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Students working on robotics at our Cambridge Engineering Summer School

Oxford Royale 2025

Cambridge Engineering Summer School

Cambridge Summer School

Cambridge Engineering Summer School (Ages 16-18)

Designing Tomorrow: Engineering & Technology

Design Tomorrow at the Cambridge Engineering Summer School. Students are provided with an introduction to the emerging technology that is shaping the future. The programme provides a broad foundation into engineering principles and fields, as it inspires students to take on the future’s grand challenges from alternative energy to advanced robotics and beyond. Discover a career pathway in engineering and technology.

Design tomorrow’s solutions through a comprehensive overview of the intersection of engineering and technology. On this future facing and intellectually challenging programme, students will explore a wide range of engineering disciplines with specific applications in the fields of advanced robotics and technology.

Step into the future and be inspired by thought leaders and futurists who are already designing for tomorrow.

Location Cambridge
For Ages 16-18 years
Duration 2 weeks
Price
Course Dates
  • 6th Jul to 19th Jul
  • 20th Jul to 2nd Aug
Enrol Today
Students building robots on our Engineering Summer School

See our Engineering Programme in Action

Watch our Engineering Summer School trailer and see our students building robots as part of the practical application of the engineering skills they learn on the programme. Listen to students and teachers the breadth of engineering knowledge students gain whilst on the course, and watch students form an idea about where they want engineering to take them.

Kings College Chapel near our Cambridge Summer School

The Cambridge Experience

Watch our Cambridge Summer School trailer to hear from our students about living on campus in the colleges of Cambridge University and the chance to experience university student life. See beautiful college building and the ceremonies and events we run for our students whilst students and teachers speak about the life-changing academic experience our programmes provide.

Cambridge Engineering Summer School for Ages 16 to 18 Details

Engineering is a competitive field, but it is also one brimming with opportunities for international collaboration. Join students from over 175 countries across the world and build a global network of like-minded future engineers. Your newfound friendships may well become sources of mutual inspiration and collective contribution for years to come.

We offer students the very best of modern education, selecting as tutors and visiting speakers subject experts and industry figureheads to give attendees the edge as they face a formative moment in their early careers. Every student on our Engineering Summer School will be taught key academic skills to help them excel in their future learning. They will:

Master the fundamentals of the different fields of engineering

Enhance problem solving and critical thinking skills through engineering projects and challenges

Develop a portfolio of specific and transferable skills to strengthen an application

Gain insight into emerging technology, advanced robotics, and the grand major challenges of engineering facing 21st-century engineers

Join the next generation of technological thinkers and leaders

Young engineers are on the cusp of entering workplace undergoing significant restructuring caused by technological progress, as well as an increasing need for interdisciplinary imagination. Student will grow not only in academic prowess, but we will help them grow personally as successful future leaders by:

Strengthening their capacity and skills for project leadership

– Providing opportunities for public speaking and debate to build confidence and communication skills

– Supporting participation in independent research and group projects to promote collaboration and commitment

–  Understanding the six ‘Engineering Habits of Mind’ (as determined by the Royal Society of Engineers) conducive to well-rounded career development in the field

– Exploring an incredible novel location with new friends, broadening their global world view

These are exciting times for early career engineers, as technological advances such as automation see new design opportunities arise across the broadest array of sectors imaginable. Our emphasis on career insights and practical applications represent an incredible opportunity for our 16 to 18 age group to begin to solidify their plans for the future. Through attending our Engineering Summer School, students will:

Prepare to pursue an Engineering, Computer Science, or Technology degree at university

Compare multiple fields of engineering and find their potential career pathway

– Learn the key academic and professional skills like leadership, collaboration and confidence to take them into a successful future

– Discover how Engineering can help solve the future challenges facing the world

We never forget that this is a busy two weeks and attendees are here to enjoy their summer as well as to learn. A good work-life balance is especially crucial for students facing formative examinations and entrance to university. In between sessions of world class academic learning, our students will take part in:

– Exciting social activities with their new friends, from karaoke to arts and crafts

– We offer a wide range of sports including football, tennis, running club, and the Oxford Royale Olympics

– A weekend excursion on Saturday to the landmarks of London

– Friday Night Party where students can enjoy a night of music and excitement with their new friends

– Formal Graduation ceremony and dinner, followed by a final party, where students can dress in their best and celebrate in style

The two weeks your child spends with Oxford Royale will be unforgettable, filled with key academic and career insights and unmissable cultural exploration.

