Middle & High School Program

The Oxford Prep Experience

Grades: 8 - 9

Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford

Program Overview

The Oxford Prep Experience offers all the discovery and learning of the Tradition program to students in grades 8 and 9. It takes place at Corpus Christi College, which was founded in 1517. Early visitors to the college included Catherine of Aragon and Erasmus of Rotterdam. Corpus Christi College was also the venue for the translation of what became the King James Bible, in 1611.

Corpus is located on a quiet, cobblestoned street in the medieval center of Oxford. Students choose a Major and a Minor to study for the month.

Costs & Payment

Dates

$11,650

July 1 - 27, 2023

$11,650

Paris connection

$1,925

July 27 - July 31, 2023

At the end of the program, students can choose to add on the Paris Connection and spend 5 days exploring the French capital before heading home.

$1,925

Tuition Information: Costs include accommodation, classroom instruction, workshops, field trips, two daily meals, and all program-organized activities. We also offer a select number of scholarships based on financial need. For full details, see our Tuition page.

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A Day in the Life

Breakfast in Hall
Major classes on topics as diverse as Studio Art or Business and Finance meet in classrooms, labs, studios, or out and about in Oxford
Students can choose to have lunch at any local restaurants or sandwich shops in town
Three afternoons a week, Minor classes meet in classrooms, workshops, labs, or studios. When there is no class, they are free to join in organized activities or trips and tours in and around Oxford
Dinner in Hall
Evening activities, events, or shows

What's Included

Access to cultural sites and local events

Accommodations

Extracurricular activities, workshops, and event offerings

Continuous support

On-site staff of experienced professionals

Local meals

Full Course List

Astronomy

Students are introduced to one of mankind's oldest and most scientifically advanced areas of study. They learn about Cosmology, the Big Bang, the formation of stars and planets and their deaths, and Black Holes. They discover why astronomers and physicists study phenomena such as quasars, gamma rays, cosmic rays, and pulsars, and how they collect and analyze the data produced by the phenomena. The class also addresses the search for exoplanets and the possibilities of life elsewhere, the exciting work undertaken in Astrobiology, and the technical, legal, and ethical issues involved in the search for habitable worlds beyond ours.

Business and Finance

Creative Writing

Students compose fiction and poetry under the guidance of a published author, with Oxford's rich literary history as their inspiration. They experiment with new forms and styles of writing. Published authors give workshops in which students learn about the creative process and the practicalities of publication. Students develop a portfolio of their best writing and collaborate to design, edit, and publish a literary magazine.

CSI Oxford

From toxicology and fingerprints to DNA samples, students taking our CSI summer course discover how forensic science has progressed over the years to meet ever-changing legal standards. They learn how modern crime scenes are secured and searched, how material is treated in laboratories, and how different types of evidence are used to sort legal fact from criminal fiction. They also explore how forensic science has achieved breakthroughs in a multitude of disciplines, such as archeology, history, and geology.

Engineering

English Literature

Loosely basing itself on the undergraduate syllabus, this course engages with some of the great works of English literature amidst Oxford’s evocative surroundings. Working from a range of texts drawn from every age, students improve their skills in close reading, textual criticism, and clear, informed writing. Each student engages in a close study of an Oxford text or a Shakespeare play and presents a special project in the final week.

Genetics and Biotechnology

Students discover how biotechnology combines principles of biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering to create the products, processes, and technologies of the future. Through experiments and seminars they engage with pharmaceuticals breakthroughs, genetic diagnoses and therapies, sustainable biofuels, and genetically modified foods. Students also explore the social, ethical, and economic implications of biotechnology.

Government

Students are introduced to the different ways in which communities have been, and are, organized and run. The compare and contrast the constitutional and legal bases for different governmental systems in operation today, discover how the different institutions of government work together, and evaluate how governments react to the challenges of modern society, from economic uncertainty to social injustice. They also discover how governments coexist with key non-governmental players, such as the media, political parties, interest groups, lobbyists, and big tech. Students divide up into teams to craft their own legislative proposals to address a current issue.

International Relations

This course focuses on key issues of the day. Subjects covered include globalization and its political, economic, and social effects; environmental challenges; new forms of war and peace; the changing nature of security challenges; peacekeeping operations; regional complexities of areas like the Middle East, Africa, and South-East Asia; and the relationships and rivalries that define global order today.

Introduction to Python

Students are introduced to the fundamentals of the true language of the 21st century – coding. Following an introduction to programming and its core concepts, they learn to code via hands-on projects in robotics, video games, and web and app design. Students are exposed to a variety of programming languages but specialize in Python. Students visit computer science laboratories and local tech start-ups. Lab fee of $150 US for the Major, $75 US for the Minor.

Law and Society

Students examine the British and American legal systems and how these systems reflect the values and institutions of their respective societies. Emphasis is placed on legal history and modes of thought, precedent-setting cases, current controversies, and the kind of first-hand courtroom observation that brings these cases to life. Each course includes visits to a court and sessions with lawyers. Major courses culminate in a formal moot court competition.

Medical Science

This hands-on course introduces students to key aspects of medicine and modern medical practice. Combining specialist lectures with experiments and class discussions, students learn the main principles of human anatomy and physiology, the pathology and significance of certain diseases, the main challenges that medical science faces today, and the variety and changing nature of careers in medicine.

Screenwriting

Students are introduced to the principles of writing for the screen, focusing on characterization, story development and narrative structure. They analyze various pilots and practice writing specs and, drawing on examples from a wide range of fiction, discover how screenwriters interpret, innovate, and reinvent original works. They also look at how adaptations shape the perceptions of an audience, examine parodies of original texts, ideas, and genres, and conclude the course by scripting and storyboarding their own adaptations of a famous work.

