Send Your High Schooler to Summer Camp at One of the UK’s Top Universities

Many students (and their parents) dream of attending a prestigious university. What better way to get a feel for the college experience than to actually spend time on the campus, taking classes from the professors, staying in the dorms, and getting used to living independently? Many of the world’s top universities have summer camp programs for high school students who are passionate about learning and want to get a head start on experiencing college life. This post looks at summer programs for high schoolers offered at the top schools in the United Kingdom, specifically University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and King’s College London.

University of Oxford

Summer in Oxford: Summer in Oxford is held at Oriel College at University of Oxford. Students between the ages of 14 and 19 have the opportunity to study a subject of their choice while also attending workshops on the university preparation and application process. Students have the option of participating in the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) Academy; the Natural Science Academy; the Law Academy; and the Economics Academy. The program is two weeks long, and students can choose one of four two-week sessions offered throughout the summer. Some students choose to combine two weeks in Oxford with two weeks in Cambridge through a partnership with Cambridge Summer Academy. Accommodations are double bedrooms with shared bathrooms. The fee of GBP 4180 includes lectures and seminars (including materials and handouts); workshops on the university application process; accommodation; breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the college dining hall; certificate of attendance and achievement; academic transcript; 1 high school credit; Internet connection; three excursions to various British cities; academic evening talks; a welcome reception; and a formal farewell dinner. Scholarships are also available.

Oxford Summer Academy: Oxford Summer Academy is intended for students between the ages of 16 and 19. It takes place every July at St. Edmund Hall at University of Oxford. Two-week and four-week programs are available. Students can choose majors and minors from business; computing; critical thinking; engineering; law; literature; math; medicine; philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE); and psychology and electives from creative writing, photography, personality profiling, and public speaking and debate. Students also get to take excursions outside of Oxford, which could include Bath, Stonehenge, London, Cambridge, Stratford-upon-Avon, Bourton-on-the-water, Bournemouth Beach, and Windsor Castle. Accommodation is in twin study-bedrooms, but single rooms may be available upon request. Each study-bedroom has a telephone on which incoming calls can be directly received and wireless Internet access. There are shared bathrooms and kitchens on each floor, and each room has a wash basin and shaving socket. Bed linens and towels are provided, and there are laundry facilities within the college. The cost of the two-week program is GBP 4500, and the cost of the four-week program is GBP 8700. A GBP 300 refundable deposit is also required. The fee includes accommodation, breakfast and dinner each day, tuition and tuition materials, excursions and theatre visits, and social events. There is a formal dinner at the end of the program.

Oxford Advanced Studies Program: Oxford Advanced Studies Program, for students between the ages of 16 and 19, takes place at Brasenose College—perhaps the college with the best location, with the entrance to the Old Quad on Radcliffe Square next to the Bodleian Library. Each student has a single bedroom and can enjoy such activities as tours of the Radcliffe Camera and Ashmolean Museum and punting on the River Cherwell. There are two-week and four-week program options. If a student decides to take the four-week option, they may switch classes after the second week. Students can take two or three classes per two-week term. Courses include Politics & International Relations, Macro & Micro Economics, Introduction to English & European Law, Architecture, History of Art, Foundations of Philosophy, Shakespeare’s Plays & Elizabethan England, Empires & Revolutions, International Business Management, Film Studies, Psychology, Oxford Literary Greats, Philosophy in Literature, and Marketing & Advertising. Students also take weekly “master classes” in leadership, public speaking, negotiating, and problem solving & critical thinking. Each two-week period, students also participate in a workshop of their choice. They can choose among entrepreneurship, debating, journalism, film production, drama, and urban sketching. Students also have the option of taking SAT and/or IELTS preparation courses. Each two-week course includes three full-day and one half-day trip to different locations across the UK, including London, Blenheim Palace, Ely Cathedral, Stratford-upon-Avon, Windsor Castle & Eton, Warwick Castle, and Stonehenge & Bath. Students can also experience an Oxford vs. Cambridge debate and may go on other excursions as part of their classes. Sessions take place in July. The two-week program is GBP 3180, and the four-week program is GBP 6360. Prices include airport transfers; meals and accommodations; excursions; tutorials, master classes, and workshops; and insurance.

The Oxford Tradition: The Oxford Tradition is for students in grades 10 to 12 and takes place at Pembroke College from July 7 to August 3, 2019. All courses are experiential and include field trips to museums, eminent guest speakers, and project work. Students choose a major and a minor from over 40 courses. Four college credits are available to students who complete the entire program with a major grade of “B” or better. The most popular majors are Law in Society, Medical Science, Business Management, and Politics and Economics. The cost of the course is $8950. Students also have the option of participating in Paris Connection from August 3 to 9. Paris Connection takes place at the MIJE in the Marais—a historic district on the rive droite. Activities include expert-led visits of world-famous museums and monuments, outings to Montmartre, catacombs, shopping, fun-fairs, and samplings of different French cuisines in traditional restaurants.

