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The Gap Year offers study opportunity and cultural immersion to high school graduates who wish to gain academic and travel experience before they start their college careers. It’s also a ‘semester abroad’ opportunity for college students. You enrol for one or two semesters; shorter courses can also be arranged, given the flexibility of tutorial teaching.
The courses provide a personalised method of instruction, as favoured by Oxford and Cambridge universities; teaching takes place in small seminar groups and individual tutorials, with close tutor supervision. You are able to explore your study interests without a set curriculum and enjoy a rich social and cultural life.
The course, together with the rich academic environment of Oxford, provides a great foretaste of college student life, with small-group seminars and individual tutorials. Highly-regarded for the quality of teaching and student-centred approach, the Gap Year encourages confidence and motivation to enable academic and social success in college.
Although not directly affiliated with Oxford University, many of the course tutors also teach at the university.
The Gap Year is an opportunity to follow your academic interests in a range of subject areas and to reinforce areas of knowledge. It allows you to enhance and refine your study methods, without the pressure of examinations.
Our students are typically at one of the following stages in their education:
The courses provide a balance of academic study and social interaction, with extra-curricular activities and cultural visits. Oxford gives a rich opportunity to join student clubs and societies and offers a unique backdrop of scholarship and history.
Those who take a Gap semester or year invariably develop as learners and become more confident and highly motivated, given the close support and encouragement they receive. Areas requiring further attention are highlighted in a supportiver way.
A recent gap year student, Elisabeth Westermann talks to us about her time in Oxford. Thank you for such a glowing recommendation, Elisabeth!
Click here to watch it.
“My time on the Oxford Gap Year was life-changing and unforgettable. There is a wonderful opportunity to meet people from all over the world and improve oneself by diving into the education offered there. In a typical week, I would feel both accomplished and grateful; accomplished because I knew that the papers I just finished made me a better writer and thinker, and grateful because I got the chance to celebrate by going out to dinner with friends in the lovely city center. In short, it’s the best of both worlds for someone like me that is both social, but also very invested in advancing their career through formal education under some of the best professors in the world.”
Elias, Gap Year student, 2022
You normally select four seminar subjects and one tutorial subject from a wide choice of almost eighty courses offered (course list below).
Classes are taught in small seminar groups or through one-on-one tutorials, following the Oxford model. Topics are explored in depth during each session, with reading and written work then set to reinforce understanding and help prepare for subsequent teaching sessions. You are encouraged to further explore topics of particular interest, with tutor support. Direct access to your tutors helps with your understanding and assimilation of the subject material covered.
As part of the experience, academic work is complemented by a full and varied extra-curricular programme, ranging from weekly visits to places of cultural and historical interest, as well as to musical and theatrical events, also student practice and performance in music and drama and, for those who wish, a range of sports activities. Social events take place regularly, enabling students to meet and develop friendships.
The Oxford Gap Year offers great scope for academic and personal development. Those who join us invariably leave as more confident and academically-capable people.
There is a clear emphasis throughout the teaching on helping to develop academic maturity and self-reliance, through a dynamic and interactive teaching style that encourages student participation, questioning and feedback. In this way motivation is developed, with students taking responsibility for their own learning.
The teaching groups are small, and this helps to ensure full student participation in the learning process. By including a tutorial subject, you are also able to follow a bespoke study programme with undivided tutor attention and support. The individual teaching is invaluable in helping you to develop sound study methods,
Given the wealth of teachers and academics in Oxford, you can benefit from working with some inspiring and knowledgeable tutors. The college has an outstanding faculty of subject specialists, and support staff, who work with you to pursue your preferred academic options. Many of the teaching staff are affiliated with the university, and are undergoing their own academic research.
Many of our students are aiming to gain a place at a top university, in the UK or overseas, and so are invited to discuss their options with specialist staff, bearing in mind their qualifications and strengths.
The Careers and Higher Education department is led by a member of the International Association of College Admission Counselors. She and her team work closely with students and with their academic and personal tutors, and where appropriate liaise with their former high school to build a strong application, supported by personal recommendations.
The college has a great record in helping place students at their top choice colleges, in the US, the UK and internationally. These have recently included Brown University, Emerson College, University College Utrecht and The University of York. In previous years, we have also successfully supported students in making college transfers, for example from Emerson College (MA) to St Andrew’s (Scotland).
In order to thrive and succeed in Higher Education, you will need to develop effective study methods. Encouragement of these is emphasised in the teaching, and you will be given the tools necessary to become competent in the following areas :
“I am with the greatest roommate in the world, honestly. Everyone has been so lovely, and everyone in the house has been so welcoming. There’s a common room where any evening of the week you can find people hanging out there, preparing to go out on the weekends, or just doing homework together, there is a pingpong table that’s recently been added, and everyone is so willing to let you in and make a seat for you.”