Exclusively for our 16 to 18 group, the ‘Shaping Your Future’ seminar series will provide an opportunity for students to learn more about the world of academia and work that they will soon enter. Held by our expert staff, this will include university application advice, careers advice, and help students grow as the future leaders of tomorrow.

The Headline Address is an incredible opportunity for our 16 to 18 Engineering students to join the rest of their cohort and be inspired by an expert guest speaker who will speak on some of the key, future-facing issues in the world today.

Using the new skills and knowledge gained on the programme, our engineering students will work in teams to solve challenges facing the world tomorrow. Past examples have been building scale models of bridges, planning for future human life on Mars. Each year, our challenge is designed and updated to respond to contemporary developments in the field by our expert programme designers.

Our engineering students will also have the opportunity to take part in our Public Speaking and Debate Society, and extracurricular event where your child can build their communication, public speaking and debate skills. The sessions will culminate in a Grand Final, an exciting end to two weeks of building new skills.

Held on campus at a special venue, our students will take part in a graduation ceremony hosted by their Programme Director. They will receive a personal graduation certificate, and enjoy a celebratory dinner followed by a final party to end their programme with their new friends.

Full timetable

Download a full sample timetable of our Cambridge Engineering Summer School here.

Typical Day

Weekdays on our Engineering Summer Schools for ages 16-18 follow this structure:

  • 8AM: Students wake up for breakfast on campus before heading to lessons
  • 9AM: Morning lessons, with two short breaks
  • 1PM: Lunch break for students to buy food and relax with friends
  • 2PM: Afternoon lessons
  • 3:30PM: Engineering academic workshop to develop key skills, cultural activities such as tours of university buildings
  • 6PM: Dinner on campus
  • 7PM: Study support sessions
  • 8PM: Public Speaking and Debate Society, or a Shaping Your Future seminar
  • 9PM: Social activities such as games nights, capture the flag or karaoke
  • 10:30PM: Curfew

Week 1

Our programme begins with an introduction to the different fields of engineering and the careers your child could have as an engineer. Students then thoroughly learn the fundamental principles of mechanics that need to be understood in and out for a strong engineering application. After lessons, students will take part in workshops and study support – as well as exploring one of our amazing locations – before relaxing in the evening with games nights, sporting events and parties. The first week will culminate in the Oxford Royale olympics and a coach excursion at the weekend.

Week 2

Week two involves learning advanced fields of engineering, such as electronics and programming, in more depth, as well as delivering a presentation and a group research project of the students’ own work. Students will get the chance to try hands-on engineering on our challenge day before displaying their work at our exhibition day. In the evenings, we host events such as parties and our public speaking and debate grand final. The programme will end with an exclusive graduation ceremony and party.

An Oxford Royale Graduation Certificate

What's Included

  • Residential on the prestigious campus of the University of Cambridge

  • Inspiring programmes taught by experts

  • Graduation ceremony, report cards and graduation certificate

  • International student community with over 170 nationalities represented since 2004

  • Accommodation, breakfast and dinner, tuition and cultural programmes included at the Cambridge Summer School

  • 20+ hours of tuition per week

  • Inspirational cultural programmes

Watch our video Graduation 2023

Learn from world-leading experts

Whatever your motivation, our exceptional, inspiring, world-leading teachers can help you achieve more this summer. Our amazing array of talented tutors includes Oxbridge academics, Ivy League lecturers, groundbreaking medical researchers, glittering industry leaders, acclaimed authors, and more!

Meet Our Faculty

Dr Ameer Janabi

Engineering

Dr Ameer Janabi, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, is an accomplished entrepreneur with multiple successful ventures in the engineering industry, specifically in electric mobility and power electronics, both in the UK and US. His expertise in the field is highly regarded, and he has published several papers on power electronics.

Dr Rehan Shah

Engineering

Dr Rehan Shah is a Lecturer in Engineering Education at Queen Mary University of London. He has completed a BEng in Mechanical Engineering with Business Finance at UCL with LSE, an MSc in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing at the University of Oxford, and a PhD in Applied Mathematics at UCL.

Dr Endrit Shabani

Law and Politics

A trained lawyer, Dr Endrit Shabani has a Doctorate in Politics from the University of Oxford where he studied with a full Clarendon scholarship. He has consulted for multiple international organisations including UNICEF, UN Women and the EU, and has taught Politics internationally.

Dr Anisa Butt

Business & Entrepreneurship

A member of the Oxford Royale team for 3 years, Dr Anisa Butt is a lecturer in economics at King’s College London. Currently completing a PhD in Economics from the University of Reading, her focus is on gender and ethnic income inequality.