The Oxford Prep Experience: The Oxford Prep Experience is for students in grades 8 and 9 and takes place at Corpus Christi College from July 6 to August 1, 2019. All courses are experiential and include field trips to museums, eminent guest speakers, and project work. Students choose a major and a minor from 27 courses. The most popular courses are Medical Science, Business and Finance, International Relations, and Psychology. The cost of the course is $8750. Students also have the option of participating in Paris Connection from August 1 to 5. Paris Connection takes place at the MIJE in the Marais—a historic district on the rive droite. Activities include expert-led visits of world-famous museums and monuments, outings to Montmartre, catacombs, shopping, fun-fairs, and samplings of different French cuisines in traditional restaurants.

The Oxford Summer Seminar: The Oxford Summer Seminar is for students in grades 10 to 12 and is held at Corpus Christi College. There are two one-week programs, one from August 3 to August 10, 2019, and the other from August 10 to August 17, 2019. Students can also do the two-week program from August 3 to August 17, 2019 if they wish to pursue a double major. They can also take part in a rotating roster of minor courses in the afternoons. There are 15 majors from which to choose, the most popular being critical thinking, international relations, and medicine. The cost for the single session is $2800, and the cost for the double session is $5150.

Oxbridge Summers Scholars Programme: The Scholars Programme takes place from August 11-24, 2019. It costs GBP 4000 plus a GBP 300 deposit and GBP 150 for insurance and liability. Included in the costs are tuition, airport transfer, accommodations, breakfast and dinner, study materials, tickets, trips, and transportation. Courses include Introduction to Archaeology, Introduction to Anthropology, Art & Architecture, History of Art: A Global Overview, Introduction to Neuroscience, Psychology, Introduction to Molecular Biology, Language of Nature: Mathematical Structures and the Laws of Physics, Basics of Botany, Geography: An Interdisciplinary Approach, Introduction to Chinese Studies, English Literature: The Novel through the Ages, Literature and Literary Figures of Oxford, Poetic Voices: An Exploration of English Poetry, Introduction to Law and Legal Studies, Economics and Politics, Power and Politics, Fundamentals of Business and Entrepreneurship, and Introductory Robotics. Students indicate their top three choices and are enrolled in one based on availability. Students can also participate in workshops on coding, public speaking, and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) and can take beginner-level courses in Arabic, Chinese, Persian, and Spanish. There is also an option to enroll in independent study. Laptops are required, and WiFi is available in the rooms. Scholarships are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

University of Cambridge 

Cambridge Summer Academy: Cambridge Summer Academy is the sister program to Summer in Oxford discussed above. Cambridge Summer Academy takes place at Magdalene College for students between the ages of 14 and 19. Students can choose from one of four two-week programs throughout the summer. Some students choose to combine two weeks in Cambridge with two weeks in Oxford through a partnership with Summer in Oxford. The four course options offered at Cambridge Summer Academy are the History Academy, Business & Management Academy, International Relations & Organisations Academy, and Medicine Academy. Accommodations are double bedrooms with shared bathrooms. The fee of GBP 4180 includes lectures and seminars (including materials and handouts); workshops on the university application process; accommodation; breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the college dining hall; certificate of attendance and achievement; academic transcript; 1 high school credit; Internet connection; three excursions to various British cities; academic evening talks; a welcome reception; and a formal farewell dinner. Scholarships are also available.

Cambridge Scholars’ Programme: Cambridge Scholars’ Programme has one-week and two-week options as well as the option to participate in a one-week program in Paris. Students pursuing the one-week option can choose among courses in cosmology, engineering, essay writing, leadership, mind games, Cambridge thinking, debate, and the quantum universe. The program includes excursions to Oxford, Warwick, London, Stratford, and Windsor Castle. Students have the option of participating in SAT/ACT prep, calculus prep, mock trial, mock interviews for Cambridge, and workshops on founding and building companies, photography, medicine, and musical theatre. Other leisure activities include icebreaker games, ballroom and Latin dancing, casino and game nights, sports, punting, cinema trips, a silent disco, a rave, and a graduation ball. The one-week program costs $2500, the two-week program costs $5000, and the Paris program costs $1500.

Cambridge Advanced Studies Program: Cambridge Advanced Studies Program takes place at Magdalene College. Students between the ages of 16 and 19 enjoy single bedrooms and Wi-Fi all across campus. There are two-week and four-week program options. If a student decides to take the four-week option, they may switch classes after the second week. Students can take two or three classes per two-week term. Courses include Politics & International Relations, Macro & Micro Economics, Introduction to International Law, Medical Biology, Chemistry Matters, Probability & Statistics, The Physical World, Creative Writing, International Business Management, Classical Civilisations, Algebra and Calculus, Societies & the Natural Environment, Applications of Engineering, Cambridge Authors & Poets, and Marketing & Advertising. Students also take weekly “master classes” in leadership, public speaking, negotiating, and problem solving & critical thinking. Each two-week period, students also participate in a workshop of their choice. They can choose among entrepreneurship, debating, journalism, film production, drama, and urban sketching. Students also have the option of taking SAT and/or IELTS preparation courses. Each two-week course includes three full-day and one half-day trip to different locations across the UK, including London, Blenheim Palace, Ely Cathedral, Stratford-upon-Avon, Windsor Castle & Eton, Warwick Castle, and Stonehenge & Bath. Students can also experience an Oxford vs. Cambridge debate and may go on other excursions as part of their classes. Sessions take place in July. The two-week program is GBP 3180, and the four-week program is GBP 6360. Prices include airport transfers; meals and accommodations; excursions; tutorials, master classes, and workshops; and insurance.

