Inspiring Oxford Summer School

Our 2026 Inspiring Oxford summer programme will open to registrations soon. To be notified when, please sign up to receive email updates.

Your Oxford summer – learn, connect, explore

Be inspired by the dreaming spires with Inspiring Oxford.

Join us for an unforgettable summer in the heart of Oxford at Brasenose College, beside the iconic Radcliffe Camera and Bodleian Library. With historic colleges, museums and gardens right on your doorstep, this immersive summer school programme captures the true spirit of Oxford University — where history, ideas and curiosity come together.

Choose from 60 one-week, introductory-level courses spanning a wide range of subjects, including history, literature, creative writing, psychology, law, art history, film, sociology, environmental studies and international relations.

Seminars are small and engaging (maximum 16 participants) and are led by friendly, supportive expert tutors who bring subjects to life through lively discussion and exploration. After class, wander through Oxford’s cobbled streets, unwind in the peaceful quads of Brasenose, or join our optional social activities to make the most of your Oxford experience.

Be part of a welcoming community of curious minds, meet fellow lifelong learners and discover what it’s like to study at one of the world’s most inspiring universities.

All Inspiring Oxford summer courses are open to adults aged 18 and over. No prior knowledge is needed – just an eagerness to learn and explore.

2026 programme dates

Our 2026 Inspiring Oxford summer school courses will take place during the following dates.

• Week 1: Sunday 5 July - Saturday 11 July 2026
• Week 2: Sunday 12 July - Saturday 18 July 2026
• Week 3: Sunday 19 July - Saturday 25 July 2026
• Week 4: Sunday 26 July - Saturday 1 August 2026
• Week 5: Sunday 2 August - Saturday 8 August 2026
• Week 6: Sunday 9 August - Saturday 15 August 2026

To stay informed of when our 2026 Inspiring Oxford summer schools open to registrations, please sign up to receive email updates.

Programme features

Brasenose College

All courses are held at Brasenose College where you can experience what it's like to live as an Oxford University student. After class you can relax in one of Brasenose’s three tranquil quads surrounded by beautiful, historic buildings dating from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries.

Founded in 1509 on the site of a medieval hall, Brasenose College has a distinguished history and an impressive list of alumni, including the archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans, former UK Prime Minister Henry Addington, and William Webb Ellis, the clergyman said to have invented rugby football.

The College’s name is thought to derive from a brass (or bronze) door knocker that once adorned the original Brasenose Hall and now hangs above High Table in the dining hall.

Daily schedule and academic programme

After registration on Sunday afternoon, we invite you to a welcome meeting in the Amersi Lecture Theatre in New Quad, where you will meet your tutors. Join us in Deer Park afterwards for our opening drinks reception, followed by dinner in Brasenose’s historic dining hall (informal dress).

Each course features either 15 x 70-minute weekday morning seminars (3 per day), or 12 x 70-minute seminars over 4 days and a full-day tutor-led field trip. With participants from different countries in each group, your seminar discussions are likely to be intellectually stimulating, lively and, we hope, hugely enjoyable. After your second seminar, we break for morning tea/coffee and pastries.

Most afternoons are free, allowing you time to explore Oxford, enjoy a variety of optional social events (see details below), or to sit back and relax in one of the college's atmospheric quads.

Your course culminates on Friday evening with a closing drinks reception and gala farewell dinner at which Certificates of Attendance are awarded. For this special occasion smart dress is encouraged (no requirement to wear dinner suits or gowns).

With the exception of courses in creative writing, you will not normally be required to produce any written work during the week (please check each course description for information on the teaching methods for that course). There are no assessments for any Inspiring Oxford courses.

Social programme 

We warmly invite all Inspiring Oxford students to take part in our social programme, with all events provided at no additional cost. Events are likely to include:

• Croquet on the quad
• Chauffeured punting from Magdalen Bridge
• Expert-led walking tours of Oxford
• Guided tour of the Bodleian Library OR a guided visit to the Ashmolean Museum
• River Thames afternoon cruise
• Quiz night in the college bar
• Scottish country dance evening (where you do the dancing!)

Certification

Meals

The course fee includes breakfasts Monday-Saturday (residential guests only), five weekday lunches, and six dinners Sunday-Friday. All meals included are served in Brasenose College's dining hall. 

If your course includes a full-day field trip, a packed lunch will normally be provided.

Residential options at Brasenose College

During your course, for an authentic Oxford University experience you can stay in typical student accommodation at Brasenose College, in the heart of the city in buildings overlooked by the iconic Radcliffe Camera. 

