Frequently Asked Questions: On-Campus Programmes

Each programme is two weeks long, consisting of weekly lessons, academic enrichment, activities and excursions. You can find full dates for each location here.

Our faculty is made up of Oxbridge academics, Ivy League lecturers, researchers and industry experts.

Teachers are carefully selected for each subject and age group, to ensure they meticulously follow our curriculum and provide a supportive and challenging environment for our students.

The campus is run by a team of trained professionals. The Programme Director leads the campus, and is responsible for ensuring all students are safe and happy. Our Programme Directors are educational experts with years of experience leading international students.

You can find out more about our campus teams here.

Booking your place is simple and can be done online using our secure booking system. 

What you’ll need to book:

• Student details
• Payment details (debit/credit card or alternative method)
• The name of your chosen programme(s)

After booking:

• You will receive an email confirmation once your deposit has been processed.
• A login to the Oxford Royale Portal will be provided, where you can:
  • Access all details about your enrolment.
  • Submit important information to keep us up to date.

For any questions or assistance, our Admissions team is happy to help.

Deposit & Payment Options:

• A deposit of £1295 GBP per 2-week session is required to secure your booking.
• You can either:
  • Pay the full programme fee at the time of booking, OR
  • Pay the deposit and settle the balance later.
• The balance must be paid no later than 90 days before the start date.
• If booking within 90 days of the programme start date, full payment is required.

• If you prefer to pay your deposit by bank transfer or another method, please contact our Admissions team who will be able to assist you.

We accept multiple payment methods to make the process easy:

• Debit or credit card (required for online applications)
• Bank transfer (contact our Admissions Team to arrange alternative payment methods)
• Oxford Royale Portal (For balance payments for existing enrolments, login and click ‘Pay Now’ to complete balance payments)

• If booking more than 90 days before the start date, you can pay the deposit first and the remaining balance later.
• If booking within 90 days of the programme start date, the full course fee is required upfront.

Your fees cover everything you need for a rich academic and extracurricular experience, including: 

• Classes and tuition with expert tutors
• Study materials
• Guest lectures by academic speakers
• Accommodation on campus at a top university
• Meals in the college dining hall:
  • Ages 12-15: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Ages 16-18: Breakfast and dinner
  • Students (All Ages) attending the Oxford Royale at Yale and Barnard programmes receive: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Free WiFi
• Activities and excursions
• Welcome and graduation events
• Graduation certificate and report
• Oxford Royale merchandise
• Access to Future Ready online masterclasses

All the important information we need from you before arrival can be found or submitted through the Portal.

Please note, the legal guardian is the person named when applying for the programme. Only they will be able to complete certain important documents, including the medical forms in the Portal.

You can request changes to your booking, including switching subjects or changing dates, but all changes are subject to availability.

• To request a change, contact our Admissions Team as soon as possible.
• Changes made less than 60 days before the programme start date may be harder to accommodate.
• If a change is not possible, our team will discuss alternative options with you.

For assistance, please reach out to our Admissions team.

Any cancellation must be received in writing and can only be made on the following terms:

• No refund of the deposit will be made under any circumstances once the two-week cooling-off period has concluded;
• For cancellations before your programme start date, the remainder of the programme fees excluding the deposit will be proportionally refunded as per the table below:

Cancellations made after the commencement date of the programme will not receive any refund.

For full information regarding cancellation and refund terms, please see our full terms and conditions, and please contact us if you have any questions.

Our English language requirements are as follows:

• B1 for Learn English programmes
• B2 for IELTS Preparation
• C1 or IELTS level 6.5 or higher for all academic programmes

Students who have studied at an English speaking school for two or more years are exempt from English requirements.

All students registered to attend our Learn English courses will be required to take an English Language Placement Test, which will assess their relative abilities. Students are then placed into ability groups based on the results of their assessment, and the material that they study is tailored to the level of the class.

The English Language Placement Test takes approximately one hour, and is taken by students on arrival at their programme.

Yes! You can enrol in multiple programmes to explore a variety of subjects.

• Students attending consecutive sessions will receive accommodation for the Saturday night between programmes.
• Supervised activities will be arranged during the transition between sessions.

If you have any questions about combining programmes, please contact our Admissions Team for guidance.

Yes! All students who successfully complete their programme will be awarded an Oxford Royale Graduation Certificate.

• The certificate will be presented at a graduation ceremony on the final evening of the programme.
• Graduation ceremonies are primarily for students, but in some cases, parents may attend upon request.
• Due to limited seating, parents must contact the campus office well in advance to check availability.

