Shropshire Star

In Pictures: There’s no place like foam for St Andrews students on Raisin Monday

The traditional foam fight dates back to the university’s founding in 1413.

By contributor PA
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Supporting image for story: In Pictures: There’s no place like foam for St Andrews students on Raisin Monday
Students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator’s Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews (Jane Barlow/PA)

Hundreds of students at St Andrews University descended on campus for the annual foam party.

First-year students took to St Salvator’s Quad to take part in the messy ceremony for Raisin Monday.

Students got a soaking as part of the famous event inspired by the 600-year-old Scottish university’s “academic families” tradition, which sees older students adopt first-year students as “children” and help guide them in a system of mentoring.

Raisin Monday 2025
The messy display is the culmination of a weekend of festivities where first years say thank you to their more senior student ‘parents’ for mentoring them (Jane Barlow/PA)
Raisin Monday 2025
Students, some wearing costumes, use shaving foam (Jane Barlow/PA)
Raisin Monday 2024
The unusual tradition is believed to date back to the university’s founding in 1413 (Jane Barlow/PA)
Raisin Monday 2025
The foam fight is intended to help freshers meet new people and settle in (Jane Barlow/PA)
Raisin Monday 2025
Hundreds of students took part in the annual tradition (Jane Barlow/PA)
Raisin Monday 2025
Many students dress up in fancy dress or face paint (Jane Barlow/PA)
Raisin Monday 2025
Students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight (Jane Barlow/PA)
Raisin Monday 2025
The foam fight marks the end of Raisin weekend celebrations (Jane Barlow/PA)
Raisin Monday 2025
Raisin is about celebrating new lifelong friends, and taking part in a tradition that makes St Andrews different (Jane Barlow/PA)
Raisin Monday 2025
(Jane Barlow/PA)