Community & Impact

Since our earliest summers, widening access to our programmes has been at the heart of what we do. Through scholarships and bursaries - awarded via essay competitions, partnerships with global education organisations, and dedicated regional and hardship initiatives - we have welcomed talented students from around the world who might otherwise never have joined us.

These have included full and partial funded places, prize awards covering travel as well as tuition, and scholarships created in response to world events for students whose lives had been upturned by conflict. For many recipients, a funded summer in Oxford or Cambridge became a turning point in their education.

Giving to causes we believe inLink to this section

Alongside our scholarship work, we have made direct donations over many years to charities working in education, emergency relief and open access to knowledge - from organisations building schools and championing enterprise education, to international appeals responding to humanitarian crises, to platforms keeping learning free for everyone.

Rooted in our local communityLink to this section

Our home matters to us. Over the years we have supported local sports clubs, university teams and societies, community fundraisers, parish initiatives and heritage restoration projects across Oxfordshire - and hosted free events for the neighbourhoods that host us each summer.

We ask every student to treat the colleges, museums, parks and city streets they enjoy with care and respect, and we champion the local businesses, venues and cultural institutions that make our host cities so special.

Giving equipment a second lifeLink to this section

Rather than letting good equipment sit idle, we donate surplus laptops, projectors, classroom materials, craft supplies and sports kit to local primary schools, charities and community reuse organisations - extending its useful life and putting it into the hands of those who can make the most of it.

Learning that is free for allLink to this section

Knowledge shouldn't stop at our gates. Through free online courses and an ever-growing library of academic articles and careers guidance on our website, tens of thousands of learners around the world have accessed our teaching at no cost — and continue to do so today.

Investing in peopleLink to this section

Each summer we employ hundreds of seasonal staff across administration, teaching support, operations, student welfare and pastoral care. For many young people and early-career staff, these roles offer paid work, professional experience and skills that last a lifetime — supported by thorough training in safeguarding and student care. We also offer work-experience placements for those taking their first steps into the world of work.

Treading lightlyLink to this section

We are steadily reducing the environmental footprint of our programmes. Course materials and welcome packs are now digital-first, saving significant paper, printing and international shipping every year. Careful forecasting keeps waste down; surplus equipment is donated or recycled rather than discarded; and refillable water bottles, recycling facilities and lower-impact travel are encouraged across our venues.
Environmental considerations - from procurement and energy to logistics and disposal - are woven into how we plan and run every season.