Oxford College Summer School
Ages 16-17
Our Oxford College summer school offers exceptional summer programmes hosted at Oxford University campuses, designed by top academics and enhanced by leading professionals. Ideal for students ages 16-17, you can get a head start in choosing a course you are passionate about and get a taster before enrolling onto a university course full time. Launch your future in the ‘City of Dreaming Spires’.
The iconic location of Oxford provides the perfect backdrop for an inspirational learning experience. Follow in the footsteps of some of the world’s leading minds as you live and study in Oxford.
Discover more about what a typical two-week course at Oxford Summer School looks like for our students. Please note our sample timetable is given as an example and can be subject to change.
Students who attend Oxford College summer school benefit from being able to explore the University of Oxford campuses on their doorstep. Steeped in history, students will be inspired to learn at the same university as former prime ministers and Nobel Prize winners.
Explore your area of interest through a series of inspiring lectures, interactive tutorials and industry workshops. We are firm believers that education extends far beyond the classroom.
Make new friends from around the world and share unforgettable experiences together as you follow in the footsteps of some of the most influential minds throughout history.
Learn in a traditional higher education setting, explore picturesque grounds and build lasting friendships.
Benefit from accessing facilities of one of the world’s leading universities, as well as lessons led by inspirational tutors, and the opportunity to prepare for your future studies and career.
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At Oxford College summer school our student experience goes beyond the classroom, with a social programme led by our dynamic team. Our activities and excursions will help form bonds, build confidence and shape memories that will last a lifetime.
For more information about the course structure download our sample timetable. Please note this timetable is for illustrative purposes only and is subject to change.
Each evening our teams hold well-being activities and events designed to build confidence and help students make connections. They’ll develop key team-working and communication skills whilst, most importantly, having fun! This part of the experience ensures students socialise with peers outside their subject groups and builds a sense of community within the college.
Alongside a wide range of traditional team sports, students can choose to participate in other well-being and fun activities such as yoga, art, poetry and creative sessions. Our social programme is led by the College Mentors with students at the very heart of it, who choose and shape the programme’s activities around their interests.
Our social programme explores much of what the historic city offers, including informative walking tours, stunning walks around Christchurch meadow and traditional punts along the river. Our students will experience Oxford as it is truly meant to be seen.
To encourage students to develop their independence, they are provided with free time in small groups to explore their new surroundings. Visiting the Botanic Gardens, meander through Christchurch College, Ice cream by the Radcliffe Camera and visiting the Bridge of Sighs, making the cobbled streets of Oxford their own.
The end of our student’s adventure with SBC the programme is concluded with a memorable graduation evening to celebrate all of the achievements during the 2-week programme.
Throughout a two-week programme at Oxford College Summer School, students have previously been on two-day trips, including a landmark-filled trip to London, where there was a variety of activities to suit all interests including a sightseeing walking tour, the British Museum and the National Gallery.
Our dedicated social programme team designs memorable visits to London for all of our students. In previous years itineraries have included Kew Gardens, London sightseeing and visiting the museums of Greenwich and Knightsbridge. Every London itinerary comes with free time to explore and browse the stores of some of Britain’s most loved brands.
This was followed by a fun and relaxed excursion around Oxford, where students took the day to explore their home city of Oxford in more detail, with a range of activities designed around discovery and recovery from an intense academic week.
We’re proud to celebrate our students’ achievements in style with a formal graduation ceremony and disco at a prestigious location. At the end of each two-week course, the graduation ceremony offers moments of reflection and an opportunity to recognise achievements, both personal and academic, alongside new friends.
A graduation certificate will be presented to students during the special ceremony. We’ll also provide a report outlining all accomplishments while studying with us, along with helpful tips to guide learners in the right direction towards future success.
At SBC, we go beyond the curriculum, believing in learning by doing. Our students are actively encouraged and challenged to utilise new skills in an environment which is nurturing and supportive.
By combining the university learning format of lectures and workshops, students have the chance to engage with theoretical principles as well as developing the soft skills required outside the classroom. We put theory into practice by facilitating new opportunities to inherit key skills such as critical thinking, leadership, communication, and teamwork – mirroring what is practised every day in a professional work setting.
We place the student experience at the heart of everything we do, having caring, inspirational tutors with vast subject knowledge and world experience is paramount. We purposefully work with teachers who are not only experts in their subject, but who are highly skilled in bringing the very best out of young people. Teaching is both an art and a science; we go above and beyond to find approachable professionals, with compassion and flair, and whose values align with our own; ensuring a lasting impact that will live long after our students’ final class with us.
