Applications are now closed

If you have any queries in regards to your application, please email us via outreach.scienceactivities@imperial.ac.uk or phone +44 (0) 20 7594 7328.

About the Summer School

This residential summer school aims to address the challenge of progressing from GCSE to A-level in science subjects, which many students find to be a significant jump.

Students will work in project groups within their chosen subject strand and will undertake a practical investigation during the week. Supported by undergraduate mentors, students will tackle challenges within biology, chemistry or physics.

Chemists will cover topics such as synthetic and analytical chemistry across the physical, organic and inorganic disciplines; Biologists will be investigating organismal biology studying topics from microbes to monkeys; and Physicists will explore further conceptual ideas as well as how physics can be used to develop solutions to a number of real-world design problems and thus its applications in engineering.

Projects will be developed in conjunction with researchers aiming to use up-to-date techniques and equipment to solve problems in a similar way to university groups, with as much hands-on exposure to labs as we can fit in.

The course is completely residential and students will experience broader university life through a series of social activities as well as time to relax and share experiences with other participants and undergraduate mentors.

At the end of the week there will be an academic-style conference where each project group will present a poster detailing their investigation to their peers, leaders and invited guests.

This course is fully funded by Imperial College Outreach and therefore we will be assessing applications for eligibility (please see more information below).

Please note, if you are currently domiciled outside the UK then you should consider our Global Summer School instead.

Course Aims

• To provide subject enrichment, practical hands-on activities and lab-based project work which may not be available in school/college
• To introduce students to A-Level teaching styles
• To motivate and elevate students’ learning towards higher levels of attainment
• To identify the need to improve subject knowledge and be motivated to increase understanding of subject areas
• To understand the mathematical and quantitative bases of their scientific research and the types of skills required across science learning and future pathways
• To reinforce and supplement knowledge and understanding of curriculum topics
• To develop students’ group working, investigation, presentation and communication skills, therefore increasing confidence in their own ability