Lucia, Gap year students 2024
9.30am – 10.30am. Seminar subject 1: Introduction to Philosophy. Try out a new subject.
10.30am – 11.30am. Study and preparation, or free time.
11.30am – 12.30pm. Seminar subject 2: Oxford Art & Architecture. This class may take you into Oxford, visiting the art and buildings of the city.
12.30pm – 1.45pm. Lunch in college. Meet other students.
1.45pm – 2.45pm. Seminar subject 3: Fundamentals of Marketing. Explore a new topic you might be thinking of taking at college.
2.45pm – 3.45pm. Tutorial: Contemporary British Fiction. Take an ‘Oxford style’ tutorial. Your tutorial teacher is also your personal tutor to help guide you through your studies.
3.45pm – 5.00pm. Free time: private study or collect books and resources at the college library, or from a local bookshop.
5.00pm – 6.30pm. Social activity: Get to know other students through a local activity or visit. Learn to ‘punt’ on the river, try out Ice Skating or Bowling, visit a local gallery.
(The above is merely an example. You will have your own specific timetable, according to your subject choices).
A variety of options ensure that you feel comfortable during your stay. Our Housing Team helps to arrange suitable accommodation and provides pastoral support. All college accommodation is situated within a short distance of the college and city centre.
Those over 18 or over are housed in self-catering houses, in a choice of standard rooms with shared bathrooms or en-suite rooms, with a choice of single or twin rooms. Rooms are well-furnished, with a desk, study area and storage for clothes and belongings. Cooking facilities are provided; during the week lunch is included in our dining room.
Those aged under 18 live in one of the supervised student houses near the college, supervised by a residential warden who cares for their welfare.
Our modern residences provide a safe living environment. You live with students from around the world, creating opportunities to make friends. There are communal areas so you can study, socialise and relax with others outside of lessons.
An experienced pastoral team provides support during college hours and via a 24-hour phone line at other times. They are available for all your welfare needs throughout your stay. House rules promote an environment of mutual respect.
Students aged under 18, with parents and/or Legal Guardians overseas, are not required to have a nominated Educational Guardian in the the UK. However, we recommend this for students staying with us over six months. The Boarding Schools Association (BSA) website has a list of guardians who have the BSA Certified Guardian certification.
| Residential address: | 382 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7SH |
| Room types: | Twin Standard, Twin Superior, Single Standard and Single Superior |
| Distance to college: | 1.2 – 2 km |
| Shared facilities: | Common room, self-catered kitchen, garden and laundry room |
| Residential services: | Free WIFI, bed linen and towels |
| Help desk: | 24 hour telephone support |
| Local amenities: | Frequent bus service |
| Residential address: | 143 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7AN |
| Room types: | Twin Standard |
| Distance to college: | 1 km |
| Shared facilities: | Common room, kitchenette, garden and laundry room |
| Residential services: | Free WIFI, bed linen and towels |
| Help desk: | House parent, 24 hour telephone support |
| Local amenities: | Frequent bus service |
| Residential address: | 3 Bardwell Road, Oxford, OX2 6SU |
| Room types: | Single Standard and Single Superior |
| Distance to college: | 20 metres |
| Shared facilities: | Common room, self-catered kitchen, garden and laundry room |
| Residential services: | Free WIFI, bed linen and towels |
| Help desk: | 24 hour telephone support |
| Local amenities: | Frequent bus service – 2 (A, B, C, and D) |
| Residential address: | 177 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7AW |
| Room types: | Twin Standard, Twin Superior Superior and Single Standard |
| Distance to college: | 1.1km |
| Shared facilities: | Common room, self-catered kitchen, garden and laundry room |
| Residential services: | Free WIFI, bed linen and towels |
| Help desk: | 24 hour telephone support |
| Local amenities: | Frequent bus service – 2 (A, B, C, and D) |
Please make allowance for living expenses and pocket money during your stay in Oxford. As a guideline, for full board accommodation, a weekly allowance of around £120 to cover travel and other costs, such as personal supplies and entertainment should be sufficient, . For self-catering , £150 – £160 per week should be adequate.
You should allow a termly amount of about £150 per subject for books and stationery.
Where this is preferred, the college can open a trust account which handles a student’s accommodation payments and living expenses. The agreed amounts for each term must be deposited in the student trust account at the beginning of term.
Email us now at contact@campusoxford.com
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