Another highlight of our academic programme is when students take part in a series of workshops and lectures led by top industry professionals and academics in their respective fields. The Industrial Experience element of our courses provides a profound level of insight so that students can further make informed decisions as to whether their future career choices are right for them. In addition to this, students at Oxford College Summer School gain insight into their chosen career path through industry experience, directly from those at the top of their field. Sometimes spending the day in a real-world corporate environment where they will absorb knowledge through workshops, lectures, and Q&As.
At the end of each week students come together and take part in a group presentation in front of their tutors and peers, which we call Time to Shine. These projects are a highlight of the week’s work and give students an opportunity to showcase their learning and academic skills. Our students gain valuable experience by practising their collaboration and presentation skills in front of a larger audience.
“After a summer with SBC I feel a lot different. When I came here I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do with my future…by experiencing all of these subjects I’ve got a better picture of what I want to do now. I have learnt a lot and I am ready for my future”
The safety and well-being of students is our number one priority. We have a comprehensive Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and procedures in place to which all employees, volunteers, visitors, and contractors are obligated to adhere to.
Each of our college sites is composed of dedicated and experienced College Mentors and Social Welfare Managers to ensure that students have the best possible experience during their college journey. All staff are given the tools through their extensive training to guarantee that students feel safe, secure, valued, and respected whilst studying with SBC. These friendly and caring staff are always available to provide high-quality pastoral support and remain on call 24 hours per day.
During excursions and local visits, all students with parental consent are allowed free time for up to 2 hours. Students must stay in groups of at least 3, during free-time. Staff will make students aware of the designated meeting place and time, with a designated member of staff who will be given a fixed location so that in the event of needing support, they know where to go.
Students with parental consent can also sign out of the site campus during designated free-time for up to 2 hours.
All students will be given an SBC Gold Card which they must carry with them when offsite. Gold Cards have details of the emergency number to call in the event of a student becoming separated from their group.
Student voice is paramount to the college experience, and we empower our students to shape their own experience by championing that voice. SBC is committed in our response to student feedback and welcome student-led initiatives which help us to continue to provide excellent service.
Students are accommodated on-site in secure and comfortable accommodations during their stay. Oxford is consistently ranked as one of the safest cities within the United Kingdom and provides a perfect backdrop to a safe and comfortable college experience.
All our students will live on-site at an Oxford University campus in comfortable single rooms with shared bathroom facilities. All rooms come with Wi-Fi access.
At Wadham College students will find spacious single-room accommodation built in the traditional Oxford format of ‘staircases’. Our students will find the college a comfortable place to live and study.With easy access to Oxford city centre and close to University Parks, students will be fully immersed in the distinct Oxford atmosphere at Wadham College.
| Start Date | End Date | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday 30th June 2024 | Saturday 13th July 2024 | 2 Weeks | £5,995 |
| Sunday 30th June 2024 | Saturday 27th July 2024 | 4 Weeks | £11,990 |
| Sunday 14th July 2024 | Saturday 27th July 2024 | 2 Weeks | £5,995 |
| Sunday 14th July 2024 | Saturday 10th August 2024 | 4 Weeks | £11,990 |
| Sunday 28th July 2024 | Saturday 10th August 2024 | 2 Weeks | £5,995 |
Oxford College Summer School includes:
Also available at a supplementary cost are Airport Transfers.
See our campus sample timetable here.
*Earlscliffe fee includes return transfers to/from London Heathrow and London Gatwick for flights/trains scheduled to arrive/depart between 9am-3pm on published arrival and departure day.
For other locations, we provide all our students with the option of using our Shared Transfer Service from/to London Heathrow Airport and St. Pancras International. The fees are:
| Campus | Single (one-way) | Return |
|---|---|---|
| SBC at Twyford School | £130.00 | £250.00 |
| SBC Canford | £130.00 | £250.00 |
| Headington | £130.00 | £250.00 |
| Eton | £85.00 | £160.00 |
| Oxford College | £130.00 | £250.00 |
| Cambridge College | £130.00 | £250.00 |
| Earlscliffe | Included in fees* | Included in fees* |
When a student arrives, an SBC staff member wearing a bright yellow t-shirt will be waiting to greet her/him and accompany them to our Welcome Club. At our Airport Welcome Club, she/he will have the chance to meet other students arriving, have some light refreshments and relax. After a little rest, students will be accompanied by students and SBC staff to board the coach and be taken directly to the school in a private coach.