Your arrival day will be either a Sunday, or a Monday for students joining us in London on June 30th. You will receive full details of exactly where and when you should arrive on campus in your Oxford Royale Portal.

We recommend that you arrive before 17:00 in order to join the welcome reception and student induction talk. If for any reason you won’t make it to campus at the specified time, simply get in touch with us in advance, or on the day if you are delayed.

Students should arrive on campus between 15:00 and 17:00 – your official arrival window will be sent via email and in the Portal in advance.

On arrival our staff will take care of your registration. You will receive your room keys and programme information at this point.

You’ll have plenty of time to settle in and meet your new peers, and attend the Welcome Reception, which is a chance to meet the Programme Director and staff who will be looking after students during their stay. Parents and family members can attend the welcome reception before departing.

Students will have dinner and attend their Induction Talk with the Programme Director, who will outline all of the safety information and remind students of the key rules of the programme.

Students will be asked to vacate their room shortly after breakfast, and all rooms should be vacated before midday. 

If you have booked a Supervised Airport Transfer, you will receive any information you need before the last day.

Students will be asked to return their room keys and collect their reports and graduation packs as soon as possible after breakfast. Staff will be on hand to assist with departures throughout the day.

For Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial College London:

The most convenient airports are the major London airports:

• Heathrow
• Gatwick
• Stansted
• Luton

For those traveling from mainland Europe, the Eurostar train is also a good option.

For Oxford Royale at Yale:

• Major international airports: JFK, Newark, LaGuardia

For Barnard College, Columbia University:

• Major international airports: JFK, Newark, LaGuardia
• Public transportation options, including subway and airport shuttles, provide easy access to campus.
• Taxis services are also available for direct travel to Barnard College.

For further details on travel options, visit our Arrival and Departure page.

Oxford Royale offers a supervised transfer service from Heathrow Airport in the UK and John F. Kennedy airport in the US. For all details on transfers, and for full terms and conditions, visit our Transfer Service page.

If you are travelling from other airports, you can opt for a number of private taxi companies in the local area.

You can find out more detail here:

Getting to Oxford

Getting to Cambridge

Most of our accommodation sites offer a mix of single and twin bedrooms. Some campuses have en-suite bedrooms while others have bathroom facilities shared between a small group of same-sex students.

In Oxford, students aged 12-18 have the option to pay our ‘En-suite Reservation Fee’, which entitles students to an en-suite room should one be available at their campus. Contact our Admissions Team for more information.

Sharing your room with fellow students is a great way of getting to know people and making friends. You can also request to share a room with someone you know studying the same course as you, though this is not guaranteed and must be done in advance of the course.

If you have a particular preference for a certain room type, you can make a request on booking or requests can be made later via the online portal, but please be aware that single rooms cannot be guaranteed. 

All requests are subject to availability. If a particular room type is required for medical reasons, please contact our Admissions Team who will be able to check for availability across the sites offering your chosen programme.

Whilst male and female students under 18 years old are housed in the same buildings, their rooms are on separate corridors and/or staircases. If you have any questions about a particular location, please contact us.

All of the campuses have laundry facilities. Tokens can be purchased from the College lodge or campus office. Oxford Royale staff are on hand to assist.

All students will be well looked after, and security is carefully monitored on campus. Our campuses are only accessible to our students, with one entry point that is staffed 24/7.

In order to leave campus students are required to sign out and sign themselves back in with a counsellor, and curfews are enforced on campus. Any issues that arise can be taken up with staff.

Students will also always be accompanied during lessons, trips, and excursions.

Are meals included in my programme fees?

Breakfast and dinner are included in the programme fees for all students. Lunch is included for:

• Students attending a programme for ages 12-15
• All Oxford Royale students on campus at Yale University, regardless of age
• All Oxford Royale students on campus at Barnard College, regardless of age

Can Oxford Royale accommodate my dietary requirements?

Yes, we can accommodate most dietary requirements, but you must inform us at least 60 days before your programme start date.

• Vegetarian meals are available but must be requested in advance.
• Kosher and Halal options are not always available; in such cases, students may be offered a vegetarian alternative.
• Medical dietary requirements (e.g., lactose intolerance, food allergies) must be reported at least 60 days in advance so we can make the necessary arrangements.

How to Submit Dietary Requirements:

• All enrolled students must complete a Medical and Dietary Form before arrival.
• This form will be available via the Oxford Royale Portal from April.
• The legal guardian of the student must complete this form. 