Please note that bedrooms are student rooms. They are simply and modestly-furnished and do not have air-conditioning. You can find out more about Brasenose and its facilities by visiting their website.

The following types of accommodation are available. 

• Single en suite: private bathroom facilities (shower, washbasin and toilet).
• Twin en suite: shared between participants that apply to the programme together, with private bathroom facilities.
• Standard single: private bedroom with shared bathroom facilities (typically shared among four participants).

Non-residential option

Prefer not to stay on site? We also offer places on a non-residential basis whereby participants can take classes and have lunch and dinner at Brasenose College, having arranged their own accommodation elsewhere. Breakfast is not included.

Non-residential participants are warmly encouraged to take part in every aspect of the academic and social programme and enjoy the same access to Brasenose facilities as residential participants.

Participants attending multiple weeks

We welcome students who want to attend multiple Inspiring Oxford courses. Residential participants staying at Brasenose College for consecutive weeks may arrange an additional Saturday night bed-and-breakfast between courses, available for an additional fee. This option ensures a seamless and enjoyable stay in Oxford.

Accommodation before/after your course

We are unable to arrange accommodation at Brasenose College prior to or following your course. Please visit universityrooms.com if you require additional nights of bed and breakfast accommodation, and they may be able to assist.

Additionally, family or friends who are not enrolled in the programme cannot be accommodated in college. 

Disabled participants (including those with mobility difficulties)

Participants who declare a disability during their application will be contacted by our student support team to discuss any support needs or adjustment requests.

Disabled students planning to attend the Inspiring Oxford summer programme may wish to contact the Programme Administrator via inspiringoxford@conted.ox.ac.uk to discuss any support needs in advance. 

Please note that Brasenose College rooms do not have lift access, and the higher rooms can be located up a few flights of stairs. If you need a room on a ground or lower floor please indicate this on your enrolment form, or contact the Programme Administrator directly at inspiringoxford@conted.ox.ac.uk as soon as possible.

Students with a mobility impairment may wish to consult the University Access Guide. 

If you would like more information about support available to students with disabilities, please see our support page.

How to enrol

Details of how to book will be announced when courses open for summer 2026. To be notified when, please sign up to receive email updates.

Fees and payment

All fees are charged on a per week, per person basis

Details of fees can be found on each individual course page.

• Tuition, included excursions (see each course page) and the full optional social programme are included in the programme fee, with both residential and non-residential options available.
• The course fee also includes breakfasts Monday-Saturday (residential guests only), five weekday lunches, and dinners Sunday-Friday. If your course includes a full-day field trip, a packed lunch is normally provided. The fee also includes morning refreshments and the welcome and closing drinks receptions.
• Courses that offer a half- or a full-day field trip are charged at a slightly higher rate to take into account transport and associated costs such as theatre tickets and entrances to venues.

Extended stay fee​

Participants staying multiple, consecutive weeks will be charged an additional bed and breakfast fee for the cost of the Saturday night between courses.

Funding

Please note there are no sources of funding (scholarships, bursaries, etc) available for the Inspiring Oxford Summer School programme.

Payment terms

• If enrolling online: full payment by credit/debit card at the time of booking.
• If submitting an enrolment form: full payment online by credit/debit card or via bank transfer within 30 days of invoice date.

Please be aware that all payments (and refunds) made via non-UK credit/debit cards and bank accounts are subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

Course change administration fee

Please note that course transfers may be permitted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Programme Administrator, up to 1 May 2026; however, in accordance with our terms and conditions for our open access courses, an administration fee of £50 will be charged.​

Cancellations and refunds

Please see the terms and conditions for our open-access courses.

The Department cannot be held responsible for any costs you may incur in relation to travel or accommodation bookings as a result of a course cancellation, or if you are unable to attend the course for any other reason. You are advised to check the terms and conditions carefully and to purchase travel insurance.

Questions? 

If you have any questions, please contact us at inspiringoxford@conted.ox.ac.uk.  

You may also find our frequently asked questions help page useful. 

2026 programme

Our 2026 Inspiring Oxford summer school courses will take place during the following dates.

• Week 1: Sunday 5 July - Saturday 11 July 2026
• Week 2: Sunday 12 July - Saturday 18 July 2026
• Week 3: Sunday 19 July - Saturday 25 July 2026
• Week 4: Sunday 26 July - Saturday 1 August 2026
• Week 5: Sunday 2 August - Saturday 8 August 2026
• Week 6: Sunday 9 August - Saturday 15 August 2026

To stay informed of when our 2026 Inspiring Oxford summer schools open to registrations, please sign up to receive email updates.

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