Want to know how to stand out from the crowd when making your university application? Then why not consider an academic summer program? Each year, a number of well-known universities host academic summer schools for pre-university and undergraduate students that are put on during July and August. The weeklong programmes are for attendees to explore their preferred subject area, whilst also offering the students a first-hand experience of campus life. For teens, this is the perfect chance to spend the summer with other like-minded students, whilst also enhancing their academic profile. And for prospective students, these courses can create an excellent foundation that can in turn provide a talking point for the personal statement.

Courses are rigorous and entry is competitive, but candidates who are successful will benefit from subject-specific exploration opportunities, plus a chance to build upon academic skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking and report-writing. For international students, there is also the benefit of this acting as a taster experience, ahead of committing to a full 3 years of studying overseas.

So how do you choose a summer school?

A simple search on Google will show that there are multiple providers leading similar-looking programs on a number of top university campuses, but the ones to really watch out for are those that are formally university-affiliated. On the whole, the affiliated versions tend to be more academically rigorous and also more favourable for university applications later down the line.

With this in mind, Quintessentially Education have set out their favourite university summer schools below – all of which are university-affiliated, across the UK and US. The list features both pre-university programs designed for students looking to make an impressive university application, as well as academic summer programs that are designed for students currently in their undergraduate study, who might be looking to explore a subject further or build upon their CV.

We do hope our suggestions are of interest, however, please contact us further for a more personalised review of your own educational journey.

Warwick Pre-University Summer School

• 6th-16th July 2021
• In-person (correct as of 25/03, but please be sure to check websites for any covid-19 related updates)
• Choice of two courses – Introduction to Economics and Finance or A Taste of Social Sciences
• Application open now

Kings Pre-University Online Summer School

• Session 1: Monday 5th July – Friday 16th July 2021. Session 2: Monday 26th July – Friday 6th August 2021
• Fully online
• Courses include: Business Management, Law, The Human Body, International Relations, Arts & Humanities, Psychology, Physics, Technology & Engineering
• Application open now, deadline 31st May 2021

Imperial Global Summer School

• Pre-university program
• Session 1: Monday 28th June – Friday 9th July. Session 2: Monday 2nd August – Friday 13th August 2021
• Fully online – the in-person program will return in 2021
• Courses include: STEM; Business Analytics; Economics of Global Health Challenges; Principles of Finance; Business Strategy and Consulting; Digital Marketing; Entrepreneurship
• Application open now

University of Cambridge International Summer Programme 2021

• One week – July (date TBC)
• The in-person summer program has been postponed until 2022, this year’s program will be online
• Subjects TBC
• Application opens in April

LSE Summer School

• For current undergraduate students
• Sessions 1: 21st June – 9th July 2021; Session 2: 12th July- 30th July 2021; Session 3: 2nd August – 20th August 2021
• Two learning options: blended learning (combining mostly in-person teaching and some online classes) and remote learning (as of 25/03)
• Subjects include: Accounting, Business Management, Economics, English Language, Finance, International Relations, Law, Research Methods, Data Science and Mathematics
• Application open now

UCL Summer School

• Session 1: 5th July – 23rd July 2021; Session Two: 26th July-13th August 2021
• Fully online this year
• Applicants will have completed one year of undergraduate study
• An array of module options available
• Application open now

Brown University Pre-College Program

• Multiple 2-6 week courses, June 21-August 18 2021
• In-person and online options available (as of 25/03)
• An array of subjects available including Sciences, Literature, Philosophy, History, Performing Arts, Medical Studies, Economics and Legal Studies and more.
• Application open now

Harvard Pre-College Program

• Session I: June 27-July 9; Session 2: July 11-July 23; Session 3: July 25-August 6 2021
• Fully online
• Over 30 courses to choose from including STEAM; Business & Leadership; Race, Gender & Ethics; Law, Politics, Philosophy & History; Psychology, Medicine & Public Health; Speech, Writing & Literature
• Application open now – deadline: 14th May 2021

We do hope that these programs might be of interest to any student looking to submit a university application. If you are aged 14 to 18 and looking to applying in the forthcoming year(s), please contact Quintessentially Education for a more personalised exploration of how to best prepare.