Author: OSCG

The Bucksmore Education early-bird offer ends on 31st December 2022 which leaves just over a month until prices return to full tariff rates! Bucksmore have already welcomed students from Germany, Italy, Thailand, Pakistan and the UK, to name a few, and are excited to welcome even more as the year progresses.

The reservation fee of £500 must be paid before 31st December 2022 to secure the discounted rate. Full fees are then due on 30th April 2023.

Download the fees sheet here.

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Online Oxford summer schools aren’t just for Covid; they’re here to stay! 2022 is the year of the online Oxford summer school, with technical issues ironed out, course structures decided, and innovative techniques finalised to ensure unparalleled academic experiences that can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home. But which courses are lined up to offer the best experience? Check out our top 4 choices for 2022 below.

Oxford Royale Academy (ORA)

ORA provides some of the most fun-filled academic courses on the market, and their online summer school is no different. ORA’s online summer school embodies their renowned top-tier teaching coupled with a variety of teaching activities intended to enrich the academic courses. If their in-person courses are anything to go by, students should prepare for a journey of academic insight on ORA’s online summer school.

Online courses from ORA run for 5 days and feature both lectures and seminars, making up more than 4 hours of teaching every day. Students also have the opportunity to attend virtual workshops and presentations – some of which are led by industry professionals – offering the chance to increase their skillset and understanding of their chosen field. For ambitious students who strive for success, ORA’s online summer school concludes by sending a report and score for the course, as well as a completion certificate you can proudly stick on your wall.

Suited to: students looking for an intensive online summer school course with a keen focus on academic development.

Melio by Oxford Summer Courses (OSC)

Melio offers three course modes: tutorial courses, academic programmes and coaching and support sessions. With the tutorial mode, students attend 1-on-1 tutorials with experienced tutors – a typical feature of Oxbridge-style teaching – giving them an invaluable opportunity to explore their course materials and assignments in-depth and focus on topics that interest them most. Unlike other providers, Melio’s tutorial mode is offered in packages based on the number of hours you desire, from 10 to 60 hours of 1-on-1 teaching.

Alternatively, Melio offers the academic programme mode which runs for 2 weeks and offers a set programme structure taught through group seminars and activities, whilst students looking for academic coaching, admissions advice and insight from Oxbridge tutors should choose the coaching and support course.

Suited to: those looking for intensive 1-1 tuition as well as flexible options to suit their preferences.

Oxford Scholastica

Oxford Scholastica is another summer school provider that has leapt to meet the challenges of remote learning. Online classes from OS are kept to a maximum of 10 students to facilitate discussions and individual development, whilst the 10 hours of live teaching every week ensures that students can get thoroughly involved with the academic side of their course. Courses run for 1-2 weeks and students must also get stuck in with independent study around their teaching to ensure they get the most out of the experience. The courses are designed for students aged 12-18 and include subjects such as business, creative writing and computer science and coding.

Suited to: self-motivated students who are looking for a course that is lighter on the guided teaching and instead places emphasis on personal study.

Online Insights by Immerse Education

Online Insights is Immerse Education’s offering to the virtual classroom. These courses have been created with the intention of giving students a virtual university-style environment for them to throw themselves into their discipline. Classes are limited to 10 students and group classes are the focus of the teaching style, though each student is also offered a 30-minute individual tutorial twice a week with their tutor, during which discussions range from feedback on performance to their own academic aspirations. Workshops, discussions with Cambridge undergraduates and the innovative ‘social hour’ (held at the end of each day for students to get to know each other better) provide students with key aspects of summer schools that typically feature on in-person courses.

Suited to: students who want to form stronger social connections as they develop their academic skillset.

How to win a place at a top Oxford summer school: A complete guide

You’ve done the research, you’ve studied really hard, and you’ve got your sights set firmly on a summer at a top Oxford summer school. You know it’ll be the summer of a lifetime. You want to explore the subject you’re most passionate about in more depth, bolster your university application and broaden your horizons through travel as well as the new friends you’ll make from all over the world. And what better place to do it than in Oxford, a buzzing city teeming with history, amazing architecture and the world famous University of Oxford itself?

There’s one small problem – you don’t have the cash!

For the very best students who can demonstrate financial hardship, consider applying for a scholarship to study at an Oxford summer school. Read on to find out what’s available and how to apply.

What are scholarships?

Exceptional education should be available to everyone, regardless of their financial situation. Luckily, several top summer schools in Oxford recognise this and offer partial or full scholarships to the brightest students from less well off backgrounds. Think low income and high academic achievement.

