Alumni Stories: From Oxford Royale to STEM Superstar
“After my Oxford Royale programme, I felt I could do anything.”
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An Oxford Royale programme isn’t just for one summer: it brings benefits for life. And don’t just take our word for it – ask any of our 35,000+ alumni who boast impressive academic and professional achievements, from completing PhDs at world-leading universities to founding their own successful companies.
That’s why we’ll be telling the fascinating stories of some of Oxford Royale’s past students, all of whom began their journeys with a summer school programme and have gone on to achieve remarkable things.
First up: Eleonora Svanberg, who studied Physics, Mathematics and Academic Writing with us at Oxford in 2016. A summer spent with us gave Eleonora confidence, independence, and even the inspiration to start her very own non-profit, Girls in STEM.
Now a bona fide ‘STEM influencer’, Eleonora has an impressive 143k followers on Instagram and is also a celebrated speaker, content creator and published author, releasing her first book, Study with Me, in August 2024.
We caught up with her in Christ Church Meadow, one of The University of Oxford’s most beautiful green spaces. That’s right – Eleonora is now back where it all began, pursuing a PhD in Theoretical Physics (specifically, string theory) at Magdalen College…
How and why did you decide to apply to Oxford Royale, way back in 2016?
I was living in Sweden, where I’m from, and was in my second year of high school. I loved to watch videos about scientists at Oxford and Cambridge and it soon became a dream of mine to work there. I found Oxford Royale through an online search, thought it looked really cool, and applied straight away!
How was being away from home and living abroad for the first time?
I was very nervous, I won’t lie. But I gained not only confidence, but also friends I’m in touch with to this day; studied wonderful things; and had so much fun. (After my programme) it was the first time I understood that I could do this kind of thing, and I became set on my future journey. I definitely think it was the main reason why I am doing a PhD in Oxford right now – because I already knew I could do it.
Getting to know people from all around the world was amazing. I’m still in touch with so many of my friends from Oxford Royale – they are so ambitious, and it’s been wonderful to follow their journeys after. It’s a great experience getting to know people from different backgrounds.
What did you find most valuable about your Oxford Royale experience?
Sometimes you feel that you aren’t smart enough; or that something is way beyond your comfort zone. After my programme I felt like I could do anything: I did an internship at CERN, the particle physics laboratory, and continued doing research internships. I started studying physics, and then I wasn’t afraid to apply for a Masters in Applied Mathematics at Cambridge, or for a PhD in Oxford!
Academic levels are different all across the world – how did you find the academic content at Oxford Royale?
I found the subject matter quite challenging – in a good way! I was introduced to mathematical concepts that were new to me, but my teachers gave me the right kind of support. They also made me realise it’s really fun to study, and in the end, when I returned home to Sweden, I had already covered some of the topics for the new year. I became really interested in mathematics while here and when I went back to Sweden I had gained so much motivation.
Aside from building your confidence and love for the subject, how did attending Oxford Royale impact your journey?
My course really inspired me to work on getting more women and girls into science. When I came back home to Sweden, I founded a non profit called Girls in STEM with the aim of encouraging young girls to gain the confidence to study or work in the field. It started as a small town organisation but now we are actually nationwide and I am very proud of that.
I also realised I wanted to come back to study here (at the University of Oxford) one day, and now I’m doing my PhD at Magdalen College here in Oxford. I’m so excited and it feels so right.
Finally – what advice would you give to someone thinking of attending?
Always apply. For me, I had no idea how much it would help me with my future career and help get me to my PhD here in Oxford. It’s very hard not to get inspired when you get here, so I knew when I left I already wanted to come back.
Want to hear more? Watch her interview in full, here:
Eleonora’s Story
Inspired by Eleonora’s story? Want to discover how Oxford Royale can help you achieve your potential? Book a call with our friendly team, who can guide you to choosing the right programme for your academic and career goals.