The Shared Transfer Service can be used by students using the following flight and train times:
Flight lands on arrival day: 06:00-17:00
Flight take-off time on departure day: 08:00-18:00
The times outlined above also apply to students arriving and departing from Kings Cross St. Pancras train station.
If you book a flight outside of these times or to/from another UK airport, we can look at sending a staff member in a taxi to collect or drop off your child, but it will cost more than the Shared Transfer Service. Quotes are available upon request.
If you book a train or flight outside of these times or from another London airport, please contact your Admissions Manager for a private taxi quote. Please note this will cost more than our Shared Transfer Service from Heathrow, Kings Cross St. Pancras (& Gatwick for Earlscliffe students)
Important:
Flights must be booked on the arrival and departure dates so that all students can arrive and depart the course at the correct times.
If you haven’t found what you’re looking for why not check out our other Oxford summer schools
In order to submit your booking for Oxford College summer school, click on the ‘make a booking’ tab in the right-hand corner of our home page and fill out our ‘Make a Booking’ form.
Your dedicated Admissions Manager will then contact you via your preferred method of contact to confirm any outstanding details. This will be the perfect opportunity to ask any questions before a deposit is paid. Once your details are confirmed, you will be sent a booking confirmation email, which serves as formal confirmation of your child’s place.
Your Admissions Manager will send a booking confirmation containing an invoice and the flywire payment link.
The fee includes all accommodation, meals*, lessons, academic materials, general sports, social activities and events, all standard excursions including admission costs, Wi-Fi, weekly laundry services, graduation certificate, academic progress report and travel insurance.
Airport transfers from/to London Heathrow Airport on Start/End Dates are £120 each way.
*We will endeavour to meet all dietary requirements, e.g. vegetarian, vegan, Halal etc. Please make your Admissions Manager aware of any requirements.
We welcome students who wish to study multiple courses, however, each course can only be taken once per summer. If a student would like to complete two courses at Oxford College, please discuss this with your Admissions Manager.
All of our Oxford College facilities come equipped with a dining hall/canteen, dedicated common spaces, garden/courtyard, Wi-Fi, and off-site laundry facilities.
You have a right to cancel your booking within 14 days from the date of the Confirmation (the “Cancellation Period”) without giving any reason.
All cancellations must be made in writing and take effect from the date we receive such notice. Where a cancellation is made more than 30 days prior to the Arrival Date, there will be a refund of all Course Fees paid, minus the Deposit.
The quickest and easiest way to find out whether you need a Visa is to check via this link here.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can travel to the UK for holidays or short trips without needing a visa. This applies now, after Brexit.
For those that do require a Visa, the application that you will need to apply for is the Standard Visitor Visa.
It is important to note that, depending on the country, applications can take around 20 working days (or 3-4 weeks) to process. You are advised to begin the application process as early as possible. Once the Visa is obtained, we will need to receive a scanned copy of the student’s passport and the Visa by email. SBC International reserves the right to cancel a booking, if a copy of the Visa has not been received 4 weeks before the course arrival date.
If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact your local embassy who should be able to offer you the correct support and guidance.
Yes, if you would like to make any amendments to your booking then you can do so by contacting your Admissions Manager. All amendments are subject to availability.
At the end of the programme, all students receive a certificate of attendance from their College Principal at their graduation ceremony.
At Oxford College the minimum level of English language required is intermediate (B1+) or above.
We provide students with an online test to complete prior to arriving at Oxford College Summer School. We will use the results to confirm their suitability for the course. In the case that a student does not meet the required level on the test, we will conduct an academic consultation to assess the next best step.
We have an extremely high ratio of staff to students throughout the summer. At each Campus, we have a Social Welfare Manager, who oversees the welfare and safety of the students and would deal with any pastoral issues. We also have a team of College Mentors and Accommodation Officers, who are responsible for the day-to-day care of the students and are the first point of contact for students who need assistance.
Alongside these members of staff, all employees are trained before the summer in Safeguarding and each site has designated first aiders. There will also be a dedicated Admissions Manager for each Campus, who will be the main point of contact for families with any issues or concerns.
Our friendly and supportive staff team are available 24 hours per day to support students. We pride ourselves on offering the best possible care to students, and achieved British Council area of strength in ‘care of students’ and ‘safeguarding under 18s’.
To begin the summer of a lifetime simply fill out our enquiry form below and a member of our expert admissions team will be in touch.