Dr Claire Keene

Medicine

Dr Claire Keene is a public health clinician with a masters in International Health and Tropical Medicine from the University of Oxford. She is an experienced clinical trial manager, recently managing a Médecins Sans Frontières project on HIV and tuberculosis.

How You'll Learn

Escape ordinary classroom teaching and learn through interactive and immersive lessons.

Workshops

Hands-on classes designed to help students learn through practical application.

Masterclasses

An interactive forum with an expert in the field, giving students valuable insights into related and new topics.

Guest Speakers

Successful and famous guest speakers offer students the chance to pose their most important questions.

Debates

Essential for honing students' reasoning abilities and public speaking skills.

Interactive Lectures

Dynamic lectures given by passionate teachers packed with facts and viewpoints to engage the audience.

Group Projects

An opportunity to work closely with, and learn from, different perspectives.

Seminars

Working in pairs and small groups, students have plenty of opportunity for discussion and debate.

Challenge Days

Apply the skills and knowledge gained throughout your two-week programme in an immersive full day simulation event.

Exciting Activities and Trips

Cambridge summer school trip to London

Explore London

Discover the UK’s most exciting city! A short journey from Cambridge, explore the many wonders that London has to offer: from Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace to the Museum of Natural History and National Portrait Gallery, there are endless ways to be entertained. Enjoy luxury shopping, or vibrant markets in Camden, and choose from hundreds of restaurants. London is a unmissable location filled with new opportunities.

Cambridge Summer School walking tours

Walking Tour of Cambridge

Experience the magic of Cambridge on a walking tour of the city. Wander through historic colleges with stunning architecture, see the pub where the discovery of DNA was announced, or uncover hidden gems from coffee shops to art galleries. 

Summer school students graduating

Oxford Royale Graduation

Experience an Oxford Royale graduation, on campus at the University of Cambridge. Dress up with your new friends, dine in a magnificent venue, and celebrate everything you have achieved on your programme. 

See our exclusive events Oxford Royale Graduation
Cambridge Summer School students punting

Punting

Feel like a real Cambridge student and try your hand at punting, a type of rowing that uses a metal pole to push the boat forward! Relax in the sun and view some of Cambridge’s spectacular colleges as you punt along the River Cam.

The interior of the Fitzwilliam Museum

Musuems and Galleries

Immerse yourself in the arts and sciences at Cambridge’s renowned museums. See the works of old masters at the Fitzwilliam Museum, explore the natural world at the University Museum of Zoology, and discover prehistory at the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences.

See our exclusive events Night at the Museum
“I chose to come to Oxford Royale because I wanted to explore university life, and learn more about engineering. I love the lessons here because the teachers make the lessons fun while teaching, we do lots of practical work which keeps us engaged, all linked to the course. Having practical classes makes the subject easier to learn, and this is something I don’t do at my normal school.”

Femi, Nigeria

“I really like the Oxford Royale Engineering programme because I really like the practical activities which included projects like building a tower that was up to the ceiling, and it was great because we worked in groups, meaning I could learn more about each of my classmates and their backgrounds.”

Maria. Brazil

Reviews

We have a 4.8 rating based on 873 reviews on Reviews.io.
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Hannah

I had an absolutely incredible time doing Summer school with Oxford Royale Academy! I learnt new things about myself and the world around me, and would definitely recommend to others!

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Clara

I loved the Oxford Royal program, I met many people with bright personalities and unique minds, and I also learned a lot from the teachers, campus staff etc. You will enjoy it!

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Francesca

Oxford Royals Academy made my summer amazing! I learned many new things and I met people from all over the world that I know I can call true friends. I definitely recommend ORA to anyone who wants to make unforgettable memories!

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Minquan

The twelve days I spent in Oxford Summer School were very happy, the teachers were very kind and professional, and the curriculum was very reasonable, which expanded my knowledge. All the courses mean a lot to me and I hope I can come back next summer.

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Jade

The oxford royale academy was definitely the highlight of my summer. I have not only learnt more about the course I have chosen, but I've also met a lot of new friends, friendly staff and helpful teachers from different cultures all in the same campus and had a lot of unforgettable memories.

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Katherine

Oxford Royale was a great expreince. It was amazing to get to know people all over the globe and form life long relationships.

Frequently Asked Questions

For the Designing Tomorrow programme, students live and study on campus in colleges of the historic University of Cambridge, as part of our Cambridge Summer School. Oxford Royale students will stay in accommodation at either Clare College or St Catharine’s College. Both colleges are beautiful, historic institutions situated in the heart of the university town.