Oxford and the Literature of the Fantastic: Carroll, Tolkien, Lewis, and Pullman

This course examines addresses fantasy literature as a genre, concentrating on four Oxford authors: Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, and Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials. Students examine their sources, worlds, symbolic systems, and mythologies, as well as their influence on Harry Potter, through workshops, field trips, debates, and group readings. They also work together to posit explanations for the genre’s lasting popularity among readers of all ages. Prior knowledge of the stories is encouraged.

Paleontology

Students discover how scientists draw on a wide range of disciplines that include biochemistry, botany, engineering, geology, climate science, mathematics, and zoology, to unlock the secrets of life before the human era. They are introduced to the different branches within the discipline, such as molecular, vertebrate, and invertebrate paleontology, learn how scientist go about identifying, dating, and classifying organisms, and discover how theories of past life-forms have and continue to evolve as knowledge and understanding grow.

Photography Minor Only

Psychology

Students investigate a wide range of psychological topics, including dreams, memory, consciousness, anxiety, body language, gender, and sexuality. Alongside, they uncover the history of the science itself, complete case studies, and are introduced to various disorders and different research methodologies. They go on to design their own experiments under the guidance of research specialists and practicing clinicians.

Speech and Debate Minor Only

Studio Art

Beginners and more advanced students receive instruction in a variety of media. They spend much of their time outside, sketching medieval towers, capturing pastoral landscapes, practicing their portrait skills, or discovering masterpieces in locations such as the Christ Church Picture Gallery. Students exhibit their best pieces at the end of the program. Materials fee of $250 US for the Major; $150 US for the Minor.

The Rise and Fall of Empires

Investigating a range of Empires, from Ancient Egypt to the Third Reich, via examples as varied as the Mongol and British Empires, students seek to discover what they have in common, whether they share fundamental characteristics, how they establish themselves, and why they collapse. Students go on to assess their long-term consequences on all our lives, and establish why some of them are still very much with us, before determining whether Empires are the most destructive form of political organization or, as some historians and theorists argue, the most successful.

War in World History

War has been one of the greatest forces for change in human history and continues to shape the world. War has been one of the greatest forces of change in human history and continues to shape the world. From the global 'War on Terror' to civil wars and uprisings, this course will explore mankind's long history of conflict and combat. While covering military history, this course also examines war from other aspects: the political, economic, social, ethical, and psychological. It examines how and why wars are fought, what has changed and what has remained the same, from Ancient Greece to modern day conflicts.

Cultural Enrichment

Every class is designed to use Oxford as a teaching tool. When not in class, students have access to a full range of optional activities designed to help them discover Oxford and immerse themselves in English life. They can go on tours of sights like the Bodleian Library and Christ Church, take part in a variety of sports (including Quidditch), attend local Shakespeare productions, or might go on field trips to Stonehenge and London.

Residence Info

Accommodation and Rooms

In Oxford, students live in rooms that are occupied by undergraduates during the year. Students are housed in singles or doubles. Students can request a private bathroom (for a fee), on a first-come, first-served basis.

Facilities

Students have access to common areas within the residences as well as a variety of sporting and educational facilities (gyms, basketball courts, tennis courts, pitches, libraries). Oxbridge provides every program with computers, so students have daily access to email and social media. The program staff maintains message boards and distributes mail every day.

Meals

Students enjoy breakfast and dinner in their residence's dining halls. Breakfast is primarily continental style with choices such as cereal, yogurt, fruit, toast, coffee, and tea. Several options are available at dinner, including a vegetarian dish and a salad bar. Special dinners are regularly held, and each program ends with a formal banquet. Students are responsible for their own lunch, which can be purchased from a college snack bar or one of the many sandwich shops, small restaurants, patisseries, or bodegas near each residence.

After the Program

Shortly after the program, all students and their parents receive a comprehensive set of grade reports, presenting their course syllabus and highlighting their specific contributions and achievements within their course(s). Most of our alumni later ask for additional copies to include in their college applications.

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What People Are Saying About Oxbridge Academic Programs

This was by far the most informative-while-being-interactive class I've ever had, and it made learning easier and more fun. Oxbridge made a huge impact on me by increasing my confidence and uncovering my strong interest in global business that I now hope to pursue.

Avery

Oxbridge Student

Thanks to the Cambridge Tradition experience, my daughter is much more mature, has a better knowledge of how to live abroad without her family, and she's better prepared for university! Her time at Oxbridge reaffirmed that she wants to study architecture and now she has all the skills to reach her goals.

Ana Maria

Cambridge Tradition Parent

Our daughter had a wonderful experience, and she found the Psychology and Genetics courses engaging and useful. She learned new things, made friends, and had 4 amazing weeks! Many thanks to your entire team for making this possible!

Oxbridge Parent

Our daughter loved the Oxford Prep program. She enjoyed her Major, made nice friends, and really began to feel more independent and confident while exploring beautiful Oxford. A great experience through and through and just what we all were hoping for! In fact, she is already talking about participating in the Cambridge program next year.

Daniel

Oxbridge Prep Parent

Just wanted to reach out to thank you for helping to make my daughter's summer spectacular! She returned on Saturday and has clearly grown from the summer experience. She raves about her time with Dr. Tijn Van Winden and her French teacher.

Sanjeev

Oxbridge in Paris Parent

Thank you for making my son's experience at Cambridge so memorable! Usually reserved, he talked the whole way home from the airport about what he learned in class, the friends he made, and the museums he visited. My son was initially a bit reluctant to attend a two-week course, but at the end of the second week - he was sad it was ending so quickly!

Cambridge Prep Parent