The Cambridge Tradition: The Cambridge Tradition is for students in grades 10 to 12 and takes place at Jesus College. Students can choose a two-week program, which costs $5150, or a four-week program, which costs $8950. They choose one course per two-week session, the most popular of which are Aerospace Engineering, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Filmmaking, Espionage, Espionage, Economics, Law, Medicine, and Art. Students also have the option of participating in Paris Connection from August 2 to 8. Paris Connection takes place at the MIJE in the Marais—a historic district on the rive droite. Activities include expert-led visits of world-famous museums and monuments, outings to Montmartre, catacombs, shopping, fun-fairs, and samplings of different French cuisines in traditional restaurants.

The Cambridge Prep Experience: The Cambridge Prep Experience is for students in grades 8 and 9 and takes place at Peterhouse College—the oldest college in Cambridge. Students are housed in singles or doubles. En-suite singles and doubles are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Students can choose between a two-week program, which costs $4950, and a four-week program, which costs $8750. Students choose one from over 27 experiential courses per two-week period, the most popular being Medical Science, Cosmology, Espionage, Law, Molecular Biology, Entrepreneurialism, and Terrorism and Modern Politics. Students also have the option of participating in Paris Connection from August 1 to 5. Paris Connection takes place at the MIJE in the Marais—a historic district on the rive droite. Activities include expert-led visits of world-famous museums and monuments, outings to Montmartre, catacombs, shopping, fun-fairs, and samplings of different French cuisines in traditional restaurants.

King’s College London 

Pre-University Summer School: The Pre-University Summer School is for students in grades 11 or 12. Applicant must be 16 as of September 1, 2019. Students can choose between two two-week options, and there are residential and non-residential options. The residential option costs GBP 3145, and the non-residential option costs GBP 1950. There is also an application fee of GBP 50. Students who choose the residential option stay at the Stamford Street Apartments in a private en-suite room with a single bed, bedding included. The residential fees include tuition, accommodation, a welcome meal, daily breakfast and lunch allowance (lunch Monday-Friday only), 24-hour staff, social activities, gym membership, and participant member of achievement. The non-residential option includes tuition, daily lunch allowance (Monday-Friday only), and participant record of achievement. Classes take place on the central Waterloo and Strand campuses every day. Students can choose one course among Business Management; Law; Politics; Psychology; The Human Body; and Technology, Physics, and Engineering. Students who opt for the first of the two two-week sessions can also take Arts & Humanities. Courses typically involve at least one excursion. Social activities include a welcome dinner, icebreaker team challenges along the Southbank, sports, quiz nights, movie nights, shopping trips, city and park walks, talent shows, and weekend and evening excursions for an additional price.

London Advanced Studies Program: London Advanced Studies Program is for students between the ages of 14 and 16. The course takes place on the Strand campus. Students can choose between a two-week course, which takes place from July 4 to July 18 and costs GBP 2920, and a four-week course, which takes place from July 4 to August 1 and costs GBP 5840. Prices include airport transfers, all meals and accommodation, entrance fees for excursions, tutorials, and insurance. Core subjects include English Literature, Biochemistry, Physics of the Universe, Psychology of the Mind, Business Management, IELTS Preparation, and Marvels of Mathematics. Specialist subjects include British History, Introduction to Engineering, Feeling Philosophical, Investing in Economics, and Introduction to Medicine.

A future blog will look at high school summer camps at top universities in the United States. If you want to learn more about summer camps or college life or want to share your experiences with others, you can do it on Konversai. Konversai is the world’s first one-stop shop for any and all personal human knowledge. The platform connects knowledge providers with knowledge seekers on any and all topics of interest through one-on-one live video conversations. The premise behind the platform is that no matter who you are, where you’re from, or what your circumstances in life are, everyone has valuable knowledge, skills, and experiences to share that can benefit someone somewhere else in the world. Knowledge providers have the option of charging as much as they want for their time. Sessions take place at times that are mutually convenient for both the provider and the seekers, and you don’t even have to leave your house. All you need is a device with Internet connection and Skype or FaceTime. All users are encouraged to be both knowledge providers and knowledge seekers on any and as many topics as they wish. Konversai’s mission is to democratize knowledge, put the human connection back into the heart of technology, and make the world better by enabling meaningful and authentic conversations that can enrich and improve people’s lives. Get in on the fun by joining Konversai today!

By Pavita Singh

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