accept you.
@BEWilliams Is St A that easy or just easy for International full pay?
I don’t think people are being fair to you. The offer rate for overseas students for 2017 entry was 65.9%, meaning they still reject about 1/3 of non-EU applicants. Of course, this is higher than for Scots/EU (21.9%) and for applicants from the rest of the UK (55.7%) and the overall offer rate of 42.5%. But in the context of UK-wide university admissions, it’s still pretty low (UCL: 61.7% overall, Durham: 69% overall, Edinburgh: 49.2% overall, Warwick: 84.3% overall and Bristol: 67.3% overall).
I get the feeling that some people on this forum think that if you’re a US student, you would get automatically accepted to St Andrews. It doesn’t work like that and if you get an offer, you should be proud. And if you don’t happen to get an offer, it doesn’t mean you have a poor application, it just means that perhaps you were competing against a more competitive cohort.
source here: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/451327/response/1093026/attach/3/ResponseV1.0.pdf
@Capricancer1 Thank you for saying that and clarifying. It certainly can make the US students feel like they didn’t earn their acceptance and many US kids work very, very hard!
I have encountered real attitude from some people on CC when discussing this - like they need to put US students down. Another poster suggested they might be jealous of this perceived (and true in cases I’m sure) preference to students outside the UK.I, for one, am jealous that they can go to these amazing schools for a much, much less $ but I certainly don’t begrudge them that.
Generally speaking I think most US students who make the effort to apply to UK schools are reading the requirements and apply if they meet the qualifications.
I think the posted qualifications make applying to the UK schools easier for kids and the schools - no one is applying unless they meet the qualifications. Seems a smart way to do it to me.
Where the grey stone melts into the stone grey sky
Through the howling wind one stains to hear the oceans cry
And every morning is washed by a gentle shower
Students clog Streets tight at every hour
Where the streets fill with students and golfers
And academics from all over wonder
Where late in the night it will still stay quite bright
And the sun stays out far past midnight
Stray too far east and one will find the ruins
The only sight in Fife really worth viewing
Stray too far west and on the beach you will run aground
And Here eternal seas ancient shores constantly pound
Here is where the Old Course will always lay
And just from here barely espy foggy blue braes
But who could forget this bastion of knowledge, the university
The best school in Scotland?Almost certainly
Where the colleges ring with the sound of learning
And students minds are definitely yearning
To the library where eager studiers flock
Or to Old Union where good coffees in stock
To Buchanan hall to listen to one’s lectures
Or to the beach to release some pressure
To McIntosh Hall’s grand common room
Or to St Salvador’s where church bells boom
The place a student will feel warm, at home
The only school where one fights with foam
The only true place where culture and knowledge can infuse,
Welcome back to St Andrews
B. E. Williams
Where the grey stone melts into the stone grey sky
Through the howling wind one stains to hear the oceans cry
And every morning is washed by a gentle shower
Students clog Streets tight at every hour
Where the streets fill with students and golfers
And academics from all over wonder
Where late in the night it will still stay quite bright
And the sun stays out far past midnight
Stray too far east and one will find the ruins
The only sight in Fife really worth viewing
Stray too far west and on the beach you will run aground
And Here eternal seas ancient shores constantly pound
Here is where the Old Course will always lay
And just from here barely espy foggy blue braes
But who could forget this bastion of knowledge, the university
The best school in Scotland?Almost certainly
Where the colleges ring with the sound of learning
And students minds are definitely yearning
To the library where eager studiers flock
Or to Old Union where good coffees in stock
To Buchanan hall to listen to one’s lectures
Or to the beach to release some pressure
To McIntosh Hall’s grand common room
Or to St Salvador’s where church bells boom
The place a student will feel warm, at home
The only school where one fights with foam
The only true place where culture and knowledge can infuse,
Welcome back to St Andrews
B. E. Williams
I apologise for the double post
I applied December 29th for International Relations, does anyone have any idea how long it will take to hear back? Most of what I have seen says February, is that accurate?
All’s worked out in the end! I’ve been accepted for straight Spanish instead 
@bessieh congrats! Also try to line your modules up first year to give you other options. If you take the first year modules in Spanish + another course and do well in both you may be able to add back in a double honors.
@FranksTrack , I applied on Nov 30th and got my answer back today. It usually is a 4-7 week wait, you applied during the break so that means that this is the second week for you. You should expect an answer my mid-February at the very least.
Going to ask again because I dont think it was answered:
Does one have to apply for scholarships before receiving a decision? Or can I wait until after I have received my decision?
Any help anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated!
@18YearsASlav , After you apply they recommend you apply for scholarships. I would also recommend it, you shouldn’t wait until you get your answer because they may be gone by the time you find out you got in.
The scholarship my daughter applied for had a May deadline.
Thanks everyone!
No problem and good luck!
I applied October 13th for Honors International Relations and an international student and heard back the 16th-just two days ago. Hope this timeframe helps you guys out. Good luck!!