The Meaning Behind The University of St Andrews Gowns

The University of St Andrews has a rich history, beginning in the medieval era, of wearing robes as a part of regular university dress. Unlike most other universities, where gowns are reserved for the graduation ceremony, students at our university wear gowns to many university events throughout their studies with us. The tradition helps keep the connection to our long history, connecting the students of today with their predecessors. 

Evidence of academic dress at The University of St Andrews can be found as far back as 1544, in the Statutes of St Leonard’s College. The regulations stipulate that students were required to wear a cap and gown whenever they left the college. Gown wearing served a dual purpose: it kept the students warm during chilly Scottish weather and acted as a visual market, distinguishing our students from the townspeople. At this time there was no colour specified, however as time went on our students created a vibrant identity. Today, there are three types of gowns that can be seen at St Andrews at a range of events - from debates to dinners. These can be purchased at the St Andrews University Shop. 

University of St Andrews Red Gown 

Our most iconic emblem, the Red Gown has been seen in the halls of St Andrews since the 1600s. It’s thought that the red colour was chosen to discourage students from bad behaviour, as their clothing made them instantly recognisable. This gown is worn by undergraduates, with the exception of St Mary’s students. It’s often worn for the weekly chapel service and formal events, as well as the pier walk in which students commemorate the rescue of a shipwrecked crew by walking from the Chapel to the pier each year. 

St Mary’s Gown

The exceptions to the red gowns, students of St Mary’s college have the option to wear a black knee-length gown with a violet St Andrew’s cross on the sleeves. This separates them from their fellow students, identifying them as students of the Faculty of Divinity. 

Undergraduate students at our university wear their gowns in a way that shows the progression of their studies.

• First-year students (bejants) wear the gown completely on their shoulders.

• Second-year students (semi-bejants) wear the gown slightly off their shoulders.

• Third-year students (tertians) wear the gown either fully off the right shoulder if studying science or the left shoulder if studying arts (“Arts have hearts, but scientists are always right”!).

• Fourth-year students (magistrands) wear the gown off both shoulders, across the elbows.

This is said to symbolise the students shrugging off the support of the university as they learn and become ready to graduate. 

Postgraduate Gown 

In 2012, the university introduced a Postgraduate Gown to recognise the students who may have come from institutions without a gown-wearing tradition. For these students, there is a long black gown with the classic St Andrews red facings. 

Graduation Gowns 

Outside of the gowns worn for events at St Andrews, our Graduates wear a different gown with hoods that signify the area of study and level of degree. These types of gowns are purchased or rented only for graduation, and therefore are not sold at the university shop. 

The gowns of the University of St Andrews are far more than garments. They are a vibrant embodiment of the university's rich history, a symbol of student identity and progression, and a testament to the enduring power of tradition in the modern academic world. The scarlet of the undergraduate gown, the black of St Mary's, and the addition of the postgraduate attire each tell a part of the St Andrews story, that continues to be written by each new generation of students who proudly wear these gowns.