Program Reviews

This summer, I had the opportunity to attend the ORA Medical School Prep course, and it was absolutely above and beyond what I’d expected! With so many trips and activities, there was always something to do. Everyone was wonderful and we all quickly made friends. And as to the course itself, I feel incredibly prepared to tackle my medical school application. My favourite part of my course was definitely the clinical day, where we got to practice all sorts of things on dummies, including taking blood and practicing CPR! I’ve gotten to make friends from all over the world, and I think that ORA has been the beginning for so many friendships. If you choose to do just one thing during summer, I highly recommend going on one of Oxford Royale Academy’s courses!

My experience studying in the Oxford Royale Academy was amazing. Not only did I thoroughly learn the course subject, I also gained alot of experience and exposure from a completely different kind of environment than I'm used to by getting out of my comfort zone, explored the rich history and amazing architecture of Oxford, all while meeting new people from all over the globe and making everlasting bonds between us. All in just ONE trip, and i know for a fact that the experience and memories I've gained from this trip will never stray away from me. This trip has helped me get out of my comfort zone and made me face the huge world beyond my home town. I will treasure this trip for a very long time and i will treasure the friends I've made along the way just the same. I did not regret going to the Oxford Royale Academy a single second.

My experience at the Oxford Royale Academy Summer School Programme was absolutely amazing, truly incredible. Honestly speaking, I was scared to go at first, but in the end I had more fun than I have ever had in my life. Everyone there; teenagers and adults alike were so very kind, I felt so welcomed and cared for. I learnt so many interesting and helpful things in my New Perspective classes, as well as when we went out on trips to town. I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart, that I loved being there. Going to ORA was like a fantastic dream, that I wish didn’t have to end. But at least I can say that I made a lot of cherishable memories with my new friends. I truly treasure this experience and absolutely recommend this programme to other teenagers.

Oxford Royale Academy is amazing school for studying in summer. I went to Balliol College and I took the IELTS preparation for 2 weeks, it was very impressed! It felt as my dream come true when I was studying for summer in the best university of the world. The environment or everything was fantastic, because I love it was so nice the building, the weather, the people… There are a lot of students came from many countries in the world, we shared and exchanged the knowledges and experiences. Our staff was very attended to focus and take care us, they were funny and friendly. I received so many knowledges and experiences from this education opportunity, if there is no this opportunity everything will not occur. I will take my experiences to help and improve myself in the future as much as I can. I have a great time in Oxford and I enjoy and I had fun. Many thanks

During my stay at the Queens College, I learned to adapt to a new learning environment, with new people. I completed the Broadening Horizons course for 2 weeks of which I did Digital marketing and marketing, Political science and International Relations and the afternoon architecture workshop, which was AMAZING! In all my classes, I was intrigued by my teachers passion towards the particular subjects, which made it more interesting for me. Aside from the lessons, the little bonding sessions we would have in our junior common room will forever be memorable as well as the MANY fun activities we did such as punting, the ghost tour and ice skating and the unforgettable tour to LONDON(which was my favourite), all brought us together and I am glad I was one of the lucky participants to embark on this journey.

I took the Broadening Horizons course at Queen’s College, Oxford from August 4th to August 17th. You had to choose two subjects and one afternoon class from a variety of options, mine were: Creative Writing, Journalism and Public Speaking and Debate, all three were amazing and highly recommended.
The staff was great and very caring, specially the counselor who were always lending you a helping hand in the activities or anything you required. The teachers were also good, hardworking and always striking to guide you to your best potential.
The activities went from sports at the park to ice skating or punting and were fun and a perfect moment for socialization.
The people I met there came from all around the world and yet we were all so similar: teenagers eager to learn and have the best of times in one of the most prestigious universities.
Everything was outstanding, but the best part of Oxford summer school for me was that they always put you outside of your comfort zone (making speeches in debating class in front of everyone, buying your own lunch, making friends from very different cultures) and this is where you grow the most.