A scholarship to attend a residential summer school in Oxford will give you the opportunity to learn alongside ambitious students from all over the world and from teachers who are leading experts in their fields. You’ll get to experience authentic university life, try out subjects not offered at your own school, and enjoy exciting excursions and immersive cultural activities.

Some summer schools will offer up to a 100% reduction in your course fees, and although you’ll usually have to pay for your own travel expenses, the rest will be free. It’s usually very competitive and each school has its own specific application process and deadline.

Who offers scholarships and what do they cover?

Oxford Royale Academy

Oxford Royale offers unparalleled learning and cultural experiences in the world’s most prestigious academic institutions, including the University of Oxford. Scholarships are usually available for their two week residential courses in Oxford for students aged 13-25, with up to a 100% reduction in course fees, meaning you only need to pay for your travel expenses. Choose from a diverse range of subjects, including Engineering, Medicine and Law. Read more here or watch a short video from former scholars.

Immerse Education

Immerse Education provides exceptional programmes in immersive academic environments, including at the University of Oxford. Their two-week residential scholarships are known as their ‘bursary programme’ and are available to ambitious students aged 13-18, with a maximum 100% reduction in programme fees. Read more here.

Summer Boarding Courses (SBC)

To support their vision to ‘unite the cultures of the world through education’, the multi award-winning SBC offers an annual fully funded two-week scholarship to students aged 8-17 years at three different UK locations including Oxford. It includes 30-50 hours of expert tutoring in a range of subjects -such as International Relations and Natural Sciences- as well as accommodation, meals, excursions and a social programme – all free of charge, except for travel expenses. Find out more here.

Oxford Scholastica

Oxford Scholastica provides excellent university-style teaching and cultural adventures. As part of their commitment to provide 10,000 free hours of support to scholars over the next three years, Oxford Scholastica offers one year of free access to their online Oxbright course for exceptional students aged 15-18. With a huge range of subjects to choose from, you’ll be guided by an inspirational mentor and can enjoy interactive learning, including live tutorials, podcasts, vlogs and blogs. Learn more here.

World Strides CBL International

World Strides runs an exclusive academic study abroad programme at a University of Oxford college. Choose from STEM, Philosophy and Politics and more, all delivered by esteemed academics from the University of Oxford itself. Although they don’t provide full scholarships, they do offer a £100 discount on course fees if you get involved with blogging, photography or videography for them. And as an added bonus, it’ll look fantastic on your cv! Find out how to get involved here.

University of Oxford

This list wouldn’t be complete without the one and only University of Oxford! A world-leading centre of learning, teaching and research, and the oldest university in the English-speaking world, Oxford is consistently ranked number one. Its Department for Continuing Education has a huge array of funding options for different circumstances, including financial hardship, as well as for international students. Read more here.

How do you apply?

Every summer school has its own specific application process; you’ll need to check their websites carefully for the full details. Almost all of them are done online and require certain documents as well as evidence of your grades and financial hardship. You might need strong teacher references and even to submit an essay or short video.

For Oxford Scholastica’s scholarship, you can’t apply by yourself. You’ll need to be nominated by your teacher, and your school needs to be one of their registered partner schools. (Ask at your school but don’t worry, if they’re not already signed up, they can do so here, for free!)

Any advice?

Winning a summer school scholarship can be very competitive as there are usually only a handful of available places up for grabs – and a lot of applicants.

To maximise your chances of success, think carefully about what the scholarship would mean to you – how would it help you to achieve your ambitions and what personal qualities would you bring to your chosen summer school? Are you deeply passionate about a certain subject, or has attending the University of Oxford been a long term dream for you? Keep busy with extracurricular activities and hobbies, whether that’s sports, playing a musical instrument or writing for your school newspaper. This shows you’re well-rounded with good social skills and can mix well with students from different cultures – essential for an international summer school!

Be organised! It goes without saying, but make sure you meet the deadline and don’t forget to thoroughly proofread your application for spelling and grammar mistakes. If you’re recording a video, make sure that it’s of decent audio and visual quality. Make it as easy as possible for the judges to love your application!

Which scholarships are running?

In the post-pandemic world, there are slimmer scholarship pickings than usual. But the good news is, there are some still running for this summer, with many more resuming for next year – meaning now is the ideal time to get organised and plan an amazing application for 2024!

Summer Boarding Courses (SBC)

You need to move quickly for a chance of a highly-coveted scholarship at SBC in July or August. Applications opened on Friday 4th March and will close on Wednesday 30th March at midnight (GMT). Check out the full details here or contact them for further support at scholarships@summerboardingcourses.co.uk

Oxford Scholastica

There’s no deadline for this one as scholarships for Oxford Scholastica’s online Oxbright course are available year round. If you currently attend one of their partner schools, your teacher can nominate you. If they’re not yet a partner school – or if you’re not sure – they can sign up for free here or get in touch with them directly here.