For any questions or special dietary concerns, please contact our Student Services Team.

If your country is part of the EU or the European Economic Area you will not require a visa to enter the UK. It is always advisable to check with the relevant authorities for visa requirements.

Students attending our USA Summer Schools may be able to enter the USA on the Visa Waiver programme – we can provide individual support on request for those who will need a visa.

Please click here for more information.

You will need to arrange fully comprehensive travel insurance separately as this is not included in the programme fees.

For full information about the cover needed, please visit our insurance page.

Students who have booked a place on a programme will receive Welcome Information closer to summer, which includes a packing list and guidance on what to bring.

UK Weather (Oxford, Cambridge, London)

• June – August: Generally warm but unpredictable.
• Be prepared for rain and occasional cool temperatures, even in summer.
• Recommended: Pack warm layers and a waterproof jacket.

USA Weather

• New Haven (Yale): Warm and humid in June and July.
• New York (Columbia, Barnard College): Hot and humid in summer, with occasional thunderstorms.
• Be prepared for hot temperatures but bring layers for cooler evenings.

For the latest weather updates, check local forecasts before you travel.

Parents and family are welcome to visit on weekends when students have free time but should bear in mind that the students may be going on trips or excursions and so should find out ahead of arriving whether the student will be available.

In order to take students out of campus for any amount of time, a completed exeat form will be required; these will be available upon request once the summer school is in session.

Students are encouraged to bring their mobile phones (if compatible in the UK/US) to stay in touch with family, friends, and programme staff. However, phones are not allowed during classes.

We also recommend that students bringing their own mobile phones switch Data Roaming off, to avoid incurring large unwanted telephone bills.

Morning classes typically take place between 09:00 and 12:30, with  breaks in between.

Afternoon classes take place on three or four days of each week, depending on the location, and usually begin at 13:45 and finish at 15:30.

Please note, timings will differ depending on the location.

Outside of lesson time, students are kept fully engaged with a variety of extracurricular activities, excursions, and guest lectures, all organised by our dedicated Events Team.

Oxford Royale offers a variety of trips to sites of historical and cultural interest. You can find out more about excursions on each respective location page.

All Oxford Royale campuses have residential staff on-site 24/7 to ensure student safety.

Emergency Contacts:

• Each campus has a 24-hour emergency phone number that students can call if needed.
• Family and friends may also contact the campus office in case of an emergency.
• These contact numbers will be emailed to all students before their programme starts and will be available on our website during the summer.

Parental Emergency Contact Requirements:

• Students under 18 must provide at least one parent or guardian’s contact details.
• If a parent/guardian will be unavailable during the programme, students must provide an alternative emergency contact.
• It is essential that all contact details are kept up to date so we can reach the appropriate person if needed.

For any safety concerns or questions, please reach out to our Student Services Team.

All Oxford Royale programmes culminate in a special graduation ceremony and leaving party on the last Friday of the programme. 

We love welcoming parents and guardians to our graduation ceremonies and leaving parties. Spaces at our venues are limited, so attendance is arranged on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact your campus office in advance to check availability—further details will be provided closer to the event.

Oxford Royale operates independently and is not affiliated with, sponsored, or endorsed by the universities where our programmes take place.

This includes:

• University of Oxford
• University of Cambridge
• Imperial College London
• Yale University
• Columbia University (Barnard College)

Find out more about our relationship here.

You will receive more information closer to your course. We recommend all students budget enough to cover daily expenses (including snacks, souvenirs and daily essentials like toiletries), alongside an additional amount in case of emergency.

If you are not taking the Supervised Airport Transfer Service, you will also need to factor travel expenses to campus into your budget.

Students aged 16 to 18 in Oxford, Cambridge and London leave campus to buy their lunch. We recommend around £10 per day to cover lunches, and any additional snacks.

Students aged 12 to 15 and all students in the USA will receive all meals on campus.

• Banks and ATMs are available at all programme locations (note that some ATMs may charge withdrawal fees).
• Students can store money securely in their campus safe if needed.
• In the USA, a member of the campus team will assist you if you need to withdraw cash.

• Debit or credit cards
• Cash for small purchases and emergencies
• Apple Pay/contactless payments (widely accepted at most locations)

• It is advisable to bring some cash for your first day’s travel, including food and any emergency purchases.
• The amount of pocket money needed varies depending on personal spending habits.

For any questions about financial planning during your stay, please contact our Admissions Team.

Scholarships are not available for 2025