Studying at Oxford was a dream come true. To live and study like a university student enabled me to gain a a valuable insight into what attending a prestigious university would be like.
During my time a t Oxford, I studied Contemporary History, Journalism and Public Speaking and Debate. All of my teachers were very passionate about their subject and had bountiful knowledge to share. I had never studied any of the subjects before but after attending the programme, I feel significantly more knowledgeable and I am inspired to continue learning. The history course was particularly useful as it gave an introduction into the A level course, which I am starting in September.
Although I was the sole student of British nationality, I was still able to develop culturally, from learning about the different lives my international friends live. Activities such as punting and ghost tours enabled my friends and I to create strong friendships very quickly. We were also taken to London for the afternoon, which was a very enjoyable experience, as we saw a West End show and explored the touristic sights. Although we had a heavy workload and intense classes, whenever we did have free time there were always multiples activities to sign up for. There truly was always an activity for every individual!
In terms of location and accommodation, I have nothing to fault. Queen's College is situated right on Oxford high street, so we never had to walk far to find a place to eat lunch. In fact, we were able to eat in a different a cafe nearly everyday! Also, the girls' accommodation was exceptional; the rooms were cleaned daily and every room had its own bathroom.
Overall, I am so thankful to have been awarded a scholarship to Oxford Royale Academy, as my experience was truly unforgettable.

I spent two weeks this summer at the Queen's College in Oxford enrolled in ORA's Broadening Horizons program. Under this program I took classes in Philosophy and Contemporary History and attended the Global Issues Seminar. The two weeks I spent at Queen's were a whirlwind of exciting activities, intense learning and unforgettable experiences.
Diving head first into a subject I had never studied before (Philosophy) and a subject very close to my heart (Contemporary History) - I genuinely did not know what to expect in terms of my academics. However, my professors were personally some of the best I've had as they were highly educated in their respective fields (both of them reading for their doctorates in their fields of study) and they were committed to making the learning opportunities immersive and enjoyable.
The campus was breathtaking and there were always activities one could sign up for - it ultimately boiled down to there not being enough free time to enjoy all the activities while balancing the rigorous demands of our study courses!
Perhaps the best thing about studying with Oxford Royale Academy is that we as students get to integrate with students from all corners of the world. Being from Sri Lanka myself, this was the opportunity of a lifetime to see how I would manage 9000 kilometers away from home and anyone who looked like me. But the hospitality and friendliness exhibited by both the ORA staff and students assured me that I could indeed manage on my own, as I never for a single moment felt homesick or missed home over the course of the two weeks.
Studying with ORA at one of their summer schools is an opportunity I wish every willing person could experience because it is one I would love to relive and thus, I highly recommend it to everyone looking for something to full up their summer with.

I stayed at the Queen's College and I picked was Broadening Horizons. The courses I chose were philosophy, medical biology and global issues. When it was confirmed that I'd be able to attend the summer school, I hadn't expected to have as much fun as I did. I think the summer school had a good ratio of fun and studying. There were different activities everyday to keep us busy so we were never bored and the activities allowed us to socialize with people from our college as well as the other colleges. I was able to meet students from all parts of the world and learn about their countries and their experiences. The location of the summer school was also ideal as many touristic sites and restaurants were close-by, which allowed us to go to different places for lunch almost everyday.

Oxford Royale Academy is a great place to study in the summer. I took the Broadening Horizons program and studied at Queen's College -- the college is beautiful. You get the chance to take courses and participate in activities. This includes subjects such as Experimental Psycology and Contemporary History, and activities such as Ice Skating and Bouldering. There are many diverse peers for you to build friendships with and campus team members to guide you on your way and coordinate your activities and excursions. I will list 5 pros and 5 cons, but let me tell you that overall, the pros outweigh the cons.
PROS
1. Good food (they accommodate quite well to alternative diets such as vegan or gluten-free)
2. Nice accommodations
3. Ideal location (a mall, several libraries, several museums, and quality cafes/restaurants were just a short walk away)
4. Free time and activities (lots of time was given for exploring, completing assignments, and participating in optional activities)
5. Many students/good social life (at almost any time, you could head over to the junior common room to talk to a friend, compete in a game of foozball, or play a game of chess)
CONS
1. Assignments (For my courses, I had 4 total assignments to complete. Although this may seem light for two weeks, it does take quite a bit of time away from socializing)
2. Food (as previously mentioned, the food tasted good, but lunch and any snacks you might want throughout the day has to be purchased independently)
3. The price (the cost for this program is quite high, considering it to be only two weeks, which makes it hard for some to attend. Thankfully, a few scholarships are given to deserving students)
4. The Wifi (almost every time you want to use the wifi, you have to sign in again, which is tiresome to some students)
5. The water (the water available to student is tap water, which is fine to drink, but if you only drink purifies water, you are going to have to get that yourself)
6. Excursions (I thought that I would get to travel around more while I was there and see England landmarks, such as Stonehenge, but we only went to London once, and we had limited time)
• Hopefully my advice helps you in your decision making process. I highly enjoyed attending ORA, and I'm sure that you would too.