World Strides CBL International

Apply for a blogging, video or photography scholarship with World Strides, which is worth £100 off your course fees, by getting in touch with them here.

University of Oxford

There’s a huge range of scholarship options available, including for international students. Check out the details here.

Ones to watch for 2023

Oxford Royale Academy

Oxford Royale aren’t running their scholarship programme this year but expect it to be back on for 2023. You can get a head start and register your interest for future scholarships here.

Immerse Education

Applications for Immerse Education’s world-famous Essay Competition is open until 4th January 2024. Get set and find out what you’ll need to apply here!

Good luck and see you in Oxford!

Why travel to study?

Studying abroad helps you to enjoy learning new languages and subjects and to immerse yourself in other cultures. There will be many challenges to face when you live in another country but you will certainly have a deeper understanding of how the wider world works. Outlined below are some of the key benefits to the learner from abroad.

The challenge

This challenge works in two ways: it asks questions of you, such as, am I up for this? And, how can I benefit from this challenge? The first one is a hard one for you to answer. Perhaps you are a natural adventurer and embrace the idea of leaving home for the first time and travelling abroad. But you could just as easily be the sort of person who wishes to study abroad in order to face the challenge of leaving home comforts behind. Either way, you will be going into a protected learning environment which will not lack a sense of adventure.

Living in a different culture

You can do this at different levels. Perhaps you wish to fully immerse yourself in a different culture and plan to stay with a family and travel in to study at an academy from their home. If this is the case, make sure that the family will share their meals and living space with you so that you have a communicative experience. It would not be helpful to spend all your time alone in a bedroom.

It may be that you wish to fully board at the academy and meet fellow travellers from different countries. This will not mean that you will not experience the culture – far from it. Remember that culture is to do with food and your surrounds as much as with art, studying and going out on visits. You will embark on an exciting adventure and will still be looked after.

The best education

The schools and colleges understand that there will be many different reasons for the student coming to their academy and that getting a top-quality course will always be of prime importance. Therefore, each establishment will wish to offer you the best course they can, tailored to your needs. For example, if you are in Scotland, because eventually you may like to apply to Edinburgh university, then you will be given a flavour of both discovering what life is like in Scotland but also the level of language you may need in order to succeed.

A new language

All of us learn languages at school, some of us grow up speaking more than one language fluently because our parents come from different parts of the world. Perhaps, though, we want to learn an entirely new language and choose a country that we have never been to before and whose language is unknown to us. This would be very exciting. Learning a new language is opening a door into a new culture. Imagine being in that culture as this process of learning unfurls. Suddenly the signs on the shops have meaning as does the menu in the restaurant.

Future Career opportunities

When you send in a cv for a job or apply to a university or a college, you have to fill in a form or write what is called a curriculum vitae. Both of these involve detailing your skills and qualifications. But there is usually a chance to include ‘soft skills’. Here they are looking for you to show what else you have done or can do to enhance your application. Studying abroad can be a very attractive proposition for an employer because it clearly shows an ability to face a challenge and experience different cultures. It will definitely be in your favour to have studied and spent time abroad.

Making new friends

This is almost a given. When you visit and study in a new country, you will be in a class with other students from many different counties all looking for similar experiences and wanting to share these. This is your chance to broaden your horizons, cut loose from any shyness you may have and make new friends as you experience all these new adventures together. These new friends could become some of your future companions as you go back home after your course but still stay in touch.

International travel

International travel is an exciting and rewarding experience. As the issue of covid and all the necessary travel restrictions start to become a thing of the past, the international traveller can begin to enjoy the whole experience once again. You will be supported by your academy from the moment you start your journey until your arrival. If you have specific needs for your journey, let your academy know and extra help will be given to you. There will be wellbeing support once you arrive at your destination. And there’s no need to end your international travel once at your destination. You can use it as a springboard to other countries near to your new ‘home’.

Learning to be independent

Visiting abroad to study and learn is not a route to becoming independent but it is one of many ways in which independence can come within your grasp. Once you start to push your own boundaries, you learn that those boundaries are porous and so the times when you thought to yourself ‘I can’t do that’ can be converted into ‘I’ll have a go at that’. For example, you may never have stood up at the front of a class and given a formal presentation. But now you can see that everyone has to do this and not everyone is able to do it. You have your go and see that it is something that can have its own rewards.