Performance tennis programme

St Andrews offers a world-leading academic education alongside a professionally run performance tennis programme, supported by the LTA and Tennis Scotland – boasting an excellent support system for tennis in educational settings.

Led by Director of Tennis Claire McCulloch, we aim to deliver a comprehensive programme of training, competition, and support to enable our top student players to harness their full potential and achieve sporting and academic excellence whilst studying at St Andrews.

Through the performance programme we seek to support our top performing athletes who demonstrate exceptional skill on the court, and who are dedicated to their own personal development and that of their teammates. We want the programme to help shape players into high performers both on and off the court, whilst enabling them to gain valuable skills that will be transferable after graduation.

Scholarships are aimed at players who are already competing at a high level and who believe they have the necessary attributes to be part of a performance tennis programme whilst studying for their degree in St Andrews.

With top-class facilities, history, tradition and a modern, professionally run high performance tennis programme, you will find everything you need at St Andrews to take your game and your education to the highest level as part of the truly unique student experience.

Performance Tennis Squad 2023

Find out more

• Scholarships

  

  The University is committed to attracting high academic achievers with a talent for tennis to come to study at St Andrews. There is nowhere more special that provides both a world-leading teaching experience combined with a professionally run tennis programme.

  The University’s sport scholarship programme supports exceptional student athletes from around the world to achieve sporting and academic excellence whilst studying at the St Andrews. Combining academics with a performance programme can be very demanding, but ultimately, extremely rewarding. We are looking for exceptional individuals who are able to balance these demands and strive for excellence.

  We have developed a range of offers at undergraduate and postgraduate level in order to attract and then support our very best athletic students.

  St Leonard’s Masters Scholarship

  Postgraduate taught one-year Masters applicants
  The St Leonard’s Masters Scholarship is open to national and international applicants for eligible postgraduate (taught) Masters degree programmes and based on academic excellence and/or financial need.

  The scheme aims to allow applicants to draw on their professional and life experiences to demonstrate resilience, resourcefulness, and commitment. Applicants are asked to explicitly articulate their potential using both academic and professional or life experiences. Excellence can be demonstrated in music and theatre or leadership in sports or civic duty as well as in formally assessed academic work.

  Eligibility
  We welcome applications from talented student athletes looking to extend their playing career, whilst continuing their studies.

  Did you know?

  There are no eligibility restrictions on playing sport and representing the University whilst studying for a postgraduate qualification at St Andrews.

  Saints Tennis Performance Scholarships

  Undergraduate/Postgraduate
  Saints Tennis Performance Scholarships are offered to students who are playing at a high, competitive level and who wish to pursue an elite level of tennis whilst studying in St Andrews.

  Scholarship players will be provided with a comprehensive support package and a wide ranging array of benefits including access to world-class facilities and highly experienced coaches. Players represent the University across Scotland and around the UK.

  Eligibility
  Scholarships are open to female players, and both undergraduate and postgraduate students. The number of scholarships awarded each year will be determined by the quality of the applicants.

  For more information and details on how to apply please visit the Sport Scholarships section of the Saints Sport website.

• Tennis programme

  

  The University of St Andrews has developed one of the best supported tennis programmes in the UK. Athletes on the performance tennis squad get access to a full support package including:

  • Team and individual specialist coaching support
  • Sport specific Strength & Conditioning
  • Fitness Testing
  • Sports science support (nutrition, hydration, recovery)
  • Physiotherapy support
  • Sports psychology
  • Performance video analysis
  • Team clothing and bags
  • Comprehensive pre-season and mid-season training camps
  • Leadership programme
  • Personal development workshops

• Competition

  

  British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) championships

  The tennis programme currently supports three competitive Women’s squads and five Men’s training squads, all of whom compete in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) championships.

  British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) is the national governing body for higher education sport in the UK.

  Each squad competes on a weekly basis throughout term time in the tiered BUCS league structure and BUCS knockout competitions, contributing to the University’s overall standing in the BUCS points table.

  The Women’s performance squad currently competes in BUCS Premier North and finished a record high of 3rd in their group in 2021-22 season. The Men’s performance squad competes in the top Scottish BUCS league.

  Players on the programme have the opportunity to represent the University at the annual Scottish Student Sport (SSS) Mixed doubles championships and Individual Championships, with our top players able to develop their game by entering BUCS Individual qualifying events, and LTA and Tennis Scotland sanctioned events.

  2023-2024 Fixtures and Results

  Women’s 1st Team: BUCS Premier North Men’s 1st Team: BUCS Scottish Tier 1

• Facilities

  

  Performance Centre

  Following a multi-million pound redevelopment of the Performance Centre, students at St Andrews have access to some of the best sports facilities in Scotland.

  Saints Sport offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor sports facilities, which are available all year round.

  Indoor facilities

  • dedicated performance suite
  • modern, spacious gym
  • exercise studio
  • four-court sports hall
  • new technical climbing wall
  • eight-court arena
  • four-court indoor tennis centre

  Outdoor facilities

  • 13 grass pitches
  • full-size floodlit 3G synthetic pitch
  • sand-dressed synthetic pitch
  • four tennis courts
  • athletics track
  • additional multi-sport grass pitches
  • multi-sport courts

  

  Indoor Tennis Centre

  With the opening of the four-court indoor tennis centre in March 2018, the University of St Andrews became only the second university in Scotland to invest in indoor courts, and along with the four outdoor courts, now offers students a world-class tennis experience.

  Jointly funded by the University, sportScotland, Tennis Scotland, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), a private donor and the St Andrews alumni community, the centre allows the University to achieve its aim of running a comprehensive and inclusive tennis programme that caters for increasing participation, competitive opportunities and coaching for all ages and levels.

  Performance Suite

  Saints Tennis scholars also make use of the top class Performance Suite – a dedicated Strength and Conditioning gym that provides a private space for the performance squad to train undisturbed. Sessions are run by expert Strength and Conditioning accredited coaches who develop tennis specific programmes for our athletes.

• Pre-season and trials

  PRE SEASON

  We will be running a pre-season for all competitive squad members this year, please apply to the one which you think is most suitable for you, numbers will be limited to 16-20 per group. We will try and group people based on tennis ability the best we can. If you are not sure which group to apply for email Claire McCulloch.

  • Performance/ A squad preseason- Monday 28th August- Friday 1st September
  • B/C Squad preseason – Wednesday 30th August- Friday 1st September

  A rough timetable is attached, we will confirm a final timetable with those who are attending.

  To sign up to pre-season please complete the form below. If anything changes to your availability between sign up and the form closing, please get in touch via email. Preseason sign up: HERE

  The sign up will close on Friday 4th August to allow us time to plan, and help people arrange accommodation who require it.

  

  FRESHERS WEEK AND TRIALS

  Freshers week will run from Monday 4th – Friday 8th September. The tennis club will be hosting “Give it a Go” sessions as well as Team Trails the entire week. We will post dates of all sessions and sign-up links on this page shortly.

  FIRST FEW WEEKS

  Performance athletes and some A Squad members will start training sessions during week 1 (freshers week) however it will not be a full timetable, all other squads will start their sessions from Monday 11th September. Our recreational program will start 18th September, timetables will be updated in August.

  If you have any questions get in touch by emailing [email protected] or our Director of Tennis Claire McCulloch

  Captains Beth Laybourne and Louis Swoboda are helping to arrange pre-season and can also be contacted with questions.

  Stay tuned to our socials to see regular updates:

  University of St Andrews Tennis Club | Facebook
  
  Saints Tennis (@ustatennisclub) • Instagram photos and videos