Designing Tomorrow: Engineering & Technology is also available at our other locations, please see our courses page for more details.

Once you have decided which programme you would like to attend, and where you would like to study, you can book online using our secure booking system. You will need the details of the student and of the person paying the bill, the name of the programme or programmes you would like to study, and a credit or debit card to pay the enrolment fee.

We are happy to accept enrolment fees via a number of other, non-card payment methods (including domestic and international bank transfer), thanks to our partnership with education payment specialists, Flywire. If you would prefer to pay your enrolment fee by bank transfer or another method, please contact our Admissions team who will be able to assist you.

Once your application has been submitted, your enrolment fee has been received by us and your booking processed by our system or our team, you will be sent an email confirming your place. You will also receive a login to the Oxford Royale Portal, which you will use to provide us with important additional information about you as your time with us approaches.

A Welcome Pack is available to download from the Oxford Royale Portal.

If at any time you would like to discuss your booking with a member of our award-winning Customer Service team, please feel free to contact us.

All enrolments require an enrolment fee to secure the booking. For Summer 2023, enrolment fees are structured as follows:

  • Summer Schools for ages 13-15 and 16-18 (University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London and Yale University) – £1295 GBP for each 2-week session

You may either pay the full programme fee when you book your place, or pay the enrolment fee and then settle the balance at a later date.

The balance clearance is required no later than 90 days before the start date of the programme. Where the student is booking less than 90 days before the start date, the programme fees must be covered in full. We appreciate that, with the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, people may require additional flexibility to these terms, and we are doing our best to accommodate that – please contact us if you have concerns regarding making the balance payment in line with the 90-day deadline.

Enrolments received via our online application form will require a debit or credit card payment of at least the enrolment fee. If you would like to pay your enrolment fee via Bank Transfer or another method, we are happy to facilitate this. Please contact our Admissions team to arrange this.

Balance payments for existing enrolments can be made via a number of methods, including domestic and international bank transfer, credit or debit card, as well as local payment options; please log in to the Oxford Royale Portal and click on the ‘Pay Now’ button on your booking details.

All programme fees include the following:

  • Classes and tuition
  • Study files/materials
  • Guest lectures by academic speakers
  • Personalised academic reports and graduation certificate
  • Accommodation at a top university
  • Meals in the dining hall of your college, every day of your programme (Meals provided are typically as follows: breakfast, lunch and dinner for ages 13-15; breakfast and dinner for ages 16-18)
  • Free WiFi (subject to availability)
  • A wide selection of afternoon and evening activities
  • Coach excursions (kindly note that excursions can be to local attractions or to sites further afield)
  • Welcome and graduation events
  • A multitude of extras, including an Oxford Royale notebook and branded clothing

If you wish to change your programme or study options (including dates), please do not hesitate to contact us. However, changes to programmes are always subject to availability. For this reason, it may be more difficult for us to accommodate any changes requested less than 60 days before the programme start date.

Oxford Royale’s terms and conditions for refunds are as follows:

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

  • No refund of the enrolment fee 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 enrolment fee will be proportionally refunded as per the table below:
Period Before Start Date Total Refunded (excluding enrolment fee)
120+ days 100%
90-119 days 50%
45-89 days 10%
0-44 days 0%

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 EFL programmes
  • 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.

Yes, all students will be awarded an Oxford Royale Graduation Certificate in their chosen programme upon satisfactory completion of the programme. This will be presented in a graduation ceremony on the final evening of the programme. In general, the graduation ceremony is for students only, but in certain cases, it might be possible for parents to attend on request. Due to limited seating and viewing facilities in the colleges, it is essential that parents contact the campus office well in advance to ascertain whether space is available.

All our programmes take place in a secure environment. Our students are supervised 24 hours a day by campus staff. All students must check-in regularly during the day: at breakfast roll-call; at their morning classes; in the afternoon for lessons, workshops or activities; at dinner and in the evening before curfew. All campuses have a curfew.

Each campus office has its own safe where students may deposit items of value such as passports, travel documents, bank cards etc.

All campuses have residential staff who can be contacted 24 hours a day.

It is certainly possible to take more than one programme and combine a variety of subjects. This can be done by enrolling on two different programmes. For example, you may wish to have two weeks on the Film Academy and then two more weeks on Creative Writing.

Students staying for two consecutive sessions will be provided with accommodation for the Saturday night, and their campus will provide supervised activities between their first session ending and second session starting. Should you have any queries about how to take more than one programme please do not hesitate to contact us.

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